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Good morning! It is another gross day down here in Richmond, and I hope that everyone stays warm, safe, and en-powered today as we march towards spring. There is a bunch of news today on a lot of weighty topics, so let’s get right into it.
Washington Spirit add literally dozens of new owners
If you’re reading this, there is a not insignificant chance that you too are an owner of the Washington Spirit, as they added a ton of new ones yesterday. Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush Hager leaked a day early, but other notable names include Tom Daschle, Dominique Dawes, Brianna Scurry, Jay Carney, and a bunch more.
As Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush Hager invest, meet 1st female owner of Washington Spirit
All of these new owners join Steven Baldwin and Michelle Kang, who was the team’s first woman owner; her company, Cognosant, has almost 2,000 employees.
Per sources, D.C. United close to finalizing contract with Englishman Kimarni Smith, the fourth overall pick in MLS draft from Clemson. DCU previously signed Michael DeShields, the fifth pick from Wake Forest.
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) February 17, 2021
D.C. United is close to signing their other first round draft pick, which would give them some much needed help on the front line.
‘A new Crystal Dunn’ - USWNT star will not be staying silent any longer
Crystal Dunn talks to Seth Vertelney about how she is speaking out about her positional preferences with the USWNT and so much more.
NEWS: @DoorDash will be the front-of-kit sponsor for #NWSL expansion club @weareangelcity when it begins play next year. Sources peg the five-year deal in the high seven-figures, making it the league's largest kit deal (Terry Lefton).
— Sports Business Journal (@sbjsbd) February 18, 2021
Free to read: https://t.co/C7f2huZpGk pic.twitter.com/FhULKfqG0x
This is a very big deal!
Black Chicago Fire players share their experiences with race in life and soccer.
Chicago Fire players speak out about the racist abuse that they have suffered, not only in the MLS ranks but in youth academy matches from parents. Any parent who uses a slur should be immediately banned.
Revealed: how the pay gap at US Soccer goes all the way up the ladder
US Soccer: still doing a bad job!
Some eye-opening details on @CPLsoccer wages here - "Over 50 percent of players are making less than 22,000 Canadian dollar a year. That is insane, that is minimum wage in many cases...To be honest, I don’t know how some players get by.”https://t.co/BtJ6CRylu9
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) February 17, 2021
It would not surprise if the situation is similar in USL League One, and probably not too much different for the majority of players in USL Championship. These players are scrapping by for the love of the game, and these teams are scrapping by one small margins and small staffs. The only USL teams that I see that really break out the pocket books are the ones that are mortgaging their future in hopes that they get that jump to MLS. If they don’t, the cuts come fast.
Here's a quote from Österlen director Filip Lidgren to @ystad about why the club is moving on from Freddy Adu a month after his arrival in Sweden https://t.co/2zoBGnLyFX pic.twitter.com/X7K9451AP0
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) February 17, 2021
I always wish the best for Freddy Adu, but he has just been let go from a 3rd division side in Sweden. The quote is....not great.
Paul Arriola sighting!
That’s all I’ve got today, what’s up?