MLS foundation is in place for football to flourish in the United States

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https://www.thenational.ae/sport/comment/mls-foundation-is-in-place-for-football-to-flourish-in-the-united-states-1.615331

MLS foundation is in place for football to flourish in the United States

Twenty-one years after Major League Soccer started in 1996, the competition continues to expand and strengthen, with rising crowds, more football-specific stadia and marquee signings.

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http://www.freep.com/story/sports/2017/07/30/detroit-city-fc/523547001/

It's time for you to start paying attention to Detroit City FC

With nobody else winning in Detroit sports right now, this semi-pro soccer team with a rabid fan base is making a run at a national championship

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http://triblive.com/sports/riverhounds/12559851-74/loss-to-tampa-bay-rowdies-caps-winless-month-for-riverhounds

Loss to Tampa Bay Rowdies caps winless month for Riverhounds

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/818429

Morrell, Rowdies Roll Past Riverhounds

Morrell nets two as Tampa Bay extends home dominance

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https://www.dkpittsburghsports.com/2017/07/30/hounds-streak-draws-ends-2-0-loss-tampa-bay/

Hounds’ streak of draws ends with 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/818567

Morrell’s Breakthrough Continues Rowdies’ Run

First two league goals made difference in victory against Hounds

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/willburns/2017/07/28/the-mls-new-england-revolution-battles-redcoats-for-fans-in-new-ad-campaign/#7a6efb295e5e

The MLS New England Revolution Battles Redcoats For Fans In New Ad Campaign

The New England Revolution is a Major League Soccer team in New England. Problem is, New Englanders are overwhelmed with storied sports franchises. We've got the Boston Bruins, the Boston Celtics, the Boston Red Sox and let's not forget the New England Patriots. How is a franchise from a tier five sport, soccer, going to break through? By channeling its brand idea, that's how.

Have a look at these very Boston spots and then I'll break it down:

Hat Act:

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http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170730/a-reminder-for-mls-all-stars-in-chicago

A reminder for MLS all-stars in Chicago

It would be overly dramatic to say the Major League Soccer all-stars arriving Sunday are coming to save soccer in Chicago.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/30/business/dealbook/dc-united-soccer-owners-potential-sale.html

Owners of D.C. United Soccer Team Are Said to Consider Selling

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http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/theres-4-billion-reasons-major-league-soccer-should-consider-adding-relegation/

There’s $4 billion reasons Major League Soccer should consider adding relegation

MLS recently turned down a large media rights offer that came with the condition it would start to relegate teams.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/6qk9s6/rowdies_home_attendance_thread_game_11_vs/

Rowdies Home Attendance Thread - Game 11 vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds [7/29] (self.TampaBayRowdies)

Game 11 is in the books with 5,737 reported vs. the Riverhounds. Weather was great and the turnout was better than I anticipated. We're closing the gap with our attendance last year, but will need some pretty big showings coming up. Game 12 and 13 of 2016 drew 6,054 and 6,912 which will be tough to top.

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2017/07/29/the-bench-volume-2-issue-9/3126

The Bench, volume 2 issue 9

July 29, 2017 Matthew Cox

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https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/2017/7/28/16054164/a-haters-guide-to-orlando-city

A Hater’s Guide to Orlando City

We’re providing a community service here.

Welcome to a Hater’s Guide to Orlando City. Hopefully, I’ll be able to provide you with a hater’s guide for every opponent the rest of the year, but I figured there wouldn’t be a better place to start than the team from Florida.

Take the facts put forth in this guide with many grains of salt. I’ve put minimal effort into researching them.

[ . . . ]

City symbol: Apparently, it’s this fountain?

I guess it’s appropriate that the city symbol is something usually found as the centerpiece of retirement communities and malls to make them seem fancy.

Largest Industry: Tourism

Over 62 million people a year come to the outskirts of Orlando each year to leave almost as soon as they’ve arrived.

They leave hot, at each other’s throats and angry that they were somehow tricked into paying thousands of dollars to stand in line, eat bad food and watch tacky theme park shows.

That Orlando has been able to keep up the ruse that their theme parks aren’t awful money vacuums for this long is commendable and the only thing I will applaud them for in this piece.

Weather: It seems nice.

And the city is far enough inland that it doesn’t get wrecked by hurricanes all the time. However, despite being the largest inland city in the state, it’s just the fourth largest overall. The other three are on the coast.

The conclusion? Millions of people would rather be hit by a literal hurricane than live in Orlando.

[ . . . ]

Uniform: Grimace from McDonaldland: The kit

Mascot: A nightmare lion that loves the movie Step Up 2: The Streets, and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC.

[ . . . ]

The Fans

Supporter’s Groups: Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm

Both groups have been suspended/given a stern talking to by the club for cursing at Disney World and for setting off fireworks in the middle of a Tampa Bay Rowdies crowd.

Their People: Super hardcore and edgy AF.

For example:

They’ve got a mean right hook*

*when no one is expecting it and they’re distracting the person by throwing bottles at nearby people

They like to dox Atlanta United team staff and find out which hotel the team is staying in and pull the fire alarm at said hotel at 3:45 in the morning. Real adult humans did this.

No, seriously.

And they also like to deface billboards that were just trying to bring something nice to look at to the city for once.

Essentially, we’re dealing with a group of rogue commando’s here and if you see one in their natural habitat (wearing jean shorts, drinking Natural Light, listening to Tyga) this weekend, please do not approach one. You could be in danger.

Conclusion

The city is a tacky hellscape, the team is mediocre and the state they live in is somehow the worst in the southeast. Can we really blame their fans for lashing out and making the choices they do when they have to live in Florida?

Yes.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/6q5amf/from_an_atl_utd_perspective_a_haters_guide_to/

[From an ATL UTD perspective] A Hater’s Guide to Orlando City (dirtysouthsoccer.com)

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/6p7peh/rowdies_home_attendance_thread_game_10_vs/

Rowdies Home Attendance Thread - Game 10 vs. Charleston Battery [7/22] (self.TampaBayRowdies)

Another good crowd on Throwback Night (5,619) that felt larger. Rays were in town again this week. Can't help feeling that it would have crossed the 6,000 mark if it hadn't rained off and on all day. Two more at home in a row the next two weeks...