6Mar/150
MLS 2015: Fixtures, Live Stream and TV Schedule, Designated Players and Preview
Defending champions LA Galaxy kick off the 2015 Major League Soccer season on Friday at the StubHub Center against Chicago Fire, the start of a new term which sees two new clubs enter the division. Newcomers Orlando City and New York City FC face off against each other on Sunday for the start of their maiden MLS campaigns, with each side looking to make an early impact. With 20 teams competing in 2015, MLS is bigger than ever, and there will be some appropriately world-class talent on show, with the likes of Kaka and David Villa set to participate from the word go. Here is the full schedule for Matchday 1 of action in MLS 2015: A full season fixture list can be found at MLSsoccer.com, with live streaming available via ESPN Player, Fox Sports Go, Univision Deportes and Sky Go. A key absentee will be Landon Donovan, MLS' most successful ever player, and a US soccer legend per ESPN's Paul Carr, the 33-year-old having retired after his final Galaxy triumph last season: Not only will he be missed by his LA teammates and coach Bruce Arena, but by the entire league in which he starred for so long. However, Galaxy still have star forward Robbie Keane on their books—the Irishman netted ...6Mar/150
New York City FC’s Jeb Brovsky on His Quest Against Domestic Violence
Footballers are often negatively portrayed by the media, stereotyped as being reckless and morally questionable—unfit, some would say, to be role models to young, impressionable people.From the Ched Evans rape conviction, to Luis Suarez and John Terry being involved in incidents of racial abuse, the case for footballers being good role models is becoming increasingly difficult to make. Not all footballers are the same, of course, but it’s easy to see why many feel there is a somewhat nasty undercurrent to the culture of the game. Jeb Brovsky, New York City FC’s attacking full-back, is certainly doing his best to challenge any negative preconceptions people may have of footballers. Educated at Notre Dame university, Brovsky graduated with a BA in Business Management and International Peace Studies, and upon leaving decided to set up Peace Pandemic, a charity aimed at using football to stamp out violence around the world. The remit of the charity soon changed, though, focusing more specifically on trying to stop violence towards women, an issue close to Brovsky’s heart. “I set it up while I was at university,” he said, during a preseason training camp at Manchester City’s new academy facility. “Basically, it was an accumulation of my ...5Mar/150
5 Storylines to Follow During the 2015 MLS Season
Now that Major League Soccer and the players' union have agreed in principle to a new collective bargaining agreement, it is time to fully focus on the 2015 season. The 20th installment of MLS will feature two new clubs, Orlando City and New York City FC, as well as a new conference structure to accommodate the additions to the Eastern Conference. While there are plenty of storylines worth following throughout the next nine months, we opted to select five key ones that fans should have their eyes on. Here's a look at the five key storylines to follow in the 2015 MLS season. Begin Slideshow5Mar/150
Jason Kreis Exclusive: NYCFC Coach on Lampard, Villa and Shadowing Pellegrini
One of the most interesting developments at Manchester City in recent times has been the creation of the City Football Group, a collective of clubs across the world that bear the City name and wear the famous sky blue shirts. City Football Group have acquired Melbourne Heart in the Australian A-League and rebranded them as Melbourne City FC, and Yokohama F. Marinos in the Japanese J-League. Perhaps the most well-known addition to the group, though, is New York City FC, a brand new franchise that will begin competing in this season’s MLS when it gets under way in March. Jason Kreis was the man headhunted to take the role of head coach at NYCFC. He is known for his work at Real Salt Lake, where he enjoyed a successful seven-year stint in charge, winning the MLS Cup in 2009 and finishing runner-up to Sporting Kansas City in 2013.He plays an attractive, possession-based brand of football, in keeping with the style and ethos City said was such an integral part of the club’s “holistic” approach when Roberto Mancini was sacked in 2013. It seems their holistic remit has been expanded to encompass all aspects of the City Football Group.Since his appointment ...5Mar/150
Insider: MLS Likely Destination for Out-of-Favour Barcelona Star Xavi
Multiple sources have been linking Barcelona midfielder Xavi with a move to MLS, including Mail Online's Pete Jensen. Although nothing official has happened yet, Spanish football insider Guillem Balague thinks that MLS is a viable option for the aging playmaker who seems permanently out of favor at Barcelona.Balague also asserts that MLS has gained some prestige in Spain and could be looked at as an option for other Spanish players in the future.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com5Mar/150
MLS: 5 Bold Predictions for the 2015 Season
MLS's 20th season is set to be one of the most competitive and exciting campaigns in league history because almost any team could feasibly contend for a playoff spot in 2015. There are two new teams with a few international stars, plus several clubs bulked up this winter and are ready to qualify for the playoffs. Once the season is underway, there promises to be a lot of surprises because MLS is so unpredictable. Here are five bold predictions for the 2015 season.Begin Slideshow5Mar/150
MLS and Players Agree to New CBA Deal: Latest Details and Reaction
There will be no strike in Major League Soccer. While negotiations went down to the final hours before this weekend's season-opening matches, the MLS and MLS Players Union have struck a deal to get the ball rolling on Friday. Continue for updates. MLSPU Executive Director Bob Foose Talks New CBA Friday, March 6 Brian Straus of Sports Illustrated reported Foose's thoughts on how the new CBA came to be: “That’s the groundbreaking part of this deal for us and that’s what will ultimately lead to really substantial and real positive change for this league. That, despite the fact that what we heard consistently through the process was that [free agency] would never happen." “That’s a very, very good start for us. And we did in 12 years. That’s something I don’t want to be lost on anyone. We’re 12 years into this union and we’ve been able to introduce some free agency… none of the other major leagues has ever done it anywhere near that quickly in North America.” “From the most basic perspective, it’s about player choice. But the impact of this that won’t be seen or reported on is, number one, the deals that are going to get done between the players and their current clubs ...3Mar/150
MLS 2015: Ranking the Top 50 Players in the League
The 2015 Major League Soccer season is scheduled to begin March 6, when the Los Angeles Galaxy host the Chicago Fire at the StubHub Center. The league's 20th season will see a ton of change, as a bevy of new international signings will enter MLS alongside some of the best American talent that has played abroad over the last few years. Two expansion sides, New York City FC and Orlando City SC, will also enter the 20-team league in 2015. Both clubs have spent a decent chunk of change luring big-name players to their respective cities. To get you prepared for the start of the new MLS season, we decided to rank the 50 best players the league has to offer in 2015. Here's a look at the star-studded MLS Top 50.Begin Slideshow3Mar/150
Orlando City’s MLS Debut Is a Confirmed 60,000 Sell-Out a Week in Advance
Who says Americans don't care about "soccer"?Orlando City make their MLS debut on Sunday against fellow new franchise New York City FC at the Florida Citrus Bowl, and all 60,000 tickets for the game have been snapped up. The club also has fewer than 1,000 season tickets remaining after capping the number on sale at 14,000. No doubt interest in the team has been helped by the marquee signing of Brazilian superstar Kaka, who is the highest-paid player in MLS history. Orlando City club president and founder Phil Rawlins said in a statement: Today we demonstrate how Orlando City and the City Beautiful continue to defy expectations. We're humbled by the response of our supporters, partners and community. Today we also kick off an exuberant celebration leading into our historic home opener and inaugural season. The excitement is palpable throughout the city and we're thrilled to see all our hard work come to fruition. Come March 8th, we will turn the broadcast purple and show the nation why we are the 'Soccer Capital of the South.' [Fox Sports]Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com2Mar/150