Tag: Chicago Red Stars

Chicago Red Stars slam ‘unfair’ decision to schedule concert on same day as NWSL match

September’s Riot Fest concert will directly conflict with the Red Stars’ home match against the San Diego Wave

Just days after the Chicago Red Stars set an NWSL record for single-game attendance, a stadium scheduling conflict has resulted in a public battle between the team and the Village of Bridgeview.

The municipality, as owners of SeatGeek Stadium, has essentially double-booked the property on September 21, when the Red Stars are schedule to host the San Diego Wave in a match set to be nationally televised on Ion.

That date falls in the middle of Riot Fest, a concert event announced on Wednesday that will run from September 20-22.

Club president Karen Leetzow slammed the decision to book a conflicting event.

“It is unfair and unfortunate to have our club put in this situation, shining a light on the vast discrepancies in the treatment of women’s professional sports versus men’s professional sports,” said Leetzow in a statement.

“We are committed to ensuring our players and fans have a first-rate experience on and off the pitch, and we are working diligently to find a solution that will ensure our September 21st game is a success.”

The news follows a long history in the NWSL of scheduling conflicts that boil down to clubs not having their own stadiums.

Angel City FC had to reschedule its 2024 home opener over a conflict with events at Exposition Park. In years past the Washington Spirit were obliged by the NWSL to play a 2021 home game against the Houston Dash in Texas over concerns about the readiness of Segra Field.

The Chicago Tribune reported on Wednesday that the Red Stars are considering legal action against the Village of Bridgeview. Per the report, Bridgeview mayor Steven Landek only informed the club of the conflict in early May, and the club says it received no further information from village officials.

Complicating matters is the fact that Riot Fest is not taking place in SeatGeek Stadium, but rather around it. The club and municipality appear to have differing views over just what that entails, with the Village of Bridgeview releasing a statement insisting it has the contractual right “to host concurrent events at the facility.”

The Village of Bridgeview went on to accuse the Red Stars of “failing to respond” to a notification in April and said that the decision to schedule another event at SeatGeek Stadium “had nothing to do with gender.”

Per the Tribune’s reporting, the Red Stars believe that access to parking for both teams, staffers, and fans would be a major problem, as would noise from a concert taking place so close to the open-air stadium.

The conflict comes just days after the Red Stars set an NWSL attendance record of 35,038 in its first-ever game at Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs have a home game against the Washington Nationals on September 21, but even if the schedule were clear, setting up a return to the baseball stadium would be cost-prohibitive. Solutions like Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, would be similarly expensive, particularly due to the time crunch involved.

The Red Stars’ lease at SeatGeek Stadium ends after the 2025 season, and the club’s new owners have repeatedly said they do not view the venue — located well south of the city of Chicago, with minimal options in terms of public transit — as a long-term solution.

In 2019, MLS’s Chicago Fire paid a whopping $60 million to get out of its SeatGeek Stadium lease. The Fire have since played at cavernous Soldier Field, home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears.

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Gotham FC striker Williams becomes all-time top NWSL goalscorer

The USWNT striker has now scored 79 goals in all competitions in the NWSL

There is a new all-time goalscoring leader in the NWSL.

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Lynn Williams scored her 79th career goal in all competitions on Sunday night, breaking the record previously held by Sam Kerr.

Williams scored her record-breaking goal 57 minutes into a match against the Chicago Red Stars at Red Bull Arena. Jenna Nighswonger’s cross found Esther González in the box, and the Spain international’s volley was perfectly placed to give Williams a simple header on the doorstep.

The goal opened the scoring on the night. After Penelope Hocking equalized for the visitors, Ella Stevens scored a late winner for Gotham to ensure Williams would go home with three points on her record-breaking evening.

Williams, 30, was selected by the Western New York Flash in the 2015 NWSL college draft, and stayed with the team when they became the North Carolina Courage ahead of the 2017 season. She was traded to the Kansas City Current in 2022, but played just once due to an injury. In 2023, Williams was traded to Gotham FC.

Williams has won four NWSL titles and three NWSL Shields in her career,  in addition to one Golden Boot and one MVP award. She has also played at a World Cup and an Olympics with the U.S. women’s national team.

Watch Williams score record-breaking goal

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USWNT goalkeeper Naeher subbed off for Chicago Red Stars with injury

The veteran’s injury is an immediate issue for club, and could become one for country as well

Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was forced to leave Sunday’s game against the Utah Royals after suffering an injury.

Naeher came away gingerly after making a recovery run in the second half. The 36-year-old attempted to carry on but was clearly laboring, and had to be replaced by Mackenzie Wood in the 62nd minute.

The Red Stars were up 2-0 at the time of the injury, and held on for a 3-1 win thanks to a goal and assist from Mallory Swanson.

Red Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson didn’t have an update on Naeher when asked in his post-game press conference.

“I’m leaving it to the pros, I don’t know what’s going on yet,” he said.

The injury is bad news for the Red Stars, and could potentially become an issue for the U.S. women’s national team as well, with the Olympics set to kick off in just over two months.

Naeher has been an ever-present as the USWNT’s starting goalkeeper for several years, and has recently cemented her spot with some sterling performances in the W Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup this spring.

The injury could jeopardize Naeher’s availability for incoming coach Emma Hayes’ first USWNT camp, with the team facing two matches against South Korea on June 1 and June 4.

Following those matches, the USWNT will gather its Olympic roster together for send-off games against Mexico on July 13 and Costa Rica on July 16.

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Chicago Red Stars to play June match at Wrigley Field

The Red Stars said playing at the Friendly Confines is an effort to make the team more accessible

The Chicago Red Stars have announced that they will face Bay FC in a NWSL match at Wrigley Field on June 8.

It will be the first NWSL game held at the iconic home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

The Red Stars were sold last fall to an ownership group led by Laura Ricketts, who is also a co-owner of the Cubs.

In a press release, the Red Stars said the game was part of an effort to make the team “more accessible to sports fans in Chicago.” The team’s home games typically take place at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL, 15 miles outside of downtown Chicago.

“Wrigley Field is one of the most iconic sports venues in the country. This is a unique opportunity for us to bring further visibility to our team and women’s soccer,” Red Stars captain Alyssa Naeher said in a club release.

“Chicago has always been an incredible sports town with such a rich history; I can’t wait to compete on the field, under the lights, in front of our dedicated Chicago fans from every part of the city!”

Wrigley Field was home to the Chicago Sting of the NASL in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The last top-level soccer match it hosted came back in 2012, when Roma beat Polish side Zaglebie Lubin in a friendly.

CHICAGO, IL – JULY 22: A general view during the first half of a international friendly match between Roma and Zaglebie Lubin on July 22, 2012 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)

“Playing at Wrigley Field will be the event that fans of the Red Stars, Cubs and Chicago sports won’t want to miss,” said Chicago Red Stars president Karen Leetzow.

“On behalf of the Red Stars, I’d like to thank the Cubs for inviting us to Wrigley Field and giving these elite athletes the stage they deserve. We look forward to representing our great city and showing Chicago fans and the country how talented this club is and the intense level of competition that exists on the pitch every week in the NWSL and in Chicago’s backyard.”

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‘Clear and obvious should be clear and obvious’ – Spirit star Sullivan decries long VAR checks

There were in incredible 13 minutes of first-half stoppage time in Sunday’s game

Frustration is mounting across the NWSL early in the season, as some VAR reviews drag on for what seems like an eternity.

Among those who are growing weary is U.S. women’s national team and Washington Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan, who saw her side’s game against the Utah Royals ground to a halt on multiple occasions.

Three VAR reviews throughout the game slowed the play considerably at Audi Field on Sunday. There were an incredible 13 minutes of stoppage time in the first half, with one of the reviews taking place on a fairly obvious Spirit penalty that Sullivan would eventually convert.

After a game her side won 2-1, Sullivan told reporters that while she’s grateful for the presence of video technology in the NWSL, there needs to be a concerted effort toward eliminating lengthy reviews.

“Obviously we’re glad about VAR being in the league,” the midfielder said. “But I think we need to figure out a way to make it a little more efficient. I especially think clear and obvious should be clear and obvious and it shouldn’t take a long time to decide if something is clear and obvious.

“But obviously I’m not in the booth, I don’t know the demands of that job so I shouldn’t really speak too much on that.”

On her penalty, she added: “It was a very clear penalty. I don’t really feel like that needs to be checked or checked very long. And I felt like it could have been checked by the time I had set up the first time, so I was a little frustrated about that.”

Sullivan said that the frequent stoppages for VAR checks means that teams have to figure out ways to make the breaks work to their advantage.

“We’ve definitely discussed as a team about how to manage those moments, especially when it’s taking a while and then when the ref has to go find the camera,” she said.

“So are there moments where we can come over to the sideline and just regroup? For me I reset because it had just been so long, so I needed to run through the routine again. It’s a new part of the game and we have to recognize it’s going to be a part of it, so we have to figure out different ways and techniques of handling that.”

On Friday night, Chicago Red Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson echoed Sullivan’s point, but did so in slightly more blunt fashion.

“If it takes that long to make a damn decision, then there’s no decision,” Donaldson said.

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After injury nightmare, USWNT’s Swanson scores first goal in over a year

One of the USWNT’s biggest names is back scoring goals

Mallory Swanson made her return from a major injury a few weeks ago, but on Friday she made sure to show that she is all the way back.

The U.S. women’s national team star scored her first goal in just over a year as the Chicago Red Stars and Orlando Pride battled to a 1-1 draw in the NWSL.

Swanson’s 64th-minute equalizer for Chicago was a classic example of the 25-year-old’s gifts, with her low-angle shot seeming to freeze Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse before nestling into the furthest depths of the bottom corner.

The goal was Swanson’s first in a competitive game in 370 days, with her last strike being a successful penalty kick for the Red Stars on March 25, 2023.

Swanson was in staggering form early in 2023 for the USWNT, scoring seven times in five matches across January and February, but a torn patellar tendon suffered in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland kept her out of contention for last summer’s World Cup.

Swanson recently revealed that the procedure to repair that injury was followed by an infection that required emergency surgery, setting her recovery back significantly.

In the meantime, Swanson signed a long-term contract with Chicago, at the time making her the highest-paid player in the NWSL. That record was only broken earlier this week when Sophia Smith inked a two-year deal with the Portland Thorns.

Swanson told reporters after the match that what she had “learned the past three games, is, it takes time. I think I needed to give myself a little bit more grace with where I was.”

Still, as much as the goal was cathartic, Swanson couldn’t resist throwing in a deadpan bit of analysis. “That, and honestly just, take a deep breath and shoot the ball.”

Watch Swanson’s first goal in a year

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Swanson marks return from injury that changed ‘whole perspective on life’

Swanson said that her knee injury has given her a new perspective on life

Mallory Swanson is back on the field, and the Chicago Red Stars forward has returned with a new appreciation for being able to play the sport she loves.

Swanson missed nearly a full year after suffering a torn patella tendon in April with the U.S. women’s national team, knocking her out of the 2023 World Cup.

The forward’s recovery was complicated by an infection that required a second surgery less than two weeks after her first operation.

After returning for Chicago’s preseason, Swanson was back on the field in the Red Stars’ 2024 opener on Saturday as her side defeated the Utah Royals 2-0.

Swanson played 80 minutes in the win, looking like she is on her way to regaining the form that saw her lead the USWNT in goals last year despite not playing a game after April.

Following the match in Utah, Swanson posted her gratitude for the moment on Instagram.

“After 343 days, 3 surgeries, and an infection that changed my whole perspective on life I realized many things,” she said. “Life is a beautiful blessing. Health is a blessing. This game that I love is a blessing. And at the end of it all I am more than thankful to be able to do what I love again.”

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NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Pure chaos takes hold as Portland Thorns retake league lead

Nothing is ever what it seems in the NWSL

Does anyone want to win the NWSL Shield this season?

That’s the question at this point, after first place exchanged hands yet again. In the last 11 rounds of games, we’ve woken up on Monday with a new team atop the table eight different times. The Portland Thorns’ triumph over Cascadia rivals OL Reign, coupled with the San Diego Wave stumbling against a Kansas City Current side that kicked off in last place, gave us yet another change in the race for the Shield.

Let’s take a quick look at this insightful video that explains how this entire season has felt.

The Thorns do appear to be this season’s “best” team, whether you approach it from the eyeball test, data, or results. Portland can hit heights no one else can hit, and have shaken off Sophia Smith’s injury thanks to Best XI candidate Morgan Weaver.

However, as impressive as the Thorns can be, there are only 11 points separating Portland from the Chicago Red Stars in 12th. A team that hasn’t won a regular season game since June has nonetheless stayed above the playoff line all season. There are three rounds of games to go, and no one has been eliminated or clinched a postseason berth.

NWSL chaos, never change.

NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Playoff race tension grows after Racing Louisville, Angel City both win

No team can ever relax in the NWSL

The NWSL is built to ensure late-season drama.

There’s no other conclusion to reach after another weekend that could have blown the standings wide open instead drew the entire table closer together. For the second time in recent weeks, the schedule set things up for the top six to largely push the bottom six adrift. Four of the six games over the weekend paired a team in a playoff position up against a team on the outside looking in.

And just like last time, the results largely skewed towards a tighter, more tense race. Racing Louisville and Angel City FC got big wins to keep pace, the Washington Spirit had a surprising stumble at home, and the only match between teams in playoff position ended up somehow being a bonkers 3-3 draw.

With four games to play, the gap from top to bottom is only 11 points. The teams in seventh and eighth are within six points of first. If you pull up Google’s NWSL standings and look over at the “last five” column, you’ll see more red X images signaling a loss for the teams in the top six (12) than in the bottom six (eight).

The seatbelt sign for this NWSL season should be flashing, because we’re about to have a turbulent landing.

Chicago Red Stars sold for $60 million to local investor group

One of the NWSL’s most difficult situations has reached a positive conclusion

The Chicago Red Stars have been sold to a large group of local investors.

The NWSL club has been purchased at a valuation of $60 million, with an ownership group led by Laura Ricketts, who is already a co-owner of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

“We wholeheartedly believe in and are excited about the future of the Red Stars and the NWSL,” said Ricketts in a statement supplied to media. “There is unprecedented fan growth in women’s soccer globally, and we want to be a part of building on that momentum and success here in Chicago… We will strive to provide an environment in which players thrive, supported by experienced executives who are dedicated to our athletes, our fans and the game.”

The Red Stars have been for sale since December 2022, one of the many dominoes to tumble after the Sally Yates investigation into NWSL misconduct. Former owner Arnim Whisler announced his intention to sell after a host of controversies surrounding the club’s handling of disgraced former coach Rory Dames.

“On behalf of the NWSL Board of Governors, we’re thrilled to welcome Laura and the entire new ownership group to our league,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “These talented and accomplished owners, successful in business, sports, and leaders in the Chicago community, are committed to investing the resources necessary to take the Chicago Red Stars to the next level and enable the NWSL to continue our collective growth. A new chapter for this team begins today.”

Chicago sale continues NWSL progress

The Red Stars had to some degree been left hanging after Whisler — long among the least-wealthy owners in NWSL — began the slow process of finding a buyer.

The official announcement of a larger and more deep-pocketed ownership group will allow a club that has suffered in recent years the chance to start catching up with the rest of the league. With the ambitious ownership groups behind Angel City FC, the Kansas City Current, and the Washington Spirit in particular pushing standards forward, 2023 has seen Chicago get left behind.

Those days should be over. Earlier in August, CBS reported that the breakdown of the $60 million figure included $35.5 million towards the actual purchase of the club, and $25 million in investment in the club’s infrastructure and soccer operations.

“Building a championship culture begins with treating our players with the respect they deserve as women and athletes,” said Ricketts. “We are committed to strengthening this team, this club, this league, and this game – all of which begins with the safety of and support for the athletes on the pitch.

“To build the world-class organization that our fans deserve, we need to attract the world’s best players, coaches, and staff, as well as create an environment that fosters their success. We’re going to make that happen.”

With Chicago changing hands, attention will turn to two other ongoing sales processes. The Portland Thorns remain for sale, with owner Merritt Paulson announcing that he would seek candidates to sell to as of December 2022.

OL Reign, meanwhile, remain for sale after Spirit owner Michele Kang’s acquisition of French powerhouse Olympique Lyon’s women’s club necessitated that the latter club no longer holds any control over an NWSL club.

Last week, Kang told reporters that her purchase of Lyon was still being finalized while the fate of the Reign is sorted out, but that the process was close to being concluded.

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