Record Final Viewer Numbers, Roster Decisions, Looming Labor Issues and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
Happy Thursday and Happy Thanksgiving. With the day in mind I would just comment how much I appreciate this community and the discussions here everyday. Yesterday was a really news filled day, so let’s get to the headlines.
NWSL final peaks at record 1.55M viewers, playoffs up 18% (ESPN)
When you have good match ups with star power, people will watch. Impressively, viewership was up 22% over last year and 45% over two years ago. Interestingly, the game achieved those numbers with the home market of one of the teams not showing up in the top 10 for viewership.
Way to represent DMV!
D.C. United and Loudoun both announced their end of season roster decisions.
DC United announce end-of-season roster decisions (DP)
Donald breaks down DCU’s announcement which included many that were expected, some that were speculated about, and one that may be mildly surprising. One of the big questions going forward is just how much does Christian Benteke like living in DC and just how much of a pay cut is he willing to take to stay with the Black and Red?
2025 Roster Decisions (Loudoun United)
Loudoun announced their decisions and will be seeing a number of players who played a bunch of minutes walk.
Loudoun United announce roster decisions as USL work stoppage looms (DP)
Ryan breaks down Loudoun’s decisions and puts them in the context of the potential labor battle during the off season.
The factors behind the looming labor impact are already having real impacts on players in the league.
Drew Skundrich Joins Loudoun United FC Technical Staff (Loudoun United)
The former DCU and Loudoun half of the DMV’s favorite soccer power couple wasn’t unemployed long. A day after announcing his retirement, he’ll rejoin Loudoun as the Health and Performance Coach.
Player departures were not the only departures announced today.
Lonchuk spent two years on the coaching staff in Loudoun and previously was D.C. United’s First Team Performance Director.
Heath to Rodman: Stay in NWSL and be face of the league (Pro Soccer Wire)
Until Trinity’s name is on a contract somewhere, there’s going to be a million opinions published everywhere soccer is discussed saying exactly what she should do. (I may be guilty of this). Yesterday we highlighted Goff’s reason’s to go abroad. Today, we have USWNT legend Tobin Heath highlighting why she thinks Rodman should stay.
I really don’t want to talk about Liverpool right now so let’s just move along.
International Preview: Spirit and DC Power Players Called Up For Their Countries (DP)
In need of a game with a local angle? Checkout our preview of all the games featuring Spirit and D.C. Power players over this weekend.
I know the holidays can be stressful. I will leave you with this moment of zen, if you need it. Please enjoy this video of a seal scoring a goal.
What did I miss?
I hope everyone found something to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. I find it a little bit of a bummer that DCU may have been informing a number of players the day before Thanksgiving “you’re out of a job!”–maybe they were notified earlier and the announcement came later.
I have to imagine most, if not all of the declined options/no new offers were done shortly after the season ended. The two players they’re in negotiations with probably also have been in that process for a good while. They just dragged their feet on the announcement for leverage or something.
In the US rugby world, talks are upcoming between the United States Rugby Players Association (USRPA), the players’ union, and the ownership and league leadership of Major League Rugby. Some things that stand out to me:
https://thenationalmaul.substack.com/p/whats-next-for-mlr-us-mens-pro-league
More rugby related reading as an author looks at the old cliche that the US is a “sleeping giant” in rugby union and finds that as it has been since the gold medals in 1920 and 1924 that it is an emphatic no.
https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/11/24/rugbys-sleeping-giant-just-hit-snooze-again/
Many consider the fact that rugby union lost out to American football in the 1920s as having set the US back. At the same time that soccer was going through the so called “American Soccer Wars”. Can you imagine what the sporting world would be like if Rugby and Soccer had overcome American Football in the 1920s and became dominant instead?
I have some sad news.
David Rusk – longtime commentor on Black and Red and The District Press – has passed away. He was the leader of the citizens group for the DC United Stadium at Buzzard Point. Among his past accomplishments were mayor of Albuquerque NM and representative in the New Mexico legislature. He also authored many books on urbanization.
He was a 96er and more recently an avid fan of the Spirit.
You can find his obituary by typing in David Rusk obituary into a search engine.
Thank you for letting us know. I’m very sorry to hear about it. Mayor Rusk was a valued member of our commentariat and always so supportive of our Spirit coverage. So sad to lose him.
That is very sad news, but thank you for sharing. There’s lots to say about Mayor Rusk, but hopefully, in keeping with his oft-advocated maxim, they’ll book a room in the Cosmos Club that can only hold half of the guests that they’re expecting.
They did just that!. It was packed and was a beautiful event. Tales from Buzzard Point which he authored and edited was listed alongside him being mayor as one of his accomplishments!
I remember reading his first entry shortly after having read through all the Sherlock Holmes stories. Mayor Rusk’s was done so wonderfully well that it very easily would have fit alongside Arthur Conan Doyle’s works. Truly impressive stuff.