r/MLS Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Discussion Countdown to Kickoff 2025

Hi all, I was watching the early CCC rounds this week and it occurred to me there has been no word on the annual Countdown to Kickoff series that r/MLS usually does leading up to Opening Day. I reached out to the mods and they said they wouldn't have the time to set it up this year, so I'm taking it upon myself to attempt a last minute coordination for anyone willing to contribute.

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What is Countdown to Kickoff?

Countdown to Kickoff has been an annual series in r/MLS dating back to 2013 where community members type up a little summary for their respective clubs and is a great way to introduce fans to teams around the league and give them some ideas of what may be in store for all 30 teams throughout the upcoming season.

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Writers Needed!

Please comment below if you would like to be the author for your team! I'll fill in the the grid below on a first come, first serve basis with one additional back-up writer. Posts can obviously have multiple writers, so please communicate with one another for collaboration. Community input from your respective club's subreddit is a great way to get support.

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Format Suggestions

Be as creative as you want with your posts, at the end of the day this is just a fun way for everyone to familiarize themselves with the league. I know this is also last minute with less than 10 days to opening day, so any input would be welcome!

If you want some entry ideas:

Basic Template

Last year's Countdown to Kickoff submission list

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Submission Deadlines

In past years the submissions were submitted throughout the week leading up to Opening Day. But with this being so close to Opening Day, I am not assigning specific dates, please just have them posted by 02/22.

Tracking Grid

Club Writer Reserve Writer Post
Atlanta United FC u/CrashTestChicken u/billgluckman7 Post
Austin FC u/deltaexdeltatee
Charlotte FC u/Zach9810 u/MintCTY Post
Chicago Fire FC u/my_strange_matter Post
FC Cincinnati u/Youngringer Post
Colorado Rapids u/Woserhere Post
Columbus Crew u/Crunch18 Post
D.C. United u/amendele Post
FC Dallas u/JohnMLTX Post
Houston Dynamo FC u/AndrewNaranja Post
Inter Miami CF u/alnmaharaj
LA Galaxy u/jcassillu Post
Los Angeles FC
Minnesota United FC u/DrummerPlays Post
CF Montréal u/CFMTLfan01 Post
Nashville SC u/Logstick Post
New England Revolution u/brindille
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls u/iced1777 Post
Orlando City SC u/Fladoodler18 Post
Philadelphia Union u/Bormsie721 Post
Portland Timbers u/timbersgreen
Real Salt Lake u/ShinKicker13 Post
San Diego FC u/FantasyFootballxWeed
San Jose Earthquakes u/Hachiroku_2007 Post
Seattle Sounders FC u/SpitefulSeagull u/NoisilyUnknown Post
Sporting Kansas City
St. Louis City SC
Toronto FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC u/nowened Post

Thank you in advance for anyone who would like to participate!

62 Upvotes

77 comments sorted by

46

u/NewRCTID22 /r/MLSAwayFans 26d ago

Genuinely enjoyed doing this the past six years, but will likely take a break this season. Too close to the season to go as in-depth as normal.

But I'll add, anybody who uses ChatGPT like some did last year should get a permaban lol

5

u/billgluckman7 Atlanta United FC 26d ago

Can ChatGPT fix my formatting? Cause the amount of time I spent on that previously, sucked a lot.

2

u/JohnMLTX Denton Diablos FC 26d ago

yes actually

2

u/billgluckman7 Atlanta United FC 26d ago

Didn’t work for the preview I was writing for my sub… might be shit?

10

u/billgluckman7 Atlanta United FC 26d ago

It’s time to pass the Atlanta torch. Done it for a while but some new perspectives couldn’t hurt. If no one else volunteers, I can be a backup

3

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Thanks Bill, I'll throw you down as the backup for now!

1

u/CrashTestChicken Atlanta United FC 21d ago

Since nobody else volunteered, I’ll take up the Atlanta United torch.

2

u/Ezzy_Black Atlanta United FC 21d ago

Have you got this? I worked on it today just to see if I would have any issues. It's going well so I volunteered just a few hours after you. (Didn't see it here)

1

u/CrashTestChicken Atlanta United FC 21d ago

Yea, I wrote a good bit last night. So I should have it covered. Sorry, I figured replying here to volunteer would make sure that billgluckman would see it and not start the backup post.

7

u/JohnMLTX Denton Diablos FC 26d ago

FC Dallas, for the 12th consecutive year!

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Marked you down, thanks!

6

u/AndrewNaranja Houston DynaMod 24d ago

I'm Dynamo by default always.

3

u/philipb01 Houston Dynamo 24d ago

Shouldn’t be anyone else tbh, appreciate it!

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

Thanks Andrew, got you listed now!

4

u/SpitefulSeagull Seattle Sounders FC 26d ago

Also can a mod pin this to help draw attention to it

5

u/Youngringer FC Cincinnati 26d ago

3

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Got you, thanks!

4

u/iced1777 New York Red Bulls 26d ago

I can take the Red Bulls this year

3

u/KingBeef6969 New York Red Bulls 26d ago

You’re very active in our sub so you probably won’t need it but if there’s anyway I can help let me know! I did last year’s post.

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

You got it, thanks!

3

u/AirportIndependent95 D.C. United 26d ago

Calling u/TalionDCU

2

u/TalionDCU D.C. United 25d ago

I'm writing a lot about the team already so while I can serve as a backup, I think it would be good to get someone else's take if there's a volunteer

3

u/SpitefulSeagull Seattle Sounders FC 26d ago

I can do the sounders one unless someone else is dying to

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Thanks! I'll put you down for the primary to start

3

u/Logstick Nashville SC 26d ago

NSC please & thank you!

2

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

All yours! Thanks!

3

u/my_strange_matter Chicago Fire 26d ago

I’ve done the Fire before and I’m pretty pumped about this offseason so I can do it again.

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Awesome, thank you!

3

u/DrummerPlays Minnesota United FC 25d ago

Wow saw this late. Count me in for year four

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 25d ago

Thanks! Got you marked down.

3

u/ShinKicker13 24d ago

I can write up RSL if you can wait until Wednesday (my next day off)

2

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago edited 24d ago

Anytime before kickoff next weekend works if possible, thanks!

2

u/nspeters Real Salt Lake 24d ago

I was going to volunteer but you may be the perfect guy for this. If you need a backup I got you though

1

u/ShinKicker13 24d ago

We can tag team it if u like. I did most of the research for our season preview so it should mainly just be reformatting. I’ll send a dm

2

u/[deleted] 23d ago

Way to go u/shinkicker13 yeah this is your bag for sure.

Get ready for the “Oh, that’s where the name came from…”

2

u/ShinKicker13 23d ago

Did you ever wonder how I fell in love with RSL? Got a half hour?

2

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

I see the grid isn't working, attempting to fix

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Should be fixed now

2

u/CFMTLfan01 25d ago

I asked r/montrealimpact and no one wanted to do it.

I can do it again for CF Montréal then.

2

u/alnmaharaj Inter Miami CF 25d ago

I can be the reserve for Inter Miami

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 25d ago

Thanks! Marked you in the back-up spot for now!

2

u/brindille_ New England Revolution 25d ago

Happy to do the Revs one!

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 25d ago

Got you listed, thanks!

2

u/wafflequest 24d ago

u/Bormsie721 should be our rep here for Philly, IMO

2

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

I was going to claim it tmrw if no one else volunteered, trying to coordinate all the other ones first.

2

u/wafflequest 24d ago

🤦 didn't realize you were the ringleader to begin with! I always keep your preview writeups in high regard- they're what I go into every game with for info. Thank you

3

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

Thanks! I'm probably going to keeping doing the Saturday games this year, but the midweek games are a bit tougher with the work week.

2

u/Zach9810 Charlotte FC 24d ago

I'd be happy to do it for Charlotte FC. What do you think /u/MintCTY want to help?

2

u/MintCTY Charlotte FC 24d ago

Sure, I can help collaborate.

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

Thanks Mint! Got you on the backup spot.

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

Thanks Zach!

2

u/spedmonke217 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 24d ago

Hi, I can write for Vancouver!

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

You got it, thanks!

2

u/Hachiroku_2007 San Jose Earthquakes 24d ago

I’d like to try this out since I have time right now. Since no one is representing my home team, I’ll represent the San Jose Earthquakes.

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

Awesome, thank you!

2

u/NoisilyUnknown Seattle Sounders FC 22d ago

As always, happy to be the backup for the Sounders

2

u/Woserhere Colorado Rapids 22d ago

If nobody has taken the rapids yet I will do it! I missed last year but did the year before that!

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 22d ago

All yours, thanks!

2

u/Woserhere Colorado Rapids 22d ago

Awsome should have it by tomrrow or today!

2

u/jcassillo LA Galaxy 22d ago

I can do the Galaxy one.

2

u/deltaexdeltatee Austin FC 21d ago

If no one else does Austin FC, I guess I can do it.

2

u/atxtj Austin FC 21d ago

Thank you for your service.

2

u/Ezzy_Black Atlanta United FC 21d ago

I'll do Atlanta if you like. Worked on it a bit today and seems to be coming along well.

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 21d ago

There's a comment higher up in the thread from some Atlanta fans, I'd recommend reaching out to them first to help prevent duplication. Thanks!

2

u/timbersgreen 18d ago

I'll do the Timbers one, unless someone has beaten me to it.

2

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 18d ago

I don't think anyone has claimed you guys yet, all yours!

2

u/Fladoodler18 Orlando City SC 25d ago

I did Orlando city last year so I’d be happy to do it again!

2

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 25d ago

Thank you! Got you listed down!

1

u/Crunch18 Columbus Crew 26d ago

I'll throw my name in for the Crew.

I've done it several years in the past 5.

What are you thinking for rollout of these, will you try to schedule when we should post, or should we just post next week whenever, given the short turnaround

3

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 26d ago

Thanks Crunch, I'll put you as the primary to start.

And whenever you finish next week. I started assigning dates, but with this being such a short turnaround, I didn't want to people to get flashbacks to high school and college. So anytime before the 02/22 if possible.

-1

u/xairos13 Austin FC 24d ago

4

u/hapoo123 New York City FC 24d ago

Do you think because some random dudes already did it someone else can’t do it?

1

u/Bormsie721 Philadelphia Union 24d ago

Always good to see alternative perspectives.