Category: Opinion

Grading USWNT Clothing Lines

Posted on by RJ Allen

It seems that more and more athletes are creating their own clothing lines lately and the U.S. Women’s National Team is no exception. Even though many players have had clothing lines in the past, most have since discontinued them. Currently, only four players have clothing lines that are available through their personal websites or through a direct affiliate website. Of the existing four, I have examined each of the clothing lines and in my unprofessional fashion opinion and professional fan opinion, graded them on a scale of A-F.  During the process, I will keep in mind each line’s marketing strategies, options, and overall appeal.

 

Grading Scale:

A- Great job. Might only need one or two slight improvements.

B- Overall good. Could improve in a few areas.

C- Not the best. Could significantly improve in many areas.

D- Clear flaws. Needs a lot of help.

F- Why did you do this?

 

For each clothing line I will be doing an “initial grade” and a “final grade”. I did this to show that my perception of each line changed after analysis and overall comparison.

 

Ashlyn Harris

 

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Initial Grade: A-

 

I was aware that Ashlyn had a fairly popular line. I had seen a few of her items on Instagram, but I wasn’t aware of the extent of her line. 

Overall, her items are great. They are trendy, unique, and refreshing in a non-traditional sense–the clothing isn’t limited to articles simply featuring her name and number. 

Currently, her items are only available through her page in Sqor Sport’s Sqor Shop. And at first, this turned me off. I felt that Ashlyn having her own personal domain would be more advantageous for her as a brand. But, after browsing through Sqor Sports’ website, I realized how much foot traffic they get. They also carry other items from athletes like Odell Beckham, Jr., Peyton Manning, and Cristiano Ronaldo. This has to be helpful for her in terms of exposure and accessibility.

Ultimately, Ashlyn’s offbeat and eclectic line remains as one of the best among the four and receives a final grade of an A.   

 

Final Grade: A

 

Ali Krieger

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Initial Grade: A

You have to give Ali Krieger credit. Her clothing line, available at AliKrieger.com, is always sold out. Always.

I joke that it’s harder to get her snapback than it was to buy tickets to Hamilton when the original cast was still intact.

I also obviously have a massive amount of respect and love that she is receptive to fan’s critiques, but at what point does the unavailability of her line become more inconvenient than exclusive? Her brand also only carries one hat, one T-shirt, and one cinch bag.

While all of these items are popular, I can’t give a higher final grade than a B for a line with only three items. Even if they are, apparently, topnotch.

 

Final Grade: B-

 

Hope Solo

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Initial Grade: B

 

I’m not sure if the recent events that have transpired around Hope make her ineligible for this article (I’m trying to stick to current and active players), but I’m going to include her because her line is still available through her website.

All in all, Hope’s clothing line seemed pretty traditional. Shirts and hoodies with her name, “Hope.”, are in the forefront of her website’s store. Even though this seems pretty standard, Hope does include other items that are more sentimental and amusing.

One of my personal favorites (that I didn’t realize was a thing!), is the #GetTheGoals T-Shirt. Any true Hope Solo fan knows this is a reference to a quote from her late grandmother, who was arguably the biggest national team fan in the country. Hope gets bonus points for this alone. But, in the long run, even though her line defied a few of my expectations, I can’t give her more than an A- for a clothing line that lacks a little excitement.

 

Final Grade: A-

 

Megan Rapinoe

rapinoe

Initial Grade: C

 

With the catchy hashtag of #BeYourBestYou, and a logo that is both simple and smart, I’m sure you’re wondering why I initially rated Megan Rapinoe’s clothing brand so low.

My reasoning is this: Social. Media. Spamming.

At first, I couldn’t handle it … “Made the Olympic Squad! #BeYourBestYou,” “Flying to Madrid! #BeYourBestYou,” “Getting my hair done! “BeYourBestYou,” “Tore my ACL! #BeYourBestYou.”

Okay, the last one clearly didn’t happen, but you get my point. Like those friends you have on Facebook who sell body wraps through pyramid scheme companies, I couldn’t help but feel that she has overcompensating for an under-performing clothing line.

One day, I finally took a leap and clicked one of her many posts on Twitter …  and guys … her clothes are actually kinda cool. I respect that not all of the items have her name plastered across the front. Most of them have her message: “Be Your Best You.” It may sound campy, but it carries a meaning that is universally understood. She also carries an assortment of items from tanks and tees to beanies and track jackets.

I also love that every item is unisex and can be worn by whatever gender you may be. So, ultimately, I’m going to apologize to Megan Rapinoe. I judged your clothing line pretty harshly, but then bought my husband and myself one of your tanks and we can’t deny that they are both very soft and very versatile in terms of appearance.

I am upgrading you to an A+.

 

Final Grade: A+

Around the World of WoSo: A weird week

Posted on by RJ Allen

Seattle Reign Captain Announces Retirement:

Keelin Winters has been captain of the NWSL club Seattle Reign since day one back in 2013 when the league began. She has been the heart and soul of this club without question. In her 85 appearances for the club, her role hasn’t necessarily been to score goals, but to create opportunities for her teammates. She does the little things right every game and has helped guide her team to two Shield titles and two trips to the NWSL championship. She’s been absolutely remarkable in her role and became one of the most consistent players in the league. The script couldn’t have been written any better for Winters-in her last professional game at Memorial Stadium this past weekend, she scored the game winning goal against Washington.  Winters’ representation has been nothing short of class both on and off the field. It’s been a pleasure watching her play and while I am sad to see her leave the game, Winters’ will continue to work for Pro Skills Soccer—a company she founded to assist youth and adult players in the Seattle area. The next chapter of her life will be of service, as she has plans to join the Kirkland Fire Department in January 2017.

NWSL Golden Boot Race Still Lively:

With one game left in the 2016 season, the Golden Boot winner has yet to be decided, a different race compared to last year where Washington’s Crystal Dunn ran away with it mid-season. Currently, four players are within reach to win the award. Leading the pack is Houston’s Kealia Ohai and WNY’s Lynn Williams each with 10, while tied at nine is WNY’s Jess McDonald and Portland’s Nadia Nadim. Ohai has been a on a tear the second half of the season, with all of her goals coming after July 9th, and in a total of nine games. Williams on the other hand has had a more complete season, scoring 10 goals in 17 appearances. McDonald and Nadim have also been a little more consistent than Ohai. But nonetheless, the Dash forward has been the best player in the second half of the season. So, who has the better chance of actually winning it? Ohai will be going against Seattle, a team that shut out the number one team in the league in Washington last week. It will be a tough task but certainly one that Ohai is capable of doing. Williams and McDonald will be going against the weakest team in Boston, but anything could happen and stopping two of the best forwards in the game doesn’t seem likely for the Breakers. Lastly, Nadim will be up against Sky Blue FC, a team that has given up the third most goals this season with 27. All of these players have the opportunity to go out and control their own destiny. Friendly reminder: The NWSL is on International break, so play will resume September 24th finishing the regular season.

Two Chicago Red Stars Down:

In a hard fought 0-0 draw last week in Kansas City, Chicago clinched a playoff spot but two players left the game with injury concern. First was Arin Gilliland in the ninth minute after a scramble for the ball near the sidelines left her clutching her ankle. Gilliland has been very solid for the Red Stars in her two years in the league. Starting 17 matches as a rookie in 2015 and starting in 19 matches this season. The defender has been a crucial part of the defense that has only allowed 19 goals. For Chicago’s sake, hopefully it’s not a serious injury and while her replacement Sarah Gorden has done reasonable in her limited minutes, no doubt Gilliland is a key piece to Chicago’s success. With any luck, she could return in the final regular game of the season against Washington. The second injury was to forward Stephanie McCaffrey in the 25th minute. Having played her first year and a half in Boston, McCaffrey was traded to Chicago mid way through the season. In her six games as a Red Star she has contributed with two goals. While most of Chicago’s goals have come from Christen Press and Sofia Huerta, McCaffrey provides the width and service needed for serious scoring opportunities. Coming in for her was Alyssa Mautz, a player who has been improving each year in the league since arriving in 2013 and became a starter in 2014. Mautz is more than capable of filling the role for the remainder of the way, should McCaffrey not be available. But the concern is do these two injuries disrupt the chemistry of the team going forward? Can they go deep into the playoffs without these two out? We will find out in two weeks when play continues.

UVA Loses to Georgetown:

After winning its first seven games of the year, Virginia is no longer undefeated. The number two team Virginia played to a 3-2 loss this weekend to a surprising Georgetown team that’s ranked 20th. This was the first regular season non-conference loss since 2012 (lost to Penn State) for UVA.  The good news for UVA is that it was the last non-conference match of the season. This one started out great for UVA, leading by two goals after nine minutes of play, but seemed to hit a wall the rest of the game. The Hoyas came storming back with three unanswered goals in the first half to stun the Cavs. It’s certainly an impressive feat when in the previous seven games UVA had allowed zero goals. The defense was bound to collapse at some point, but I didn’t have Georgetown winning this game at all—and not in that fashion. The Hoyas scored its first goal a few minutes after UVA scored its last. In the 14th minute Taylor Pak hit a lovely ball from distance to give her team life. That was all they needed. The tying goal came by way of Chloe Knott, who capitalized on a mistake by the Cavs and beat the keeper 1v1 to level.  The game winning goal in the 38th minute was constructed all by Rachel Corboz (Who was named to our Player to Watch List before the season started). Corboz hit a beautiful free kick from 25 yards out and into the net to give her team a very convincing win. For her effort, Corboz was awarded the Big East Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. Up next for UVA is Virginia Tech on Friday while Georgetown faces George Washington on Thursday.

Manchester City Women Close to Title:

Last weekend, City beat Arsenal Ladies to improve to 38 points and move one step closer to the Super League Title. The only other serious contender is Chelsea, who is sitting in second place with 31 points. They defeated Reading to keep themselves in the race for another week.  Ironically the next match is on September 25 against City, so if they win, City will have to wait to celebrate the Title.  It will be a tough task for City. Chelsea has the likes of Hedvig Lindahl (GK-SWE), England star midfielder Karen Carney, Eniola Aluko (F-ENG), Fran Kirby (F-ENG) and Gemma Davison (F-ENG). All nine teams in the league have quality squads, but City might have the most complete. Led by a handful of England’s finest in Karen Bardsley (GK), Lucy Bronze (D), Captain Steph Houghton (D), Jill Scott (M) and Toni Dugan (F). It’s easy to see why they are on top. They also have Ireland’s young talent on defense in Megan Campbell and the American midfielder you might recognize in Daphne Corboz, (the sister of Georgetown Hoya Rachel Corboz). I don’t gamble, but if I did, I would put my money on Manchester to win its first title in club history by beating Chelsea.

NCAA College Cup Moved Out of NC:

On Monday it was announced that the NCAA Women’s College Cup will not be played in North Carolina. The main reason is a legitimate one, and backed by the NCAA President Mark Emmert, is due to the anti-LGBT laws that are currently in place. In his statement, Emmert made it clear that it was a decision that needed to be made, saying this: “We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships.”

The four factors that played a part in removing the College Cup and are as follows:

  • NC laws invalidate any local law that treats sexual orientation as a protected class, or has a purpose to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals.
  • A statewide law in NC that prohibits anyone using the restroom of the gender not on birth certificate, regardless of gender identity.
  • NC law provides legal protections for government officials to refuse services to the LGBT community.
  • Five states (New York, Minnesota, Washington, Vermont and Connecticut) prohibit travel to NC for public employees and representatives of public institutions, which could include student-athletes and campus athletics staff.

Six other events will be relocated as well; Men’s and Women’s DIII Soccer Championships, 2017 DI Men’s Basketball first/second Round, 2017 DI Women’s Golf Regional, 2017 Men’s and Women’s DIII Tennis Championships, 2017 Women’s DI Lacrosse Championship and 2017 DII Baseball Championship. Without question, this was the right decision for the NCAA and the Board of Governors to make. Anyone who has a moral compass should be perfectly ok with these relocations.

Wambach Drug Admission Highlights Problem with Anti-Doping Practices

Posted on by RJ Allen

News broke yesterday that Abby Wambach, whose memoir Forward was released today, had abused alcohol and prescription drugs for years, including during her time as a member of the US Women’s National Team. In an interview with the Associated Press, Wambach, arrested earlier this year on a DUI, came clean on her history of abusing vodka, Vicodin, Ambien, and Adderall. That arrest, during which she admitted to having used cocaine and marijuana in her twenties, was a welcome wake-up call for the ex-player and current ESPN analyst, who said that she had been “stubborn” and “in denial” up until that point. It was the public shame and humiliation that forced her to confront her addictions and offered her an avenue to sobriety, having entered into a diversion and treatment program for first offenders after entering a guilty plea in court.

Certainly, the memoir, a chapter of which is titled “Addict”, will offer more information into the troubled personal life behind one of soccer’s greatest players, but the admission from Wambach does raise several questions about international soccer and drug abuse. The biggest is how one of the best known names in soccer — men’s or women’s — was able to hide an addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs for years. As two-time Olympic Gold medalist (2004, 2012) and 2015 Women’s World Cup winner, Wambach should have been subjected to rigorous testing by a number of agencies, including the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the US and International Olympic Committees (USOC and IOC, respectively), and FIFA itself.

So why is this the first time we’re hearing of it?

The problem, or at least, the answer to that question, is that of the drugs mentioned, Adderall (amphetamine-dextroamphetamine) is only prohibited during competition while Vicodin (hydrocodone) and Ambien are on WADA’s list of permitted substances.  Cocaine and marijuana, of course, are prohibited at all times. The drug testing that athletes undergo focuses on performance-enhancement or the use of illegal controlled substances. Prescription drugs that do not noticeably enhance an athlete’s performance and that might reasonably be provided by a physician, whether used legally or illegally, are not disavowed by the bodies responsible for keeping professional and elite athletes, and athletics, clean. Their focus is doping, not necessarily drug or medication usage.

The legal abuse of prescription drugs is not unknown to soccer, unfortunately. In 2012, FIFA’s Chief Medical Officer Jiri Dvorak announced that the use and abuse of painkillers was prevalent in the sport, after asking team doctors for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to “provide a list of medications which players were taking prior to each game.” This study revealed that the use of such medications were being used by up to 39 percent of athletes participating in the 2010 World Cup; in the 2014 World Cup the number was up to 67 percent. In late 2015, a report which Dvorak co-authored that was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that between 2002 and 2014, up to 69 percent of adult male players reported using prescribed medication prior to each match.

However, that same BJSM article indicated that the rates of prescription drug usage during the Women’s World Cups were even higher. While 69 percent of adult male players used prescription medication during World Cups between 2002 and 2014, 71.5 percent of female athletes reported using (non-contraceptive) medications during Women’s World Cups across the same period, 2003-2007.  Also revealed in these reports is a trend that medication use increases with age, as youth teams surveyed had significantly lower reported usage of prescription medications. And while this seems to just be common sense, it does highlight the possibility that the roots of addiction by elite athletes to prescription drugs may extend all the way back to their use during youth; as the body acquires more and more damage over time, increased therapeutic usage may be required to continue performing at high levels.

None of this, of course excuses the misuse of prescription (and non-prescription) drugs by Wambach. However, it may help not only to explain it, but to  highlight the use and abuse of legal medications in professional sports. These medications, while not enhancing performance according to the criteria laid out by WADA and the IOC generally, do enhance and prolong an athlete’s ability to perform on the field at all, extending an athlete’s professional life while also possibly increasing the long-term damage of existing injuries to their body, and masking — or even causing — more serious damage to their long-term health.  As a 2009 study on the use of prescription drugs in female and youth athletes noted, “The use of substances that are not on the doping list — so-called legal drugs — also needs to be considered in relation to moral, ethical, and health aspects.”

The issue here is not that Abby Wambach has admitted to using legal drugs such as Vicodin, Adderall, and Ambien, in addition to alcohol, during her US Women’s National Team career.

The issue is that the use of these medications and substances are allowed to fly under the radar of national and international bodies dedicated to the “clean” sports.

The problem is that, so far, they’re not considered a problem at all.

Louisville: The Next NWSL City?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Recently, it was unofficially confirmed that LAFC would receive an NWSL expansion team in 2018. With this announcement, the conversation is now beginning to shift to other cities that are deserving of a team. I decided to make a case for a city that I believe to be extremely deserving, but no one seems to be talking about: Louisville, Kentucky.

On the surface, Louisville has an exceptional amount of potential to become a great soccer city. The largest city in the Commonwealth has dozens of youth soccer programs, the best fan base in college sports, and one the most successful teams in the USL, Louisville City FC.

In their first two seasons, Louisville City has been absolutely killing it in attendance. Even their lowest attended games of the season have been higher than 80% of the other team’s averages. I had the pleasure of speaking with Amanda Duffy, president of Louisville City FC, to get her take on what has made Lou City so successful.

In the interview, Duffy explains that Louisville is an incredible town for college sports, but that this market exudes a want and a need for something more than college athletics. Being a graduate of the University of Louisville, I’ve seen the gravitas that college sports hold in Louisville. But even with a program as lucrative as U of L’s, you get a sense that the city is itching for a professional team, and Louisville City seems to be alleviating that itch.

An NWSL team in this city would be strongly supported by this community. Louisville residents take great pride in their city, more so than any other place I’ve ever lived. When Jennifer Lawrence was first nominated for an Oscar for Winter’s Bone, you would have thought the entire city had imploded. When U of L’s quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was drafted to the Minnesota Vikings, his jersey sales were at a surprising 4th overall amongst rookies. Even though there isn’t evidence that proves Louisville fans bought his jersey more than Vikings fans, it’s a solid coincidence that he came from the most money-making school in collegiate athletics. Thus, I believe that any fandom created here in Louisville will be automatically elevated beyond the sport and become something more. 

Of course, Louisville isn’t perfect. There are still a few key components that the city needs to facilitate a team. The NWSL team will obviously need a place to play. Right now, Louisville City plays at a baseball stadium in downtown that they share with the Louisville Bats. Bringing another team in to play at that same stadium would be virtually impossible given the amount of games already scheduled between the two teams. But, there is another option in the soccer stadium used for University of Louisville games. The Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium is a brand new, 5,300 capacity stadium that was built for the men’s and women’s soccer team. (It’s interesting to note that the University of Louisville leads the nation in total attendance for their home soccer games.) But, just as the issue with Slugger Field, scheduling might prove to be an issue here as well. The only solution here would be to wait to bring in an NWSL team when Louisville City (hopefully) builds a soccer specific stadium. This would allow for both teams to have their own home field to grow around.

So, Louisville will not be getting an NWSL team in 2018 or 2019 or maybe even 2020. But, if Louisville City builds a soccer specific stadium and chooses to vie for an NWSL expansion team in the future, I have complete confidence that the Derby city team will be success.

Until then, I will settle on buying season tickets for the LAFC expansion team.

Christen Press, are you coming or what?

Bill Lynch and the Washington Spirit Got It Wrong on Rapinoe

Posted on by RJ Allen

My great-uncle died during the Korean War. He was carrying bodies of the dead and wounded across a river and his boat was ambushed. His remains have never been found.

My grandfather went over to Korea to help with breaking down and bringing everyone home.

My uncle met my aunt because they were both Army.

My brother and my cousin each did two tours in Iraq.

Why do I mention this, why do I think it’s important that you know this before you continue reading?  Because this is the family I come from. A family that has bled and died for this country, for that flag, and for our rights.

I had a conversation about Colin Kaepernick and his feelings about his protesting with my brother, two-time Iraqi War Veteran and former Sergeant in the US Army. His answer was simple: he finds it disrespectful to the flag, but that it is also his right to do it.

You don’t have to like the way Kaepernick is protesting, you don’t have to like the fact that he is protesting, you don’t have to agree to a damn thing that he does, but you have no right to strip him of that right to protest.

Megan Rapinoe chose to kneel in solidarity with Kaepernick at last week’s game against Chicago and that is her right. She believes that what Kaepernick is doing is important and that this topic needs to be talked about. I agree.

Her team, the Seattle Reign, agreed as well. They issued a statement, one that was simple but effective. They did not necessarily agree with her stance or choice, but they agreed with her being able to do it. That makes one team that got it right.

The Washington Spirit, however, got it very wrong tonight.

The Spirit released a statement, about 15 minutes or less before kickoff, stating that they were playing the National Anthem early. While the players were still in their locker rooms. They stated that they would not allow Rapinoe to “hijack” this tradition. That they would not subject their fans to such a disrespectful act. That the organization is veteran-owned and thus it was unacceptable to play the National Anthem when there was a chance players might protest, especially on such an important night for their franchise.

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Here is my problem with such a statement.

  1. Could you be more selfish regarding it an important night for your franchise that you would take away from issues of this country? I’m betting not.
  2. Rapinoe did not hijack anything. She didn’t put a gun to anyone’s head, she didn’t hold you against your will, all she was going to do was kneel.
  3. Instead of subjecting your fans to someone harmlessly expressing protest, you subjected them to what you feel is appropriate and deem acceptable behavior. It’s their choice to be offended or not, not yours to decide for them.
  4. I have veterans in my life, as I stated above, while they do not always agree with someone protesting in such a way, they would never dream of doing something like this.

What you did here, you denied someone their rights because it didn’t match your feelings or views. You did the most un-American, unpatriotic, unacceptable thing. You don’t have to agree with me, but my brother? The two-time Iraqi War Vet and former Sergeant in the US Army, one of those veterans you were trying to ‘protect?’  He agrees with me.

What you did was wrong, Bill Lynch, plain wrong.

I love this team, I love this game, and I love my country. I have been let down and disappointed by all three many times, but this, this moment, this hurts. I cannot find the proper words to describe the anger and hurt and disbelief that this actually happened. I am beyond disappointed, disgusted, and appalled at this action.

These players, this city, this team, the fans, and this league deserve better than that. You have no idea how much that hurts to say. This has been one of the best organizations in women’s soccer in America. They have been around since the WUSA and have had such a great reputation and professionalism about them. The fact that this happened with this team, it’s crushing, truly crushing.

What’s done is done. You just tainted your own ‘important night’ and did the thing you were most hoping to prevent. You took the focus off of the game and put it on your mission, now you made sure that this gets talked about.

No one will remember this night for the Spirit securing their first-ever home semifinal, they will remember it for the fact that you denied this woman the right to express her freedom of speech and played the National Anthem early.

Well done.

Around the World of WoSo

Posted on by RJ Allen

This week we have plenty of upsets to catch up on as well as some shocking news from a former a USWNT member concerning her health.

Kealia Ohai can’t be stopped:

Houston are finally playing like we thought they could way back in April at the start of the 2016 NWSL season; more specifically Ohai is simply playing out of her mind. On Saturday night she added two more goals to help her Dash beat the Orlando Pride in a thrilling 4-2 outing. Ohai has scored nine goals in the last seven games to keep her team alive at seventh place and still searching for a playoff spot. Meanwhile, Orlando lost its fifth consecutive game, and is officially eliminated from the playoffs. With Ohai in the lead for the Golden Boot, her play has certainly caught the attention of many fans, but has USWNT coach Jill Ellis been paying attention? I hope so because with her play, she has shown she is ready for another USWNT call-up. The home crowd for Houston was an impressive 6,819 strong and I would think that helped to give the Dash the extra motivation needed.

Washington first to clinch playoff spot:

The Spirit has officially made the playoffs for the third consecutive year after a 1-1 draw with WNY on Saturday night.  In front of a nice crowd of 4,527 at the Plex, the Spirit has performed well at home, grabbing their sixth win to tie WNY for league best. Washington has very consistent this season, and winning the Shield could be next for them, sitting on 36 points while Portland is in second with 29 points. Everything seems to be clicking for Jim Gabarra’s team, so could this finally be the year for a championship title? It certainly is possible the way they are performing.

Lauren Holiday to have brain surgery:

Earlier this week Lauren Holiday’s family announced that a benign tumor was found and will require surgery. The Holidays have known about it since late June. The former USWNT and NWSL (FCKC) star is a month away from giving birth to her first child, but the operation regarding the tumor will have to wait until 6 weeks after the baby is born. Holiday retired last year after the World Cup at the age of 27. A two-time Olympic champion and World Cup champion, Holiday is adored by fans all over the world. I’m sending positive energy and thoughts to the Holiday family as they go through this tough time.

FSU upset by South Alabama:

The number one ranked team Florida State has fallen to unranked South Alabama on Monday night. In their first loss of the year, FSU had a fair amount of chances. None more than Sophomore Megan Connolly who had several chances in the first half alone, but couldn’t find a breakthrough. Although the Seminoles had better possession, South Alabama managed to counter and in the 25th minute forward Charde Hannah found the winning goal. The goal was the first goal allowed by FSU this season, after shutting out its previous three opponents by a combined score of seven to nothing. The Jaguars did a solid job defensively in the second half, putting all 11 players behind the ball to secure the victory. FSU looks to rebound at home against UConn on Thursday. South Alabama should be confident as they face Austin Peay on Friday.

UCLA beat defending champs Penn State:

The Bruins are ranked 11th while the Lions are ranked 13th, but since Penn State are the defending champions, I would still consider this an upset. UCLA are quickly becoming one of my favorite teams to watch. Led by a couple of exciting in freshman Jessie Fleming and Teagan Micah, the Bruins have three wins and one loss to start the year. Fleming has now scored three goals in two games for the Bruins since arriving on campus from Rio, where she helped Canada win the Bronze medal. In goal, UCLA have Micah, who made six saves en route to her third shutout of the year. In a back-and-forth match that needed two overtimes, UCLA finally found the right combination. In the 99th minute, Fleming got on the end of a MacKenzie Cerda cross and headed home the game winner. For me, this was a statement win for the Bruins. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as they host seventh ranked North Carolina on Friday. Penn State faces San Diego State on Friday also.

Clemson fall to South Carolina:

Heading into this match, the Clemson Tigers were ranked sixth while South Carolina was sitting at 22nd. Savannah McCaskill scored two goals late in the first half to lead her Gamecocks to their fourth win on the season. South Carolina played a fast and energetic first half, so by halftime Clemson looked a little tired and a bit shocked. A slow start didn’t derail the Tigers for long, pulling one back in the 79th minute thanks to a 30 yard rocket by Sophomore Sam Staab. It was too little too late and Clemson fell to 3-2 on the season and slip in the rankings as well, dropping to 14th. Clemson play High Point on Friday and South Carolina take the field against Georgia on Friday as well.

Rapinoe Kneels Amid Violent Weekend in Chicago

Posted on by RJ Allen

A special moment took place in Chicago this weekend, before an intense match between the Chicago Red Stars and the Seattle Reign, both fighting for playoff positions.

Although not in the starting lineup and on the pitch for the national anthem, Seattle Reign’s Megan Rapinoe took a knee as the rest of the Seattle bench stood. It was a small moment that could’ve been missed, but thankfully, fan cameras caught the brief gesture.

Rapinoe takes a knee | Photo Credit : Twitter @gbpackfan32
Rapinoe takes a knee | Photo Credit : Twitter @gbpackfan32

Last month, Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem during an NFL pre-season game, citing oppression of black people in the US as his motivation. This justification for sitting when it is traditional to stand has put him in the hot seat of a country fraught with issues of race and violence. Rapinoe demonstrated her support for Kaepernick during the Sunday evening NWSL match against Chicago Red Stars, choosing to kneel on the sideline during the national anthem. Though the action was initially ambiguous Rapinoe, subbed on in the 69th minute for the Reign, clarified the intent behind her anthem kneel during her post-game comments.

“It was very intentional,” Rapinoe said. “It was a little nod to Kaepernick and everything that he’s standing for right now. I think it’s actually pretty disgusting the way he was treated and the way that a lot of the media has covered it and made it about something that it absolutely isn’t. We need to have a more thoughtful, two-sided conversation about race relations in this country.”

Rapinoe elaborated on feeling sympathy in Kaepernick’s struggle, “Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it. It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that’s really powerful.”

RAPINOE’S ROOTS IN CHICAGO RUN DEEP

Rapinoe’s professional soccer career began in Chicago in 2009, when she played for the Chicago Red Stars for two seasons in the WPS. She remains fond of the city, remarking “I love Chicago. It’s very nostalgic coming back, especially to this stadium where I started my career. I have nothing but great memories here. I love the city […] it’s a beautiful city, it has such an incredible energy in the summer, so I always love coming back.”

While on the Red Stars, Rapinoe’s performance caught the attention of fans, who appreciated the midfielder’s aggressive play. She had a knack for the ball, and wasn’t afraid to try a bicycle kick on goal in the middle of the inaugural game. Since her time in Chicago, Rapinoe’s career has taken her around the world, including a stint in France with Olympique Lyonnais, and with her on the roster, the US Women’s National Team has won an Olympic Gold medal (London, 2012) and their third World Cup (Canada, 2015).

It is fitting that Rapinoe made her stand during a game in Chicago on Labor Day weekend. A city with a long, vibrant, history, Chicago is home to many impoverished neighborhoods and a high incidence of gun violence. And despite all its diversity, Chicago is still one the most racially segregated cities in the United States. Historically, Labor Day weekend is one of the city’s most violent, Memorial Day weekend is another, and this particular holiday weekend was no different. By the time Megan Rapinoe took a knee in Toyota Park Sunday evening, there was 1 dead and 20 wounded throughout the city from gun violence.

By the time this article is published, those numbers have risen. 6 dead and 31 wounded throughout the city.

April 2009, when Rapinoe and the Red Stars had their inaugural home opener in April of 2009, marked one year since I had lost a high school friend of mine to gun violence. It’s just one of many issues Black and Hispanic communities deal with on a daily basis throughout the city. So when Rapinoe took a knee during a game in Chicago, in time when both media and the public have taken such an issue with Kaepernick doing the same, it stung a bit. Damn, where was that love when you were here, Rapinoe? It would have meant everything to this young fan at the time.

STATEMENTS AND SOLIDARITY

Rapinoe has definitely been more vocal on various social issues over the last few years. Whether it has been advocating for LGBT rights, the United States Women’s National team fight for equal pay, Rapinoe has been loud about her support.  But when she knelt down in Chicago, it wasn’t a brave, bold, new statement from a social conscious athlete. It was the mirror image of a statement that has been made countless times by black men and women and other minorities throughout generations.

The video above displays an iconic Olympic moment. Three men sharing a podium, two black Olympians expressing themselves, and the other, a white Olympian simply standing in solidarity with them wearing the same button they are. When Tommie Smith and John Carlos made their statement, they returned to the United States as villains. Peter Norman, kind of gets forgotten. However, his solidarity should not.

We all coexist in a culture that promotes our athletes as role models. Yet sometimes when they speak on issues we don’t agree with, they get torn apart. Kaepernick is currently experiencing that. Whether in the media or by a general audience, criticisms seem particularly harsher when that athlete is black or if that athlete is female. When Rapinoe took her knee, she received praise and criticism as well.

So why now? Why not when she played for a city that is notoriously segregated and whose summers she claims to love? Those same summers are all too often plagued with unrelenting gun violence, after all. Maybe one can argue that her platform in 2016 is much bigger than it was back then in 2009. That maybe she wasn’t as informed on those issues. Although if you’re from, in, or around Chicago, it’s hard to ignore those headlines.

It’s been hard to ignore Kaepernick’s headlines as well. He is speaking out on issues that make people uncomfortable. He is in a moment that is bigger than himself and he seems to understand that, saying that he understands the potential consequences of speaking out. He has chosen to make a statement despite potentially losing everything he worked for. And while the criticism remains, his public support has grown. His jersey sales have sky rocketed.

Only time will tell if this moment will affect Rapinoe’s status as a public athlete. We will see what type of praise and criticisms she will receive, if this moment will spike sales for her jerseys or her clothing brand, as Kaepernick’s has. More importantly, we will see if she will continue her support in the long term, as she’s said she intends to do so. And, as someone who has followed Rapinoe’s career since 2009, it is my hope that she continues being outspoken on these issues.

She made a statement on Sunday, but I hope it doesn’t end there.

If we want things better in the future we must remember Chicago. And Detroit. And Compton. And Baltimore. And Ferguson. Countless other cities.

Be your best you. Continue to show your solidarity. Don’t stop recognizing your privilege. Don’t stop acknowledging your own struggle. Don’t stop forcing a conversation to be had. Don’t stop calling out other white people and when you do, tell them to listen instead of speak. Don’t fade away.

Don’t stop taking a knee.

A Brief Look at Attendance Trends in the NWSL and MLS

Posted on by RJ Allen

In their fourth season, the NWSL has managed to do something that the MLS was not able to do in their first four years: find growth in attendance. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at attendance between NWSL teams that share cities with MLS teams and see if those numbers might mean anything for the future of the league.

 

Breaking Down Attendance

 

new Figure 1 NWSLKey NWSL

New Figure 2 NWSL

Overall, the NWSL is struggling to match the numbers of MLS teams in the same cities. They’re only averaging 1/4th of what the MLS is averaging. Plus, the MLS teams reached 50% stadium capacity by their 4th year and 64% by 2016, while the women’s league is only at 27%. However, the NWSL is experiencing a greater amount of growth than the MLS experienced in their first 4 years. As you can see in Figure 2, the MLS teams who are either partnered with an NWSL team or in the same city as an NWSL team have only had, on average, a 6.4% increase in attendance from their inaugural season into their 4th year (the MLS as a whole saw a 20% decrease in attendance overall). While, the NWSL has seen a 30% overall increase in attendance. Even though the literal number of people attending the games isn’t as high as the men’s league, the fact that the attendance increase has been so high over the past four years should say a great deal about the overall future of the league.

new Figure 3 NWSL

Figure 4 NWSL

 

*For Figures 3 and 4, the “MLS Same Year” category corresponds to what year 2016 was for that specific NWSL team. Ex: 2016 was the Houston Dash’s 3rd season, so the “MLS Same Year” percentage is based on the Houston Dynamo’s 3rd season.

The three teams who lead the league in overall attendance in 2016 (Portland, Orlando, and Houston) are the same three teams who are partnered with an MLS team, suggesting that partnering with an MLS team provides the resources and brand recognition that leads to more ticket sales. You can even see in Figure 4, that the percentage of attendance compared to the MLS is significantly higher in partnered cities than in non-partnered cities. This is further evidence that a direct partnership is beneficial to an NWSL team. Though, it will be interesting to see if these numbers will hold for Orlando given they are only one season old.

Another interesting result to point out is stadium capacity. As of right now, 6 of the 10 teams are averaging above 70% capacity per game, although the average capacity of the NWSL is at 34%. This is obviously due to some teams playing in much larger stadiums than others. We do need to keep in mind that the smallest MLS stadium holds 18,000, while most NWSL stadiums hold between 3,500-6,000 people. In terms of potential for growth, I would hope that in the future a few of those six teams would look for larger stadiums to call home since they are doing a decent job of filling the space they have currently.

 

Breaking Down Each Team

 

1. Portland Thorns

Population: 609,456

Stadium Capacity: 22,000

MLS Team: Portland Timbers (Partnered)

Portland is the gold standard for an NWSL team, but they should essentially be ruled as an outlier for all statistics surrounding the league. They are tripling the average attendance for the league at every home game. They are also the only team in the NWSL that can come close to rivaling their MLS team in attendance. Portland is an all-around amazing soccer city. This could be due to the success of University of Portland soccer program and a lack of NFL and MLB teams. Whatever the case may be, just keep up the good work, Portland.

 

2. Orlando Pride

Population: 255,483

Stadium Capacity: 61,348*

MLS Team: Orlando City (Partnered)

The Orlando Pride currently has the 2nd highest attendance in the league. Although the home opener (which was 23,403) is definitely an outlier, their last three home games have been 7052, 7247, and 5842, which is still higher than the NWSL average. Both the Pride and City are doing a fantastic job at keeping their attendance high, but it is difficult to gauge whether or not they will sustain these averages since they are both less than two years old. Due to the size of their current stadium, their stadium capacity percentage is pretty low. Of course, this will change as of next year when their new 25,500 capacity stadium is built. Hopefully, this will make the atmosphere of the women’s games more exciting to attend and will drive the men’s team to sell out every home game.

*the team’s Wikipedia page says the capacity for Camping World Stadium is both 60,219 and 61,348, but upon Googling the capacity it says 70,000, so I stuck with the middle number.

 

3. Houston Dash

Population: 2,196,000

Stadium Capacity: 7,000 (Expandable)

MLS Team: Houston Dynamo (Partnered)

Another example of the benefits of partnering with an MLS team is the Houston Dash. Since their inception, the Dash have never made the playoffs and have only been ranked in the top 3 twice out of 56 weeks. In short, their team is not the best, and yet people are still showing up to games. Their total growth since their expansion has been positive. They have experienced a small decline in attendance from 2015-2016, but the Houston Dynamo have actually been experiencing a decline in attendance for the last four years. This suggests that there is a larger problem happening in Houston and that the Dash are actually doing pretty well.

 

4. Seattle Reign

Population: 652,405

Stadium Capacity: 6,000 (Expandable)

MLS Team: Seattle Sounders (Not Partnered)

Seattle has the highest attendance among teams that are not partnered with an MLS team. They have experienced excellent growth since their first year (92%), but their year-to-year growth is decreasing in rate. When you look at the attendance of the Reign compared to the Sounders, you see a huge a problem. The Reign’s average attendance in 2016 is 4,427, while the Sounders are at a staggering 42,203. This is the largest gap of any NWSL team. This could be due to any number of issues, such as the quality of their stadium or lack of support and resources for the marketing and sales team to find the untapped market of soccer fans. Overall, it is clear that Seattle has a city full of people who love soccer; yet it is not being translated over to the Reign.

 

5. Boston Breakers

Population: 645,996

Stadium Capacity: 4,500

MLS Team: New England Revolution (Not Partnered)

Boston has had an overall above average growth, and more importantly, a growth that has been increasing in average every year. The Breakers also have one of the highest stadium capacity percentages in the NWSL. This is promising, especially because in the New England Revolution’s fourth year, they experienced a 13.5% loss in attendance. Can you imagine how great Boston would be doing in attendance if they had a winning season? One can dream.

 

6. Washington Spirit

Population: 90,676*

Stadium Capacity: 4,000

MLS Team: DC United (Not Partnered)

The Washington Spirit have had virtually no growth (4%) since their first season, yet they have the highest stadium capacity percentage at 95%. The clear issue here is that Washington is definitely one of the teams that needs to look at a larger stadium. With that being said, when comparing attendance trends of DC United and the Spirit, these were the only two teams that became a bit of a stretch to compare. Their stadiums are so far apart, you could almost argue that the Spirit are not even in a city with an MLS team. Regardless, it is still clear that the Spirit’s potential for growth is primarily dependent upon moving to a higher-capacity stadium.

*reflects the population of Germantown, Maryland: the home of their stadium.

 

7. Western New York Flash

Population: 210,358

Stadium Capacity: 13,768

MLS Team: None

The Flash are one of only two teams to experience an overall drop in attendance since their first year. This suggests a large problem. In 2013, their average attendance was 4,485. In the World Cup year of 2015, that number had dropped to 2,860. The drop could be correlated to losing players like Carli Lloyd and Abby Wambach, but big-name players have left other NWSL teams before, and the attendance for those teams has not fallen by almost 37%. With that being said, the Flash have grown from 2015 to 2016 by 25%, meaning they could be back on the right track for future growth.

 

8. FC Kansas City

Population: 467,007

Stadium Capacity: 4,626

MLS Team: Sporting Kansas City (Not Partnered)

While FC Kansas City is the only other team besides the Flash to show a decline in attendance overtime, it’s tough to actually read into year over year fluctuations because they have changed stadiums multiple times. A positive for FCKC is that if you take out their first year, their attendance is showing an overall growth. They are the highest team overall for stadium capacity (99%), which suggests they are another team who would benefit from playing at a larger field. FCKC is also the closest NWSL team to “Same City MLS” attendance in Year 4 (besides Portland) at 43%. These are all positive signs that Kansas City could climb the attendance charts in the future.

 

9. Chicago Red Stars

Population: 2,719,000

Stadium Capacity: 30,000

MLS Team: Chicago Fire (Not Partnered)

Chicago has had the second largest year-to-year growth at 74% but has the second-lowest attendance in the entire league. The Red Stars are currently in the largest city of any NWSL team. There are nearly 3 million people in the city of Chicago. They play in the same stadium as the Chicago Fire, who are averaging 15,000 per game. This is an issue. It’s an even larger issue because the NWSL headquarters are also located in the windy city. What is happening in Chicago? It’s possible that they’re in a city oversaturated by other huge sports markets (the Bulls, the Bears, the Cubs, the Blackhawks, etc.). This would suggest that population theory alone is not enough to sustain a pro women’s soccer team. But, it also makes you question the team of individuals working to promote the Red Stars. Chicago, you’ve got some work to do.

 

10. Sky Blue FC

Population: 55,831

Stadium Capacity: 5,000

MLS Team: None

Last but not least, Sky Blue comes in at the bottom of the list with an average attendance of 1,811 in 2016. One clear issue: they are located in the smallest town of all the NWSL teams, which suggests the obvious, they have less people in their market. Another issue: they are currently sharing a field with Rutgers, so why aren’t they drawing more of a college crowd? Many people have criticized Sky Blue in the past of only focusing their marketing on youth, rather than a more diverse fanbase. These could be factors in determining why their attendance is so low. In my opinion (and it’s not an original one), Sky Blue should consider relocating to a reasonable sized market where they can access the resources to bring in a larger fanbase.

 

 

All this to say, there is a great deal of work that still needs to be done within certain teams. However, the NWSL has had growth that suggests a sustainable future.