Photo credit: Ottawa Fury FC

This morning, Miami FC are expected to announce Paul Dalglish as their next head coach. The team – widely considered to be one of the strongest in lower division soccer – is currently still scheduled to play in the NASL.

Dalglish – the son of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish – was most recently head coach and GM of Ottawa Fury. His previous coaching experience in the USA includes stints with the Austin Aztex and Tampa Bay Rowdies.

While Dalglish inherits an immensely talented squad, questions remain about which league will see the likes of Dylan Mares, Richie Ryan and Mason Trafford plying their trade.

While there have been rumors about a switch to the USL, Soc Takes has not been given any corroboration of that information.

• Related: Interview with Miami FC’s Richie Ryan

Given that the NASL season would kick off in August (at the earliest), perhaps Miami FC could play in the NPSL over the summer. While this seems a reasonable scenario, it does not benefit his players as the gulf in ability between the Miami FC squad and what-would-be college soccer players is enormous. Would Miami FC’s players benefit from playing against 19-20 year old boys?

Additionally, would such an arrangement be fair to the other teams in the Sunshine Conference, namely Beaches FC, Boca Raton FC, Jacksonville Armada U-23s, Miami United FC, Naples United FC and Storm FC?

These questions currently have no answers.

But, Miami FC have finally found a coach to replace Alessandro Nesta. And perhaps, this is their first step towards consolidating their future in American soccer.

Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.

Support Soc Takes on Patreon for access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

Related

Current USL teams. Credit: USL

Author’s note: Expansion stories keep changing. I have personally been working on this piece since March of this year, and formulating it has been a nightmare. This is the fourth iteration of this expansion piece. Finally, I’ve decided on the format of ranking them by likelihood of USL expansion for 2019. Nashville, Fresno and Las Vegas are expansion teams for 2018, and are beyond the scope of this piece. A discussion about a possible 2018 MLS-2 team is included herein. 

Very likely

Memphis

Soc Takes first broke the news of the likelihood of Memphis to USL back in December of 2016. Three months ago, a source told Soc Takes that due to the depressed financial situation in Memphis, an USL team seemed very unlikely.

Yet, here they are on in the “very likely” (Read: Done deal) list. Why? Multiple sources have informed Soc Takes that the Memphis Redbirds group are involved in the ownership structure. The ownership group has stakes in the NY Yankees and recently purchased majority interest in the Memphis Redbirds – a AAA team in the city. Soc Takes understands that along with the financial backing of The Redbirds ownership, USL values the Memphis market due to its ideal geographical location – within driving distance to other markets which will be in its (eventual) central conference.

For now, team is likely to begin the 2019 season at their own AAA stadium. Although, discussions are ongoing about a soccer-specific stadium.

Birmingham

While multiple sources have informed Soc Takes that Birmingham is a ‘done deal’ for 2019, the identity of the ownership group is not certain. Soc Takes was informed by two sources that Birmingham Barons ownership is behind the Birmingham bid. A phone call to Birmingham Barons ownership was not returned.

Soc Takes has received conflicting information regarding the involvement of Birmingham Hammers – currently in the NPSL – in the ownership structure of Birmingham USL. Soc Takes understands the USL expansion announcement could be made locally on Tuesday, August 8th at an invite-only press conference. (Update on 8/8/17 – The Birmingham-USL team will indeed be announced today!).

Likely

Baltimore

Baltimore is a key unexplored market on the East Coast. Home to The Ravens and Orioles, Baltimore, the 29th most populous city in the nation, has a growing youth soccer community, and is a strong candidate to be a USL team . Soc Takes understands that the ownership group involves Kevin Reid – cofounder of Virtustream. Reid is based out of Bethesda, Maryland and has apparently owned sports teams before. A phone call to Virtustream was not returned.

Interestingly, Baltimore was originally expected to involve the Wilmington Hammerheads group. A source close to the story confirms that there was a meeting between Hammerheads ownership and potential local investors. Although that particular trail seems to have gone cold.

San Francisco Football Club (SFFC)

As current Burlingame Dragons GM, Jordan Gardner, revealed in an exclusive to Soc Takes , their group lead by owner Nick Swinmurn have applied for an USL expansion team called SF FC. Their current plan includes building a modular stadium and may include some yet-identified additional investors. Soc Takes understands their bid was discussed at the recently concluded BoG meeting in Chicago; and while SF remains a very attractive market, concerns about the status of SF Deltas were raised. Regardless, given the importance of the market and experience of the ownership, difficult to see this not happening.

Northern VA (DC United)

The big concern for this bid was securing a stadium site. Earlier this year, plans were to play at George Mason University while, in turn, helping fund a stadium and training facilities. The most recent information given to Soc Takes suggests that a modular stadium in Loudoun county, Virginia, will be the site of training and games for the DC United 2 team.

In a recent press release, USL stated “10 teams owned and operated by MLS organization are also set to return in 2018, with the potential of one more addition to the group pending final stadium approval.” While Soc Takes is unable to say with certainty, based on status of other MLS-2 projects, the aforementioned team is likely to be DC United 2.

Less likely

Albuquerque

Ron Patel, President of Albuquerque Sol FC, informed KRQE news that the team is interested in USL expansion.

A source informed Soc Takes that representatives of the Albuquerque group attended last year’s USL meetings to better understand the operational algorithm associated with setting up a professional DII team. At this moment, the bid is believed to need more investors as well as a viable stadium plan. 

Soc Takes spoke to Patel. He said, “We’re working really hard to figure out what the long-term stadium will be. There is an option of a temporary stadium that might meet USL requirements.. We’re not there yet, but we are working towards making this happen.”

(This is a map of the expansion cities discussed herein. Green indicates 2018 teams, while blue indicates ‘very likely’ 2019 teams.)

Omaha

As journalist Chris Peter reported  , Omaha is interested in bringing an USL team to Nebraska. Soc Takes was informed earlier this year that these conversations were “preliminary”. Based on that, 2020 was considered more likely than 2019. Soc Takes contributor, Jeff Kuhns, wrote an informative opinion piece explaining why Omaha is ready for professional soccer. 

Soc Takes understands there were previously discussions about moving Swope Park Rangers to Omaha as well. The status of these discussions is unknown.

Cleveland

Chris Kivlehan reported that Cleveland is a potential USL expansion team, although the time-frame (2019 or later) wasn’t indicated. Soc Takes has not been able to independently verify Cleveland as a potential USL market.

Boise

Another ownership group that owns minor league baseball teams, per a well-placed source. While the ownership group is understood to meet Division II ownership requirements, the missing piece appears to be a stadium. Soc Takes understands ownership is interested in a multipurpose venue in downtown Boise.

Unlikely, but previously discussed

Minnesota United 2

Minnesota United 2 will need to formalize a partnership with someone as MLS requires an association with an USL team. There were conversations about launching a team in Richmond, Minnesota, but the status of those conversations remains unknown.

Tucson

Soc Takes understands USL is interested in Tucson as a market. FC Tucson ownership is on the record as coveting an USL move. Last update given to Soc Takes suggested that additional investors may be required to meet Division II standards. 

Soc Takes understands FC Tucson personnel spoke with various owners at the 2016 end of year league meetings about the costs associated with operating a USL franchise.

Hartford

A source informed Soc Takes in May that conversations with Hartford had taken place, but these conversations are not believed to include the current Hartford City NPSL team. Challenges include limited possibilities for corporate partnerships (outside of Lego) as well as no stadium plan. The identity of ownership also remains unknown. 

Other teams

Others have speculated on Dallas II, Bahamas and El Paso. Soc Takes does not have additional information on any of those bids.

Current NASL teams

Multiple sources have confirmed to Soc Takes that conversations between USL and NASL teams took place towards the end of 2016, as well as in early 2017. These teams include Indy Eleven, Miami FC, North Carolina FC, Puerto Rico FC and San Francisco Deltas. Understanding is that none of those teams is imminently poised to make a switch to USL.

***

You can follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.

Soc Takes is on Patreon. Get access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

Related

SF Football Club’s logo. Image credit: SF FC

Nipun Chopra – Thanks for speaking to Soc Takes, Jordan. We understand you have information you’d like to share with everyone.

Jordan Gardner – Yes, we have applied for an USL expansion franchise in San Francisco to kickoff in Spring 2019. We’re still looking at venue sites in the city of San Francisco and the Bay area. We are hoping to finalize details and have an expansion announcement by the end of the year.

NC – Who is the “we” and why 2019 and not 2018?

JG – The “we” is an ownership group led by Nick Swinmurn, the founder of Zappos and owner of Burlingame Dragons. I will be part of the minority ownership group as well as the president and operator of the club. We are also speaking to several other investors who are interested that we can’t name at this time. We were looking originally at a Spring 2018 launch, but logistically we won’t be able to get a venue in place in time. We want to make sure we have a proper launch, buildup and go from there.

NC – Were there any other reasons other than the stadium that 2018 wasn’t possible? The reason I ask is, given the strong expansion efforts on the west coast by NASL this year, I wonder if USL would like to have SF-USL done sooner than 2019?

JG – The league has been very supportive with whatever timeline works for us. We felt that 2018 was too rushed and that 2019 would make better sense for us to launch and have the right pieces in place.

NC – Let me ask the question in a better way. What are the things that need to get done for the 2019 launch to happen?

JG – The only pieces missing ares the stadium and approval from United Soccer League. [Author’s note: A league source confirmed to Soc Takes that the league is interested in an SF team and that the stadium is “only problem” right now.]

NC – So why aren’t Dragons and yourself able to reveal who the investors are?

JG – For now, we are focusing on the majority local ownership. We do have people who are looking to get involved, but that’s something we’ll focus on down the road when the stadium is finalized.

NC – You were on the Soc Takes Pod (click here) and talked about the idiosyncrasies of the San Francisco market. You were also very critical of Deltas’ marketing, branding, etc. What convinces you that Dragons have all the pieces in place to make your USL bid in SF a success.

JG – We are looking at constructing a modular stadium. The stadium is a significant difference between what Deltas have done and what we are doing. I think our branding, marketing and infrastructure will be better than the Deltas. The USL already has an excellent infrastructure in place with other teams in the areas. Those are built-in rivalries. Whether it’s Sacramento, Reno or Fresno; which will reduce our travel cost as well. We see the league being significantly more stable. We like the business model of the USL, and it’s the model we believe in moving forward. We’re certainly not looking to lose millions like the Deltas are doing.

NC – We don’t know that for sure.

JG – Right. All I’m saying is that we feel we have a better ownership group to be successful.

Jordan Gardner will be the GM of the new planned SF-USL team. Credit: Burlingame Dragons

NC – What is the advantage of a modular stadium vs. Kezar? And, given the bottomless riches of  Deltas’ 18-member ownership group, why are you convinced yours is better?

JG – The modular stadium gives us flexibility in terms of location and seating. We’re looking at building a world-class venue which will resonate in this market. We’re working with the same company as Phoenix Rising and plan to construct something similar. That’s a top-notch venue and I explained on the podcast why Kezar is not a viable venue. We also plan on providing premium amenities, beer gardens, in-game entertainment, scoreboard – the last of which they don’t have at Kezar. We’re looking towards a modern venue that is more in line with what fans are craving in this area.

In terms of ownership group — we are local — we have operated at the PDL level at a high and successful level. The Deltas are not necessarily in tune with the market dynamics. I believe their majority investor is in Brazil, whereas Nick and I are on the ground – we know the market and we have strong business acumen to design a business model for long-term success. The branding we are looking at is to name the team San Francisco football club. It’s simple and will resonate.

NC – How will your USL teams link with current PDL teams, in other words, what is the future of the Dragons, and will there be any relationship with SF City FC?

JG – We haven’t decided the future of Dragons in the PDL. most likely we’ll run the Dragons for another year and then revisit if we want to run the franchise as a base of our model. Obviously, we’d like to collaborate with PDL franchises around especially in terms of player development. Our PDL teams in the area produce top quality talent. We are really going to focus on player development – something the Deltas haven’t done.

NC – But as you said on the pod, on the pitch, you gave them (The Deltas) an A-grade.

JG – Right, but they’ve signed players from abroad, which is fine. But, we want to focus on developing players from our local community. Way down the road, we may start an academy, too, but it’s not a focus at this time.

NC – What do you think the soccer landscape will look like in 2019. Will there be other NASL and USL expansion teams in the area by the time your project goes live in 2019?

JG – I think there will be several west coast franchises coming in 2018 and 2019 or down the pipeline which will only help us. In terms of the landscape , it’s hard to tell. Unless the Deltas change what they’re doing, they will go out of business. So, whether they are around or not, we’d like to have a positive relationship with them. But, at the end of the day we are focused on our project and can’t predict the landscape.

Image credit: SF FC

NC – Why did you pick the USL over NASL?

JG – We never considered the NASL. Obviously the Deltas are already here. Also, the financial model of the USL; their front office infrastructure and the people working there are more in-line with what we want. Honestly, we think from those metrics, USL is far ahead of NASL. The decisions that USL makes from a league and club level are all about financial sustainability and making sure the game is growing. That is what has drawn Nick and I. Nick values stability. We see growth and expansion, we see Cincinnati and Sacramento and that’s what we are drawn to. We think the NASL works for some groups, but it’s not one that we think is viable long-term.

NC – My concern listening to you is this — 2-3 years ago, there was massive arrogance shown by NASL team owners/front office staff — and they were saying similar to what you are now. Has that shift happened with USL now? Are you worried about not delivering on these promises?

JG – I don’t think so. I think the USL/MLS partnership is strong. The USL has taken an ambitious approach to expansion and the growth of the game. But, I have no concern that they will not deliver on their ideas. They have a sound model at the D2 level. They are the top D2 league in the world on some metrics. I get what you mean, but, there’s a quiet confidence, not arrogance.

NC – What do you think happens if Deltas consolidates, has a good year next year. Are you worried that you come into 2019 on the defensive as a new team targeting a potentially already-sequestered SF market?

JG – The market is big enough for multiple franchises. Our modular stadium gives us great flexibility about where in the bay area we end up playing. So, from our perspective, whether or not the Deltas are around, it doesn’t really play into our decision making.

NC – Is there a specific part of town you’re targeting? Or a specific demographic? What is the vision to make this a success in a difficult market?

JG – We haven’t narrowed down the stadium site quite yet, we are certainly focused on San Francisco and San Mateo county, there is a large population there. We’re going to be talking to youth teams in the area. We believe that the name San Francisco football club will resonate through everyone in and around the Bay area. It’s one of the things Deltas have struggled with is – they don’t have any market share outside of the city.

I would say we are following the mold of LAFC and FC Cincinnati. While those might not be sexy names, we feel the fans in those cities identify with the fact that their community is being represented.

NC – Deltas have been a revelation in their desire to change the pre-existing dynamic of the NASL — they’ve encouraged collaboration and transparency. What sort of relationship can we expect between SF FC and Deltas in 2019?

We’re going to be in competition to garner market share and fan support. But, I think my personal opinion is the more soccer the better. Like I said earlier, the city isn’t close to an over-saturation point. Ideally, they can be successful and we can be successful too. Whether that happens, I don’t know, they need to figure out some issues, and truthfully, we still have things to get done ourselves.

NC – What about your relationship with the Earthquakes?

JG – We have a two year agreement to be the PDL affiliate for Earthquakes. We will continue that next year. Beyond that, they already have a USL affiliate in Reno.

NC – Thank you for your time.

JG – Thanks.

You can follow Jordan and the new team on Twitter at @DragonsPrez and @SFFC2019. You can follow Nipun on Twitter at @NipunChopra7.

Soc Takes is now on Patreon. Support the staff while getting access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

Related

As the NASL awaits the court’s decision, all the uncertainty has certainly affected players and front office personnel negatively. In a letter sent to the 10 remaining players on the Jacksonville Armada roster, team owner Robert Palmer has attempted to ameliorate some of their concerns by declaring that they will, at the very least, continue to get paid through 2018.

Soc Takes was provided with a copy of this letter:

A copy of the letter from owner Robert Palmer to the Jax Armada players still under contract.

Highlights include:

1. The players will have their contracts honored through 2018.
2. The players have the option to:
   1. Stay with the team and play in whichever league Armada plays in.
   2. Have the team help the players find a Division II club to be loaned to while continuing to be paid by The Armada. (Author’s note: I would be surprised if USL clubs are not already exploring this option.)
   3. Ask to be released from the club.
3. The team plans to return to “a league that can facilitate a similar level and competitive quality to that of Division 2 in the future.”

While other teams have handled their personnel decisions poorly, it is to Armada’s credit that they have been cognizant of what is at stake here.

Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.

Support Soc Takes on Patreon for access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

Related

Image credit: Holly Hutto/Main Street Greens

American soccer in the United States is a rapidly growing sport. In its current iteration, appropriate questions are being asked about the loudest voices – regarding both fans and journalists – in the rapidly changing narrative of American soccer. A quick perusal of prominent supporter groups and fan sites and it is clear that so far the narrative has been written by cisgender straight white males; particularly in the lower divisions of American soccer. For American soccer to continue to grow, that must change, and a diversity of voices and opinions must become a part of American soccer.

Beyond racial, ethnic and sociopolitical diversity, soccer must embrace individuals of different sexual orientations and gender identities. And moreso, as cisgender males we must give them a voice.

We present to you an interview with Holly Hutto, the spokesperson and one of the founders of US Soccer’s first LGBTQ supporters’ group for the lower divisions.

NC – Who are the Main Street Greens? Who do you support?

MSG – The Main Street Greens are an LGBTQ (and allies) supporters group of OKC Energy FC.

NC –  What was the idea behind starting an LGBTQ supporter’s group? What is the idea behind the name?

MSG – The idea behind starting this LGBTQ supporters group is pretty simple. It’s simply time. As OKC Energy FC enters its fifth season, it’s time to grow the fan base of this beautiful sport & wonderful club in Oklahoma City, & the state in general.

The name Main Street Greens derives from two things that soccer supporters love in OKC. Its soccer bar & the Energy. USL fans know that OKC is nicknamed ‘The Greens’, so that part doesn’t require an explanation.

But, Skinny Slim’s in Downtown OKC has been a sacred place for soccer supporters in OKC since it first opened. It’s honestly like our Cheers. Our commitment to the place is that serious. Energy FC supporters meet there regularly throughout the entire year, not just during the USL season. We meet there for EPL matches, holidays, beers on any average Tuesday, etc. We’re a diverse group of people, but there, we’re really all the same. It’s a meeting spot for chosen family & it’s a beautiful thing.

Skinny Slim’s OKC resides on Main Street. And there you have it, the name ‘Main Street Greens’ was created.

There’s also a noteworthy level of equality associated with the name. The term ‘Main Street’ is oftentimes associated with everyday, common people. Well, the LGBTQ community is everyday, common people & this group aims to shine the light on that fact.

NC – How many members do you have?

MSG – It’s hard to give an accurate, concrete number at this time.

My estimate is that we’ll enter the 2018 USL season with 20 members. If we enter the start of the season &/or finish the season with more than that, I’ll be thrilled. Hell, even if we enter Taft Stadium with five of us representing Energy FC as the Main Street Greens on Opening Day, this group will serve its purpose in my book. I want people to know that soccer is a sport for everyone. This supporters group is an example of it being so, regardless of its size.

This supporters group was launched in November 2017. I’m nothing but pleased with the the amount of interest the Main Street Greens have sparked in such a short amount of time.

NC – Do you have any affiliation with The Grid OKC?

MSG – At this time, no. We have members, including myself, who have served as officers for The Grid in past season; however, the Main Street Greens were founded as a separate supporters group for OKC Energy FC.

NC – Has the club been supportive of your SG? How so?

MSG – Absolutely! Billy Walton, Tyler Vaughn, and other members of the front office have been nothing but positive and supportive of the Main Street Greens so far. I expect that to continue! The love is real!

We’re excited to support our players & our new coaching staff in 2018! No doubt in my mind that they’ll support us as well. We’re talking about community-minded folks across the board here.

NC – What do you hope to achieve via Main street greens?

MSG – Simply put, I want to put a spotlight on the fact that we’re ALL in for OKC. I want LGBTQ folks, & other individuals who are feeling left out to know how inclusive this sport can be. I want these people to know that can join us as members of our family.

NC – Are you aware of any other LGBTQ SGs?

MSG – Yes! The Canal Street Blues, Gay Gooners, Pride of the Sound, All Stripes, just to name a few. Also, Brighton & Hove & the NWSL have a noteworthy history of LGBTQ support! To my knowledge, this is the first LGBTQ (& allies) supporters group in the USL, USA’s division two soccer.

NC – Have you experienced homophobia at soccer games?

MSG – I understand & support participation in banter, but there is no place for homophobic chants in the beautiful sport of soccer. I know that my soccer family in OKC doesn’t stand for it & that always makes me feel safe & welcome.

However, I’d be lying if I said that I’ve never heard homophobic, ‘puto’ chants at soccer matches, including from some supporters at Energy FC matches. These chants serve no purpose & hold no place in our supporter cultural. It’s past time to end them.

NC – How can fans support Main Street Greens?

MSG – Being a supporter and member of the Main Street Greens isn’t a “One Size Fits All” thing! Join us for a beer! Follow us on Twitter! Order some merch! (Hopefully we’ll have some available for preorder soon!) Cheer on Energy FC with us on the North End at Taft Stadium. And support the LGBTQ community wherever you go!

Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.

Support Soc Takes on Patreon for access to exclusive content and supporter benefits. Click here to become a patron today.

Related

Photo credit: Matt Homonoff

FC Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic regularly plays at the Nou Camp; a magnificent and historic stadium that can hold just under 100,000 people. 7500 miles away sits Des Moines, Iowa with a population of 200,000. In other words, half the population of Des Moines could fit in the Nou Camp. So what exactly was Ivan Rakitic doing visiting Des Moines’ Menace Soccer Club, a PDL club in Iowa? The answer to this question is the most heart-warming U.S. Soccer story you almost certainly missed.

Soc Takes was also able to interview Rakitic via the help of Ignacio Lana.

Rakitic arrives at Valley Stadium. Photo credit: Matt Homonoff

Menace Soccer

Menace Soccer are a club of “extraordinary resources, a wealthy owner with a successful company. We still have amateur status, but are able to provide players with amenities such as furnished apartments,” Matt Homonoff, general manager of Menace Soccer tells Soc Takes. “Our owner, Kyle Krause (Note: Krause is the CEO of Kum and Go) has owned the Menace PDL team  for 20 years.” The men’s team was founded in the USISL and has played in the Heartland conference of the PDL since 1999.

The team focuses on developing talent and providing them with the chance to have a significant impact in the professional game. “We are looking for ways to use resources to benefit and grow the game,” adds Homonoff, “While we focus on developing players from the Midwest, we’ll fly you in from wherever if you are talented and you meet our vision.”

Elite Soccer Experiences

Rakitic poses with young FC Barcelona fans. Photo credit: Matt Homonoff

The intermediary influence of ‘Elite Soccer Experiences’ (ESE) was critical to bringing Rakitic to Des Moines. Homonoff informed us that initially Juan Mata, then Rafinha were supposed to come to Des Moines. The former proved to be too expensive, while the latter injured himself after the contract was negotiated.

ESE is an organization that started in 2015 and works with various athletes in football and basketball. According to Ignacio Lana, Country Manager of ESE, they have offices in Barcelona, Oviedo, Miami and Madrid. “In the US we do soccer camps and coaching clinics.” Lana and ESE have cultivated contacts with many European players such as the aforementioned 3, Eden Hazard and Andres Iniesta. These contacts have provided the “Soccer Abroad” section of ESE’s vision.

Why Des Moines?

Rakitic speaks to attendees of the camp. Photo credit: Matt Homonoff

Lana explains there were two big reasons. Firstly, Lana’s own person connection in Iowa to Thomas Boltnar. But, more so than that, Lana explains that players such as Rakitic want to visit cities like Des Moines because it gives them the ability to experience something unique and different from their normal, highly-scrutinized and fast-paced lives. 

“Rakitic told me that seeing kids faces when he was kicking around the ball with them was the highlight of his summer so far,” Lana says adding “At ESE we want to make children very happy. We loved being in Des Moines.”

“I watch a lot of games, and highlights, following how MLS is growing. I am happy to see that more soccer stars from Europe are joining the MLS every year. I like the league.” – Ivan Rakitic

Des Monies

If you’re cynical like me, I know what you’re thinking right now. “Come on you shill, Rakitic was only in Des Moines for the money.” Trust me, that was my initial thought as well. Turns out, that while there may have been other unspecified reasons for Rakitic’ visit beyond philanthropy, a heavy payday is not one of them.

Homonoff declined to provide an exact amount citing confidentiality issues, but said  “Was a five-figure amount”. According to Total SportTek , Rakitic earns 75k euros ($86k) a week. Therefore, even if we take Homonoff’s statement to its extreme end; 99k, Rakitic would earn that amount in just over a week.

When Soc Takes asked Lana about the 5-figure sum, he said “it’s about right” without specifying the amount due to contractual obligations and later adding, “Elite only works with players who are sensible towards kids and they want to give back what they received. We never work with players who are trying to do this for the money.”

It’s hard to argue that Rakitic was visiting Des Moines to expand his bank balance.

Rakitic’ experience in Des Moines

Matt Homonoff with a fan. Photo credit: Matt Homonoff

“He loved the experience of going out and not being mobbed, he rode ATVs. It was a whirlwind trip as he got in late Thursday night and left early Sunday morning. But, we made sure we built-in time that he could experience Iowa,” said Homonoff excitedly.

“Was wonderful for Ivan,” Lana said, “His family went to the farmer’s market. Together they went to the forest, enjoyed the landscape and the food and the weather was very good.”

According to Homonoff, Rakitic’s attitude and professionalism was a revelation for the kids and adults alike. “Rakitic was warm, genuine and put in an effort to speak English. He repeatedly asked us what else he could do for us,” later adding, “He takes cares of himself even in the off-season and spoke to the students about proper diet and training.”

——————————–x————————————-

An exclusive Soc Takes interview with Ivan Rakitic:

Soc Takes was able to get some answers from Ivan via email thanks to Ignacio Lana.

NC – Hi Ivan, what was your favorite part of your trip to Iowa?

According to Homonoff, Rakitic patiently posed for pictures and autographed jerseys/footballs for 100s of fans like these kids. Credit: Homonoff

IR – I don’t have a favorite part of the trip because everything was nice, sharing a fun time with the kids playing soccer, getting to know the city and watching the Menace game. A really great experience and I appreciate very much all the warm welcome and kindness from the people of Iowa. 

NC – How much American soccer do you get to watch in Spain?

IR – I watch a lot of games, and highlights, following how MLS is growing. I am happy to see that more soccer stars from Europe are joining the MLS every year. I like the league.

NC – Do you have a favorite American team?

IR – I don’t have a team yet, but I follow those with European famous players. I like to see the passion and effort at every game! I hope to come back next year to the US, this experience was unique and fun, congratulations to Elite Soccer Experience, they did a very good job.

—————————–x———————————–

The Rainbow

“It was raining during the first half of the game, but then we scored, and Rakitic 

The rainbow. Credit: Matt Homonoff

celebrated with us as though he was one of us. All of a sudden a rainbow (see pic) appeared in the distance.

“I looked around the stadium (note: Homonoff estimates 3500 people attended the game that night) and thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is incredible’, I felt proud to be from Des Moines and soccer was the vehicle for that.”

You can follow Nipun and Soc Takes on twitter at @NipunChopra7 and @SocTakes

Related

Image credit: NASL

USL v NASL

Among the prevailing perceptions about the NASL and USL is that the latter has an ironclad franchise agreement that retains intellectual property, trademarks, and logos of any teams that depart the league. We previously outlined several key provisions of the standard USL franchise agreement.

On the other hand, it’s widely believed that clubs exiting the NASL are not subject to similar retention of intellectual property or other restrictions.

However, based on a copy of the NASL’s 2013 membership agreement provided by attorney Miki Turner, it appears the situation is more complicated.

Soc Takes examined the 2015 amendments to the NASL agreement, and found no differences in the specific subsections applicable to the information provided above. It is possible that further changes to the operational agreement have been made since 2015.

Exiting the league

First of all, a recap of the NASL’s exit fees. Much of this was reported by FiftyFive.One’s Wes Burdine last year.

According to the NASL’s agreement, a class A member of NASL, LLC can withdraw from the league in one of a several ways:

Proper Withdrawal – This would allow a team to play out the current season and exit the league on December 31 of that year. There are exit fees associated with this withdrawal depending on when the letter of withdrawal is received.

• Before June 30th – $500,000
• Between June 30th and the championship game – $1.5 million
• Between the championship game and Dec 15th – $2 million
• If at any time an owner signs over all its intellectual property and trademark, the withdrawal fee can be reduced to $250,000.

Practical conseq of NASL losing D2 is members can exercise clause to immediately withdraw from LLC w/ dramatically lower termination fee

— Neil Morris (@ByNeilMorris) November 4, 2017

Default withdrawal – The execution of this option would remove an owner and his team from the league effective immediately. The exit fee for this withdrawal is $2.5 million.

Operational withdrawal – If the league loses Division II status or there are less than 7 teams, the remaining teams can exit for $25,000.

Death of the principal owner – No withdrawal fee.

Image credit: USL

Buy me out

But, here is where it gets interesting. As reported by Kartik Krishnaiyer in an article for Soc Takes, the USL franchise agreement prevents teams exiting the USL from competing in rival leagues for two years and restricts their use of trademarks outside of USL during that time. As it turns out, similar clauses have long existed in the NASL agreement.

Per the NASL’s 2013 membership document, for two years after withdrawal (described above), a class A member cannot:

1. Own another professional team in North America;
2. Operate a team in a different professional league; or
3. Use their trademarks and intellectual property in a non-NASL professional league.

If an owner wished to switch their team from the NASL to another league with its marks and IP, there are “buyout” clauses to accomplish that. These are penalties in addition to the exit fees described above. These fees depend on the divisional status of the league the team would join.

More specifically, if a team were to leave the NASL to join MLS, the buyout fee would be 10 percent of the MLS expansion fee, subject to a minimum of two million dollars and a maximum of five million dollars. If the NASL team left to join another Division II professional league, the penalty would be 1.5 million dollars. Finally, if the league of destination were a non-Division II professional league, the penalty would be 1 million dollars.

One caveat: any NASL member departing the league via an operational withdrawal is not subject to an additional buyout fee in order to immediately join another professional league and port their intellectual property.

The takeaway

These non-compete and buyout clauses raise interesting questions. In effect, a team exiting the NASL for another league is liable to pay an exit fee of $500k-$2M plus a buyout fee of $1M – $5M. So, did Minnesota United, Ottawa Fury, Tampa Bay Rowdies and North Carolina FC pay these exorbitant fees to exit the league? Soc Takes contacted the NASL for comment on the story but was not given any response at the time of publishing.

The non-compete clause also further highlights some similarities between the USL and NASL’s operational plans. The USL franchise agreement includes an “upward movement fee” imposed on teams leaving the USL for MLS, equal to 7 percent of the MLS expansion fee, with no minimum or maximum. However, the USL franchise fee does not contain an exit clause or fee accompanying a move to a different professional league outside of MLS.

Multiple sources – members of both NASL and USL – inform SocTakes that clauses within the operational agreements are open to negotiations between the franchisee (owner) and the franchisor (league). Yet, if this were true, could exit fees also be open to negotiation?

And if exit fees are negotiable, it is remarkable that NASL made it to 2017.

Neil Morris and Kartik Krishnaiyer contributed significantly to this article. Thanks to Ben Bromley and Keyser Todd for providing information for this article.

Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.

Support Soc Takes on Patreon for access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

Related

Countdowns are dangerous. Ask Cinderella. Credit: Disney

Background

As the fable goes, when the clock struck midnight, shit hit the fan. Cinderella lost a shoe, almost lost the love of her life and something about a pumpkin.

Moral of that story was: don’t count down to anything.

Per the original website, Atlanta was scheduled to make a big announcement about bringing professional soccer to Atlanta on April 4. In our interview with CEO Trey Brantley, he told us:

“We are working on an announcement of something, although we’re going to have to readjust our time clock by a week, strictly because we want our local kids involved in the announcement. And it was missed that the time we selected was Spring Break.”

So, we were expecting a delay in the announcement. But, the clock struck midnight.

On Neil Morris’ podcast, NASL’s interim commissioner Rishi Sehgal stated that while they had indeed been speaking with the Atlanta group, the Atlanta bid wasn’t one of the advanced ones. Soon, the countdown on the website disappeared, and everyone was left wondering about the future of Atlanta’s bid.

Brantley’s team sent out a press release this evening via email:

“For a number of reasons, we have decided to reschedule the announcement we had scheduled for later this week.  The landscape of American soccer has changed dramatically over the past few months, and  rather than conform to an arbitrary timeline of our own making, we are going to take a little more time to evaluate the proposals in front of us.  We appreciate your patience as we make the best decision we can for the future of the game in our community.”

Soc Takes spoke to Brantley and he added, “From my perspective, the larger story hasn’t changed. We will be playing professional soccer next year.”

Improved vetting

CEO Trey Brantley. Credit: Atlanta 2018’s website.

Given the importance of rapidly finding four new expansion teams, Sehgal’s announcement that Atlanta wasn’t one of the advanced bids left us wondering why. While Brantley declined to comment on this, Soc Takes was told by a source that the league is wary of competing with the instant success of Atlanta United.

If true, it would be a piece of evidence supporting the league’s claim of being selective of their future expansion teams.

Currently, the general perception of the NASL is one of desperation. A league that needs to get to twelve teams to survive 2018. Yet, their hesitation of allowing the Strikers back into the fold, carefully waiting on finding a new owner for Jacksonville and the Atlanta story may be signs that the NASL is in control of its destiny. As SF Deltas CEO Brian Helmick revealed to Soc Takes, there is a new vetting committee and it seems to have taken control of the vetting process.

Soc Takes reached out to Helmick for a comment on the Atlanta bid. Helmick told us:

“Other groups are ahead in terms of the application vetting process. Any application where there already is another pro team in the market requires a higher level of scrutiny to ensure the market can justify a second club.”

SF Deltas CEO Brian Helmick commented on the Atlanta situation

That statement should be music to the ears of those who have wanted the NASL to step away from the abrasive, competitive and idealistic NASL model of yesteryear.

Of course, it doesn’t mean the Atlanta bid is dead. Certainly, us at Soc Takes believe that the bid has its merits. Just that 1. NASL isn’t pretending they can compete with MLS. 2. NASL likely has other stronger expansion bids ready to deploy.

Other options for Atlanta

What about USL? A source associated with the Atlanta bid told Soc Takes that discussions have taken place to buy and relocate an unnamed, defunct USL franchise to Atlanta. However, Soc Takes understands that USL is currently not interested in Atlanta as a potential market.

Atlanta could wait a year, and  join the NASL in 2019. Alternatively, Atlanta could indeed be announced as a 2018 NASL team; just much later than anticipated. Another option would be Atlanta looking to NPSL or PDL. At this point, things are unclear.

An update (sort of) on NWSL

As for the NWSL team, Brantley told Soc Takes:

“Conversations with NWSL are also ongoing. But, those are contingent on us having a stadium ready by 2019. So, we’re taking it step by step.”

Conclusion

While the future of Atlanta-NASL remains unclear, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the NASL truly is changing its vetting process. Unfortunately for Atlanta 2018, seemingly the countdown clock for NASL’s improved vetting hit midnight at the wrong time.

Chris Jericho thrives on countdowns. Pic Credit: Fan Sided

(This author would like to clarify that Chris Jericho appearing at Royal Rumble last year was an exception to the general rule of “don’t use countdown clocks.”

But then the rules don’t apply to Y2J.)

You can follow Nipun and Soc Takes on Twitter @NipunChopra7 and @SocTakes.

Related

Image credit: NISA

In March, Brian Straus of Sports Illustrated revealed that 2019 would see the formation of a new league — a yet-to-be-named USL Division 3 league. USL has been very transparent with its expansion process so far. Visits to Lexington, Des Moines, Lansing, Fort Wayne, etc., have occurred in the public domain.

Meanwhile, as Soc Takes and Midfield Press’ Chris Kivlehan have revealed, a D3 league aligned with the other side of the soccer pyramid is poised to begin in 2018. While it is rumored that clubs joining NISA will include mostly NPSL clubs, the exact identity of these teams remains a mystery. It remains unknown how many NISA-committed NPSL clubs currently qualify for the USSF D3 requirement of having a principal owner with a net worth of $10 million.

Identities aside, it’s interesting to compare the initial expectations of both leagues. While the financial and structural expectations of each league are similar, there are certain unique features differentiating each league.

All the data included in this article about USL D3 relies on information given to Soc Takes by a source about an internal webinar for potential USL D3 owners. A request to USL D3 personnel for an interview was not answered at the time of publishing. All the data obtained in this article about NISA has been provided by Peter Wilt, member of Club 9 sports and the public face of NISA.

Money

As things stand, USL D3 aims to run from March to October and plans on starting with 8-12 teams. In this regard, NISA appears to be very similar. Looking ahead, USL D3 expects to expand to 16-20 teams by 2021, while NISA plans to be at 24 teams by that time.

USL D3 expects team expenses to be between $1.2-$1.9 million annually; this includes salaries (staff and players) of $750K-$1.2 million annually. The annual USL D3 fee is $75K, while the initial expansion fee is $500K. As a comparison, Wilt revealed that the he expects team budgets to be between $1.5-$3 million annually, and a “low to mid six figures per team league startup fee.”

	USL D3 (in $)	NISA (in $)
Total cost	1.2M-1.9M	1.5M-3M
Salaries	750K-1.2M	Unknown
Initial expansion fee	500K	“Low to mid six figures”
Annual league fee	75K	Unknown
Performance Security	250K	Higher

There is also a performance security fee of $250K for USL D3 — a USSF-identified minimum. The NISA performance bond “will be higher than the U.S. Soccer minimum” according to Wilt.

Stadium and travel

USL D3 requires incoming teams to have a stadium (or plan for a stadium) with a capacity of at least 3,500 (higher than the USSF D3 requirement for D3 stadiums: a capacity of 1,000 and natural grass or turf).

In terms of NISA, Wilt clarified: “NISA expects teams to play in stadia with a minimum of 3,000 seats and have no other sports lines exposed. Grass fields with 120 yards x 70 yards are preferred, but exceptions on size and surface will be made while clubs look for a better venue in the future.”

Both leagues do not require stadia to be soccer-specific. Both leagues expect to limit travel to minimize costs. Although Wilt has previously admitted that that will likely not be possible in the first year.

Image credit: USL D3

Miscellaneous

The obvious difference between the two leagues is antecedent on differences between the NASL and USL models themselves. While NISA would allow teams to “control their brand including names, logos and marks” per information provided by Wilt, USL D3 is expected to follow the PDL model where the league will control the rights to the name of the franchise for two years after termination of the franchiser (USL)-franchisee (team) agreement. The exception to this rule is if the PDL as a whole collapses (falling below six members, or a few other possibilities), in which case the PDL franchise would be able to move freely to another league.

Additionally, while NISA has been very open about its desire to institute promotion-relegation, the status of USL D3 on pro-rel is somewhat unclear at this point.

A remarkable and impressive revelation of NISA is regarding fan ownership. According to the same Wilt-provided documentation cited earlier, “NISA is advocating for and actively supporting its teams to offer minority shares to the public.” It is unknown if USL D3 will offer this option.

Conjecture and conclusions

USL D3’s desire to expand into newer markets such as Lexington, Greenville, etc., is impressive. Lexington, in particular, is interesting. Once the home to the Lexington Bluegrass Bandits in the USISL (disclosure: author’s “surrogate family” was once involved in operating the Bandits), the city has a rich history of high school and college soccer. The possibility of professional soccer returning to Lexington has been met by excitement locally. NISA, possibly due to the 2018 launch, will draw mostly — maybe entirely — from already existing NPSL markets, and as such is having a smaller impact than introducing new markets.

While the general cost of both leagues appears to be the same, USL D3’s costs appear lower, particularly in terms of expected annual budget and the security bond. This is most obvious at the higher end of expected costs: $1.9 million for USL D3 vs. $3 million for NISA. The reasons for this are unclear; perhaps the USL, having been a D3 league until last year, simply has a better handle on how the budget would work. Perhaps Wilt, cognizant of issues seen with NASL clubs, would rather over-budget and over-prepare his teams than risk them collapsing.

It would be reasonable to suggest that USL D3, given their longer incubation time, will have stronger, better-vetted markets. But the fact that NISA is beating USL D3 to the starting line may yet be significant and pivotal in the ultimate stability of the league. Did NISA do their due diligence? Did they beat USL D3 to key markets?

The answers to those sorts of questions will become clear in about 12 months.

***

You can follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.

Soc Takes is on Patreon. Get access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

Related

Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes

“That boy has been striking the ball very well,” Brian Darling says about George Davis IV during Louisville City’s draw against Indy XI in August 2018. Darling has been around the game for a long time – he earned his first USSF license back in 1979. Along the way, he has refereed games in various leagues including Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League (USL) and Premier Development League (PDL). These days, he serves in a different capacity. A role that many of us didn’t know even exists.

I first met Darling at a Louisville City match during LCFC’s playoffs in 2017. Slugger Field’s media room is largely (and understandably) reserved for LCFC staff and audio commentary. There’s a small room where local journalists, beat writers and nobody bloggers like myself congregate to watch the match. During one of LCFC’s playoff games, I saw this older gentleman taking notes on a white sheet of paper placed on a soccer clipboard.

Darling is a striking older gentleman. The most obvious thing you’d notice about the septuagenarian is his perfectly twirled mustache. If you stuck a three-piece suit and a hat on Darling, he would look like Peter Ustinov’s Hercule Poirot.

While the rest of us were reacting to LCFC’s fantastic ball movement in their expansive James O’Connor-inspired 3-4-3, Darling seemed to only react to stoppages in play, where he would jot down a few words. I introduced myself and learned that he was a referee assessor. “That’s a thing?” I asked.

“Well, of course!” Darling responded with a pause. He might as well have added “you dumbass” at the end of that sentence, because, I should know that that’s a thing. We should ALL know that that’s a thing.

Except, we don’t.

In researching this article, I was sent forms and documents galore that irrefutably negate a common misconception — the idea that USL referees have no incentive or repercussions for good or bad performances, respectively. The truth is, there are a multitude of metrics to ensure referee performance.

But before we get to those, let’s look over some basics about how refereeing is set up in U.S. Soccer.

The setup

Referees in American soccer all exist within a hierarchical structure. This structure ascribes a grade (1-8) to each referee based on experience and ability. Grade 8 referees are usually working youth and recreational soccer games, while Grade 7 referees having succeeded at the Grade 8 level are recognized by U.S. Soccer and selected by a Local Area Coordinator (LAC). Grade 7 referees oversee adult amateur soccer (think NPSL and PDL). After some time (usually at least a year) spent at Grade 7, referees move up to Grade 6 where one can referee at a state-wide level. Grade 6 and Grade 5 referees make up the bulk of referees at the USL level. Beyond Grade 5 is a whole set of interesting factoids — vis-a-vis the incredible achievements of these young men and women to reach MLS, FIFA and national team games.

There is also a well-known dearth of referees in the U.S. game. For example, there are believed to be only 120 referees at the Grade 4 (national) level.

However, for our purposes in this article, we will focus on Grade 5 and 6, as it pertains to the USL.

So, what are the requirements to be a referee at this level? Well, each state has its own tweaks to requirements, but Missouri’s Grade 6 referee requirements are pretty standard for various states. What we generally learn are that referees have to meet physical, experience-related and knowledge-related requirements that are subject to annual re-visitation. These referees attend clinics, conferences and performance reviews to stay at the top of their game.

Grading

So, let’s take a scenario. Tarouane Tellaini is a hypothetical USL player (arguably the greatest player of his generation) who slide tackles a player in the box. The crowd thinks it’s a penalty, the referee says no, and play continues. Replays show that Tellaini (in spite of undoubtedly being the greatest player of his generation) mistimed his tackle (after all, time is relative when you are a God) and the correct decision should have been a penalty.

What happens next? Does that referee get away with his poor decision?

Not quite.

You see, someone like Brian Darling is sitting somewhere, judging and marking down each important decision made by the refereeing team.

“The goal is to find three things they did well and three things they did poorly,” Darling tells me, running his hands across his mustache. “All refs at this level and higher are trying to improve.”

Darling writes down each key moment and after the match is over, he discusses those key moments with the entire refereeing team. He also shares his report with the USSF and each state referee association, and sometimes PRO (Professional Referee Organization). PRO and the other referee organizations can save those reports and key moments (in video format) in a huge database that is accessible to other referees.

But, what exactly is the assessment? Do these referees have repercussions for poor performances?

At the start of each game, each referee begins with an automatic score of 81. From this point on, points are subtracted for every incorrect decision. Decisions that are minor, such as misidentified corner kicks, result in a minor point deductions. Major decisions (identified as Critical Match Influence, or CMI) result in larger point deductions. These CMI include red cards and goals, and are pivotal to determining whether someone like Darling gives referees a passing grade for that game (a minimum score of 69 points). Additionally, these assessments are permanently attached to all referees; therefore, poor performances are not judged in an insular manner.

As Referee B — referenced below — tells us, “If I’m an AR and I miss an offside that leads to a goal, I would certainly not pass that assessment.”

If referees don’t pass their assessments, they are often reviewed by independent assessors, work-shopped with, and if they are repeat offenders, relegated to refereeing at a lower level. As Darling puts it, “They (referees who fail assessments) may not receive the same level of assignments and they may have to prove themselves to get these type of assignments again.”

So much for no repercussions.

The referee experience

Contrary to popular belief, referees are human beings. Humans that are doing their jobs. Humans that have families. Humans that hear you when you insult their families. Humans who continue to try to do their jobs in spite of what you say about their families.

Referees at the USL level get paid between $200-$500 per game, depending on their location and specialization (center referees get paid more than ARs). Therefore, all referees at the USL level have daytime jobs and referee part-time.

Soc Takes spoke to Referees A, B and C (names redacted to protect their identities):

Ref A – in USL, assistant referee in the Western Conference
Ref B – in USL, assistant referee in the Eastern Conference
Ref C – in USL, center referee in the Eastern Conference

All three referees spoke glowingly of the USL in terms of the growth in popularity and playing standards they have observed over the last few years. All three love the game and played at the high school and/or college level. When it comes to the torrents of abuse referees receive during and after every game, they are diplomatic, self-deprecating and understanding.

“I get it,” Ref C tells me via a Skype call. “They’re not there to see me. In their mind, my decisions can get in the way of what they’re paying to see. We’re used to the booing and the name-calling.”

Ref A is similarly unperturbed by abuse from fans. “Verbal abuse from fans doesn’t bother me,” but he also adds a disturbing addendum, “A referee I work with and train with was at a game where refs were physically assaulted.” 

When I ask him for details. He hesitates. Worried that even bringing attention to the particular game will result in torrents of abuse from one set of fans.

He’s worried about people like you and me.

What about the managers? When I ask all three referees if they believe coaches should be fined in response to post-match criticism from referees, all three agree that managers should be allowed to criticize referee performance. However, as Ref A puts it, “There’s a line where some managers make it personal and say certain refs don’t belong in the league. That’s not OK.”

Yet referees continue to receive abuse every single game. Every game, they leave the stadium having annoyed at least one set of fans. Every game, their performance is scrutinized by fans, players, coaches, referee assessors and even front office staff.

And what is disturbing is that fans believe referees are untrained, uninterested and unrepentant.

As Ref B tells us, “I have to provide self-assessment based on watching every single game after the game. This is in addition to my normal life and job. This process takes 6-10 hours of preparation/evaluation for that 90-minute match. The biggest misconception I see is that fans think we just show up, ref and leave. And they’re completely wrong.”

Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes

After the game, Brian Darling walks out of the elevator with a box of local pizza in one hand and his referee assessment in the other. He tells me earlier that he usually grabs pizza for the refereeing crew and discusses his assessment with them over pizza.

As he walks towards the room where the referees are, a high-ranking member of Louisville City’s front office staff yells, “Please tell me you saw what happened, they (the referees) cost us two points.”

Darling makes eye contact with the front office member, but, says nothing. He’s unperturbed by the absurd (and inaccurate) assertion. 

As his doppelganger Poirot once said in Death of The Nile, “It is not the past that matters, but the future.”

Multiple attempts to contact PRO for comment on this article were unsuccessful.

Update – In response to this article, PRO reached out to Soc Takes. 

Follow Nipun on Twitter: NipunChopra7.

Support Soc Takes on Patreon for access to exclusive content and supporter benefits. Click here to become a patron today.

Related