The Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs return this evening with the Seattle Sounders hosting the Portland Timbers to kick off the second legs of the conference semifinals. The three other second legs go down Sunday. Here’s a visual of all the second-leg scenarios:

Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers (POR leads 2-1 aggregate)

Sporting KC vs. Real Salt Lake (tied 1-1 aggregate)

Atlanta United FC vs. NYCFC (ATL leads 1-0 aggregate)

New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew SC (CLB leads 1-0 aggregate)

Follow John on Twitter: @JohnMLTX.

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Image credit: K League 1

Since the United States and Canada are still under lockdown for the foreseeable future (and no, these soft reopenings in a few states aren’t a sign of things getting better, and are likely to cause even more problems), it’s been quiet around here. Even my in-progress “updating the pyramid for 2020” post has been shelved until we figure out what the hell soccer will look like come August.

So, with all that said, let’s talk about a league that I love that will actually start their season this week, the K League.

If you’re not as invested in Korean pop culture as either I or my colleague Colton Coreschi are, you might not be familiar with South Korea’s national soccer league. Here’s everything you’ll need to know about the K League, its teams, and how to watch.

The K League is technically two linked leagues forming the first and second tiers of the South Korean pyramid. The league was originally founded as a five-team professional competition back in 1983, reorganizing the largely semi-pro/amateur league featuring company-owned-and-operated teams.

The league went fully professional for the 1987 season, shrinking back from a high of eight clubs in 1984 and 1985 back to just five, but by 1995 had regrown to once again reach eight member clubs. Since then, the league has continued to gradually expand and grow, reaching 10 teams in 1997, 12 in 2003 and its peak of 16 teams by 2011.

Late in 2011, the Korea Football Association announced plans to launch a national second-division league for 2013, complete with promotion and relegation beginning at the end of the 2012 season. Teams applied for spots in the new second division K League Challenge with six granted entry, while the top flight was renamed the K League Classic.

For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, two additional teams would be relegated from the first tier in an effort to balance the two leagues and limit each to 12 clubs and evaluate the viability of the six recently admitted teams. Following some financial struggles on the part of semi-pro teams making the jump, the decision was made not to integrate the semi-professional levels with the K League’s promotion and relegation structure.

For the 2018 season, the leagues were renamed to eliminate the Classic/Challenge confusion, with the top tier becoming K League 1 and the second K League 2. Further down the pyramid, ahead of the 2020 season, the various semi-pro and amateur leagues were reorganized and renamed, forming the K3 through K7 Leagues above the regional amateur competitions. Promotion and relegation was also implemented between the K3 League and K4 League, and from K5 down to K7 — all very structured and logical.

Currently, there are still 12 teams in K League 1, while K League 2 has remained steady at 10 teams since 2017. In K League 1, each team normally plays a 38-game unbalanced season featuring three games against each team plus an additional split-table final five games, while the K League 2 normally features a simple 36-game balanced schedule with four games against every team.

The top team in K League 2 earns guaranteed promotion, while the bottom team in K League 1 is relegated. The next three best teams in K League 2 then hold a distinctively Korean climbing-the-ladder playoff. Third and fourth place have a two-game series with the winner advancing to face second place. Following another two-game series, the winner advances to face the 11th-place team in K League 1. The winner of that two-game series gets the spot.

In South Korea, much like in the United States, soccer isn’t the biggest game in town, and the country is firmly a baseball nation. K League attendances look similar to those in MLS or the USL, and players in the top flight earn wages comparable to veteran MLS talent in the $150,000-$200,000 territory.

One more note before we dive into the 22 teams: in Asia, particularly Korea and Japan, it’s common for a sports team’s name to be based more on the corporate owners or sponsors with regional indicators given secondary importance. With that, onto the clubs.

For this, since there’s a lot, I’ll be running quickly through each club and its history, in alphabetical order, starting with League 1.

Busan IPark is one of the three remaining teams from the original five back in 1983, and with that comes a history of success, although following the collapse of Daewoo in 1999, the club has struggled. The club was bought by IPark Construction in 2000, which later merged into HDC Group, who haven’t been as willing to spend money as Daewoo was previously. This decline culminated in Busan’s relegation in the 2015 season, followed by three-consecutive failed runs in the promotion playoffs. Last year, Busan put together one of its strongest campaigns in recent years, finished second, and beat Gyeongnam FC 2-0 over two legs to win promotion back to the top flight.

Daegu FC is one of the recent success stories of a small community club turning things around. After years of lower table finishes from 2003 through 2012, the club was relegated in 2013. In 2016, they put together an incredible season to finish second and were promoted as the best eligible team in the table. Since then, attendance has been climbing, the club has improved its position each of the past three seasons, and they won their first trophy in 2018. They also routinely sell out their new, more intimate stadium. As a community-owned team, the mayor of Daegu serves as chairman with the local populace able to buy in as members. They’re no longer the only government-owned team, but they were the first.

Gangwon FC is the first of the “country” teams, playing in the rural and sparsely populated Gangwon Province. Owned by the provincial government, the team usually falls in the bottom half of budgets with one of the smallest markets in Korean sports. Despite early struggles and a relegation in 2013, the club has been back in the top flight since 2017 and has been a reliable mid-table team ever since. Gangwon has one of the smaller fan bases in the league, but they’re fiercely loyal, taking a lot of pride in their rural provincial identity.

Gwangju FC has been a quintessential yo-yo club since their debut in 2011. They were relegated in 2012, promoted in 2014, relegated again in 2017, and just recently promoted back after winning the 2019 K League 2 title. So far, their best top-flight finish is eighth, back in 2016. After cycling through five managers across their first seven seasons, former international Park Jin-sub has brought some much-needed stability to Gwangju, and things are finally looking up for the club.

Incheon United is an interesting team, known more for a series of controversies, strange managerial decisions and last-minute survival runs than any major results. After finishing a disastrous 12th out of 13 in their first season, the club pulled off a dramatic turnaround under caretaker-turned-full-time-manager Chang Woe-Ryong, finishing second in 2005. They have never made it back to the top three. They made the FA Cup Final for the first time in 2015, losing to FC Seoul. Since then, they’ve finished either ninth or 10th the last four years. Entering their 17th season, they’re already on their 10th full time manager. Despite all that, they’ve never been relegated, and still manage to draw decently well.

• Founded: 1994 (as Chonbuk Dinos)
• Home Stadium: Jeonju World Cup Stadium (42,477)
• Owner: Hyundai Motor Company
• Manager: Jose Morais
• League Titles: 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
• FA Cups: 2000, 2003, 2005
• Last season: 1st in K League 1

Jeonbuk were well known for years as a solidly above-average team for much of the late ’90s and into the 2000s. They won a few FA Cups, finished in the top five a few times, and were a good if unspectacular team. Then, ahead of the 2009 season, they reinforced their midfield and signed a man named Lee Dong-gook from Seongnam. Lee too had been good but not great, and yet something crazy happened. Lee and Jeonbuk went on a tear, winning two titles in three years, and became the most dominant team in K League history. Since 2009, their worst finish has been third, they’ve won the league seven times in 11 seasons and wrapped up their third-consecutive title last year. This has led the smaller-market provincial side to build one of the biggest fanbases in the country, and Jeonbuk is easily the early favorite for the 2020 season.

• Founded: 1973 (as Pohang Steelworks FC)
• Home Stadium: Pohang Steel Yard (17,443)
• Owner: POSCO
• Manager: Kim Gi-dong
• League Titles: 1986, 1988, 1992, 2007, 2013
• FA Cups: 1996, 2008, 2012, 2013
• Last Season: 4th in K League 1

Pohang Steelers are one of the oldest and most consistent teams in the league. Dating back to the factory team era, Pohang have the very apt name of being run for their entire history by POSCO, formerly known as Pohang Iron and Steel Company. They’re a blue collar team from a blue collar town with a blue collar industry, and it permeates their culture throughout. Despite that, they’ve remained remarkably consistent, most recently winning a double in 2013. They’re also the most successful Korean team in the AFC Champions League, winning it on three occasions. They’re not nearly as rich compared to the Hyundai-backed giants, but they consistently punch above their weight.

• Founded: 1984 (as Sangmu FC), Refounded 2011
• Home Stadium: Sangju Civic Stadium (15,042)
• Owner: Sangju City Government and Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps
• Manager: Kim Tae-wan
• League Titles: N/A
• FA Cups: N/A
• Last Season: 7th in K League 1

To explain Sangju Sangmu, I first need to explain the South Korean conscription policy. Due to the fact that South Korea is still technically at war with their northern neighbor, every single adult man must perform compulsory military service, for a time frame ranging from 18 months for active duty soldiers, up to three years for people like lawyers or doctors. Athletes are not exempt unless they meet strict criteria for international achievements, which most don’t. Therefor, the South Korean military runs professional teams in each sport for athletes (even eSports!), with Sangmu serving as the military team in the K League. Each year, 15 young athletes join the team for a two-year loan, concurrent with their military enlistment, and once they complete their mandatory service, they’re free to return to their original clubs. This means that Sangmu doesn’t really focus on its identity or competing for trophies much, and they usually find themselves in the bottom half of the table.

• Founded: 1989 (as Ilhwa Chunma)
• Home Stadium: Tancheon Stadium (16,146)
• Owner: Seongnam City Government
• Manager: Kim Nam-Il
• League Titles: 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006
• FA Cups: 1999, 2011, 2014
• Last Season: 9th in K League 1

Seongnam have moved around a good bit since their launch, as part of the K League’s campaign in the early ’90s to distribute teams outside of just the Seoul core. Before their move, they won three in a row, and then after their first move to the city of Cheonan, they won three in a row again. Since then, they’ve been sold from their corporate founders Ilhwa to the city of Seongnam, becoming another community owned team under the Seongnam FC name. Results have been mixed, with an FA Cup win in 2014 and a second-place finish in 2018 interspersed with a narrow escape from relegation in 2016. They have been able to build a more consistent name for themselves as a Seongnam-specific team, capturing that specific satellite city of Seoul, but sill struggle for attention against the nearby giant in FC Seoul.

FC Seoul are the most popular, best-drawing team in the country, with a long history dating back to the mid ’80s, and yet despite their support and their owner’s unusually deep pockets, success hasn’t been consistent for the team. The team was a pawn for years during the merger of Goldstar and Lucky to form LG, and then the separation of GS Group as a separate entity in the mid-2000s. Since then, chairman Huh Chang-soo, owner of GS Group, has been reluctant to spend money on his team, leading in 2018 to FC Seoul facing its first relegation playoffs. Chairman Huh has been accused of meddling in team affairs and managerial decisions, much to the fanbase’s chagrin. That said, they’re still a consistent threat even with their relatively small budget.

Suwon was created specifically by Samsung to be their team right by several of their major headquarters, and with that came a lot of money. The big spending saw Suwon win two titles early, but since then, success has been a lot more sporadic and the corporate owners have tightened the budget. This has left the Bluewings competing more for the Korean FA Cup in recent years, winning two of the past four, and simply hoping for the best in the league table. That said, they remain one of the more popular teams in the country, and are the second biggest team in the Seoul area.

The other Hyundai-backed team, Ulsan Hyundai hasn’t been nearly as absurdly dominant as their corporate cousins, with the dubious honor of more second-place finishes than any other team at eight. They have won their two championships, and they’re rarely out of the top six, but there’s been a bit of a little brother vibe compared to Jeonbuk. The Ulsan faithful however have consistently turned out for their team for years, and they routinely rank in the top four in attendance. Given how agonizingly close Ulsan came last year, literally losing the title by a single goal scored, don’t count them out.

Follow John on Twitter: @JohnMLTX.

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Image credit: BTN

With eight NCAA championships to its name, the Indiana men’s soccer program has established itself as a perennial powerhouse in college soccer. Now, there’s a new film out chronicling the Hoosiers’ rise.

“Worth the Wait,” a documentary produced by Blueline Pictures, will debut tonight at 5 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network (BTN). The 90-minute special focuses on Indiana’s first title in 1982, captured in an eight-overtime — yes, that was a thing back then — classic against Duke in the NCAA Tournament final, and Indiana’s subsequent continued success thereafter.

Soc Takes staff writer Kathryn Knapp, who authored “The Kickin’ Hoosiers” in 2004, is one of the interview subjects in the documentary.

The Hoosiers weren’t always the dominant force they’ve grown to become. Before ’82, Indiana suffered ample heartbreak in the postseason — hence the name of the film. For example, thrice over a span of five years (’76, ’78 and ’80), Indiana advanced to the NCAA Tournament championship match but each time lost to San Francisco.

Then-head coach Jerry Yeagley’s squad finally got over the figurative hump by winning the marathon thriller against Duke in ’82. Since then, the Hoosiers have added national titles in ’83, ’88, ’98, ’99, 2003, ’04 and ’12.

Tune in to “Worth the Wait” on the BTN tonight at 5 p.m. ET to track Indiana’s ascent to the top of men’s college soccer.

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

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Image credit: Robert Palmer

Community-based amateur soccer is in many ways the lifeblood of the growth of American soccer on the grassroots level. The remarkable recent growth of local supporters culture taking the best of European traditions and marrying them with small and medium-sized town America is one of the great untold stories of the past few years in US soccer.

While much of the oxygen in the American soccer media is taken up by covering MLS expansion and the hobbies of billionaires, organic and community-based soccer has grown to unprecedented levels in this country, largely under the radar. Certainly, organically created Detroit City FC stands out as a rare example of how to create a culture second to none in a large American city. Clubs such as Chattanooga FC and others have shown the way in smaller towns and medium-sized cities, the types of locales MLS with its business metrics and the U.S. Soccer Federation with its pro league standards (PLS) — which mandate certain-sized metropolitan areas for Division I and II teams — don’t fancy.

The allure of a local community-based sporting events and the easy availability of European football on American television has led directly to the rapid interest in the sport outside of large elite metropolitan areas over the past several years. But with U.S. Soccer’s pro league standards in place and MLS’ lack of interest in markets that don’t either have an owner worth billions ready to sink money into a loss-leader or improve the league’s television profile to national rights holders, moving small community-based clubs upward to the pro ranks has proven to be difficult.

Enter Jacksonville Armada FC owner Robert Palmer. In less than a year since entering the world of American soccer, Palmer has left his mark. Talking over an NASL club that came close to folding at the end of the 2016 campaign, only to be revived by the league thanks to the sale of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers falling through days before the USSF re-sanctioned the league as Division II. Jacksonville had to be operated by the league in order ensure the NASL continued to comply with the USSF PLS minimum of 8 teams for a Division II league. But soon after the NASL assumed control of the club, it was already talking to Palmer.

The Armada FC owner needs little introduction to Floridians as his commercials air regularly on local channels and his companies are well known. Palmer is the founder and CEO of the Robert Palmer Companies which includes RP Funding, HomeValue.com, Listing Power Tools, RP Title and several other business ventures.

Bringing an owner of Palmer’s stature into NASL at a time when the league was struggling to survive was a strong signal to those, particularly in Florida, that the league still had a pulse and could still attract investors with a certain degree of stature.

As we enter the 2018 soccer season in the United States, the NASL is on life-support but unlike other owners that owned teams in the league, folding or shifting to the rival USL isn’t an option currently for Palmer. Therefore, Palmer has taken a step toward forming his own league, one that would — if it comes to fruition — allow supporters and community-oriented clubs to move forward in a professional setting without having to abide by the PLS, something which Palmer feels disenfranchise communities and lovers of the sport.

Without sanctioning correct –

my goal is *not* to play unsanctioned

my goal is to make sure that if we *have* to play unsanctioned in order to have community based teams that it’s feasible

There are options for sanctioning outside of the PLS that we are exploring

— Robert Palmer (@rp_robertpalmer) February 18, 2018

The concept of Division Zero is a work in progress with a single task force meeting in the book. But Palmer has a clear sense of why he is going down this route.

“I look at the landscape and I am frustrated,” he said. “I bought the Armada because I believe in the Jacksonville market. But here we find ourselves without sanctioning because we can’t find enough owners with the right net worth, in the right-sized market, in the right time zones and all these (artificial) barriers put in place by the PLS. But I want to play soccer and want to see the Armada FC play soccer. Division Zero is a chance for Americans to embrace community-based soccer.”

Community-based soccer might be a buzzword to describe the way the sport is embraced around the rest of the world. It might also be seen as a negative connotation, something that can work in a place like England, where urbanization and the sprawling nature of suburbs didn’t emerge in quite the same way it did in the United States. With few exceptions, people in England identify with their towns and neighborhoods, even if part of a larger urbanized community.

This hasn’t been the case in United States sporting culture, where single franchised teams represent large urban areas and help to unite far-flung suburbs and urban cores in support of a single team. But clear signs of that changing are underway as millennials flock to soccer and are inspired by the European and Latin American experience, more than that of American sports. For example, in my home metropolitan area, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, despite the loss of two professional teams in recent years, we will have 12 teams this season playing in the PDL, NPSL or UPSL alone in addition to other independent semi-professional clubs that play in local leagues, including supporter-owned Himmarshee FC.

While those adherents to the franchise-based model of MLS have adopted American sporting concepts, thus having a sprawling closed league in large markets across a continent of different cultures, Division Zero promises to be different. Palmer believes in regional play and allowing fans to travel to away matches both thanks to the idea of incentivized ticket packages as well more localized play.

“Right now in the U.S. system, successful supporter-driven teams cannot take the next step to pro without selling 35 percent to someone with a $20 million net worth,” Palmer pointed out, meaning clubs often lose their soul as they move up the ladder of the U.S. system. Palmer can see this on full display in his own home area, as Orlando City SC has gone from a community-oriented local club in its USL days, to a foreign-owned MLS franchise whose understanding of the local market has waned in the past few years. Countless other examples spring to mind to reinforce this point in the U.S. soccer ecosystem.

“If you look at the current dynamic, a rich guy arbitrarily picks a city or area that self-identifies because they have a fan base and have sponsors who want to step up,” Palmer added. “When we look at the failures of soccer in places like Columbus, Rochester, the Breakers in NWSL, communities are suffering because of the current ecosystem of soccer in this country, but where the ecosystem is thriving is at the amateur level. The goal is to try to take successes from the amateur level and take them to pro.”

Palmer has a clear vision for his goals in a potential new league. His ability to understand the U.S. Soccer landscape has impressed those around him. “He’s a bit of a genius,” one NASL insider told me last week in reference to Palmer.

Whether Palmer gets his league off the ground remains to be seen, but he’s already contributing to the important discussions around the future of the men‘s amateur and professional games in the United States.

Follow Kartik on Twitter: @kkfla737.

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