By the way, it seems possible, if not somewhat likely that the USFL Houston roughnecks are gonna play at Shell energy Stadium next year. So now you’ll have fall football with the colleges and then spring football again with minor league football teams ruining the field.
Sincere question I’m asking here because yall seem to be fairly knowledgeable about this subject: who actually benefits from extra events at Shell? Dynamo or Sports Authority?
Good question. I think the Dynamo manage the lease and get something from the events or had that possibility at one point. But I could be wrong.
Houston Roughnecks are now the Houston Gamblers with a new place to play | khou.com Houston Gamblers: We're All In - YouTube The tribute to the original Houston Gamblers with Jim Kelly at QB back in the 80's is in effect. Bringing back that logo is legit!
I used to work with Jim Kelly’s brother. He looked exactly like an overweight version of his brother. Let’s just say that his brother’s stories had a common theme that Jim Kelly had a great time in Houston as a professional athlete.
Thursday USA U20 3:0 Italy U20. Yanks controlled the game and scored early. Italy had nothing until they started taking risks to try and equalize and conceded two more. USA through to QFs against a very good Morocco. I thought Raines had a HUUUGE game. Such a steady, calm presence on the ball, and then always popping up wherever necessary to snuff out Italy attacks. I thought he was the most important player on the field in a quiet “Artur-like” way. Just fantastic. Really mature, smart, presence in the game. He was taking corner-kicks as well and a good number are damn good. I bet Raines gets an offer from Europe this winter.
I was only half watching the Spanish broadcast but they were very complimentary of Brooklyn’s work rate and maturity.
USA lost to Morocco in the QFs of U20 World Cup. USA had vastly more possession, shots, corners, etc. All of that however, in the first half especially, did not result in any good chances. Raines was decent in his important role as a lone 6, but got outplayed on a contested ball in midfield that resulted in the first Morocco goal. Raines relied on trying to shield a ball that was not yet his, and the opponent "kind of, seemed to" drag him out of the way with a hand on his shoulder. Raines thought it a foul, the USA threw the VAR card, but to my eyes it is the sort of play that could be called foul or not. Referee was not going to change his mind from what he saw live. I thought it immediately that Raines should have moved at the ball more aggressively (he had the better position/angle) and get it down under control. USA equalized on a pen, then gave up an own-goal on shambolic throw-in defense. If Morocco had defended the 1 million crosses the USA had as bad as the USA defended that one throw-in the USA would have scored 10. Morocco picked up a third as the USA threw number forward late. Only Raines and Cremasci looked any good to my eyes. Everyone else was just an athletic specimen running hard with poor touch and no idea how to move.
Good summary. There was a very good cross from the left around the 80th minute that found the subbed winger #11 but he shat himself with a moon blast over the bar that was the ideal equalizer. Thus a few minutes later is how Morrocco scored their third goal late on when the USA goalie went bananas and left his box, then did not clear the back pass and it got worse from there, even Raines with his hustle to get to the open net on the goal line, he got a boot to their shot on the open net but he could not keep it out.
Your right. I meant to include that the USA had that Big chance in the 80th and just blew it. That was a horrible miss. You know, this team was so short of quality. No Reyna types (either Gio or Claudio). No tab ramos types. There was a kid on the team that plays at Dortmund. I was excited to get a look at him but I found him shocking. Three step-overs and a turnover. Almost everytime. Fast, strong but no vision or quality touches. These guys dominated all their games with their athleticism. But I never saw much in the way of real soccer quality except Raines solid play and Cremashi. It is such an indictment of the coaching mentality that pervades in this country. All these kids eating great diets, working out daily, but they don't look like they ever spent a month playing soccer in the backyard with shirts for goals ....
A must read! A team from a small fishing village turns up as little giants! Mjällby wins Swedish league title to cap astounding season - ESPN
Austin FC apparently has a new investment group on board, raising their valuation as an MLS club. https://www.mundodeportivo.com/us/e...following-the-borgen-family-s-investment.html
Sports viewing’s value is being tested…Be aware, there is no system that could/will replace the current one that will be cheaper and easier to access…The future will feature less access and higher prices… https://t.co/R6UHr2QQ6X— Patrick Crakes (@Aquinas82nd) November 5, 2025 Where do yall stand on the Disney/YoutubeTV standoff?
I'm for radical industry overhaul based on open market principles: Separation of content creation from streaming services. No exclusive deals allowed. All content owners set a price to carry their content and any streaming service can carry it for THAT price. I'm not holding my breath. But I don't think anyone but the billionaires have any sympathy for these media companies. They are all crooks.
As someone that recalls learning so much about pro soccer via our city's local Latino channels Telemundo and Univision. They both delivered their ever present broadcasting of Liga MX matches on free TV each weekend back in the 90s, these easy to find free TV matches sold the sport. There were also on Telemundo matches from South America. Like when Maradona returned to Boca Jrs. in 1995. This showed the atmosphere in stadiums in that part of our Hemisphere. So I still think MLS should be showing over free TV broadcasts each weekend going long on marquee matches. The sport still needs to be marketed and sold to the constantly growing soccer fan base in our nation. Not all MLS games, just that weekends "sexy" matchups of league leaders, big rivals or players star power on display. A league wide blanket stream structure keeps these type of soccer matches hidden from too many potential new fans to the sport, to MLS.
Speaking of an old, traditional sport invented in the mid 1800's and still growing in new markets around the globe, here is some data on MLB's World Series TV ratings in the U.S., Canada, Japan and elsewhere. Good stuff to reflect on as we talk MLS and soccer TV and streaming numbers. Dodgers-Blue Jays Game 7 is most-watched since 1991 Game 7 - ESPN
Correct. However, any smart TV these days has a built in antenna. So all one has to do is run a channel search and about 115 local channels will upload. Each major market has this in play Don.
ok .. but I think the research means 1 in 5 watch any OTA TV. It is the view of MLS brass, and most all sports industry brass, that OTA TV is dead as a doorknob.
You and MLS brass just run right past the fact that the Spanish speaking TV stations in our nation have their brass continue to deliver OTA Liga MX matches, EPL league matches, UEFA Champions League matches, World Cup Qualifying matches, Gold Cup matches, Copa America matches, and World Cup matches year after year. It appears that they think their target demographic likes to have a great ease of access to their pro soccer via free TV.
Ahh. There we go. Houston Dynamo success will come by finally coaxing out of hiding the great American soccer Yeti, the Spanish speaking immigrant soccer fan. Has not worked for 50 years but now will be different. Across America there are successful MLS clubs with packed stadiums and none of them are doing it that way.
I think there are both valid points here. I agree with DJ that OTV isn’t what it used to be, however I do see some of the value CT suggests. I do think OTV has moved back ahead of cable in terms of value for sports leagues (mostly due to the decline of cable but still). The “Yeti” factor is real but I think getting MLS back on some of these Spanish channels would be a net positive. It’s also worth considering you dont need to pass a Duolingo lesson to watch it those channels. Going back to the initial YTTV - ESPN battle, I really think this is going to cause long term effects in the media landscape. Even if this does chip some people towards the ESPN streaming package I think the realization will hit that the cable margins will never be replaced. I think the leagues will have to get used to less money in the coming years.
Good points. ESPN royally p'o ing me. I've paid them $120/yr since like 2008 -- since MLS games were all on ESPN+. Now, with this, come to find out that all I get for that is some cricket matches, F2, and women's volleyball. (Exxagerating). It covers nothing being shown on ESPN, ESPN2, or their other cable channels. F That. I have read a few times now that live sports of the viewers own "home" team are the only things people will watch live anymore, meaning with commercials. Sounds right to me -- Dynamo games, and big soccer games (to me) are the only things I will watch and not insist on time shifting so I can skip commercials.