Ah yes. It’s that new car year smell. The hope of a year filled with joy, laughter, love, fun, and for crying out loud the end of this goddam pandemic. Just as the homies PFizer came out with a vaccine to end this god forsaken hell, I have suddenly begun to experience a symptom or 4. A positive test from my brother all but confirms your boy is starting 2021 on the wrong foot.
But fear not. the rest of our compatriots dawning the footy fields are set for what I believe to be a HISTORIC YEAR! And if there is any way I can tag along and hitch a ride, then yes, we will be looking back at this blog as the launching point for this website. (Except I don’t know what to do with the website once my yearly host thing expires so if you have a suggestion for a website host please LMK. Also I don’t have any money, but if you want to write blogs on this here website email me at LunacySoccer @ Gmail [DOT} com)
I digress, as you know I don’t know how to do any content other than predictions, so here are my predictions for 2021.
We Will See A Combined Record Viewership in Championship Games Alone
2020 was weird. We didn’t really get full seasons across the board. The homies from the NCAA didn’t get to play out their College Cup tournaments and we didn’t really know what to expect from the new formats spawned from COVID. In 2019 we saw a combined between the MLS, NWSL and USL Champ finals viewers of 1,517,000. In 2020 that number grew to 2,153,000 between the MLS and NWSL alone, while USL Championship reported,
In total, the league saw a 500% increase in viewership for games on ESPN+ throughout the year, while five of the league’s top-10 most viewed matches of all time also occurred in 2020
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1132180
I’m here to say we will again see an increase in the total viewership across the leagues and specifically in Finals games. I don’t know if we’ll see + 3 million but I would love to see that.
There Will Be 5 Non Power-5 Collegiate Conference Athletes In The USWNT Olympic Roster
If you aren’t privy to Power-5 Conferences in College those happen to be the Big 10, Big 12, SEC, Pac 12, and the ACC. The team saw 2 non Power 5 athletes on the World Cup roster in Rapinoe and Ertz, and Lynn Williams is basically a lock to make the Olympic roster.
You may be asking who are these other 2 athletes. To be honest, I don’t really know. But it could come in the form of a Bethany Balcer, Sarah Gordon, Ashley Hatch, or Midge Purce. Realistically only 1 of those 4 could make the roster, but a good start to 2021 for any of them and they’ll be Olympic athletes.
The USMNT Will Play AND Compete In The Olympics
Yes! The Boys are back in the Olympics. After a 13 year absence, I believe the MNT is going to qualify for the Olympics and more importantly, I think we’ll see a team that can actually medal! Yeah that’s right. I think if we want to become an actually good soccer nation, it starts in Tokyo this summer.
We need to go full throttle and throw all our good young talent at the Olympics roster. Pulisic and the boyz have no business trying to win the Gold Cup. GIMME A GOLD MEDAL DAMMIT!
A Premier League Star Will Hop Over To The MLS
I want to be safe with this one so I will not be tagging Current Premier League Star. It can be a past PL star. Meaning Mario Balotelli in the MLS still counts. Tho lets just be honest, Gareth Bale is basically already an LA Galaxy player. Plenty of MLS teams could use a face of their franchise right now. Austin is still yet to get their big catch. RBNY is somehow still looking for a DP. Manchester City might ship one of their oldies to NYCFC. The possibilities are endless!
The NWSL Will Announce TWO More Expansion Teams
It feels surreal to watch the growth of the NWSL before our eyes. It honestly is such a pleasure to cover the league and the growth of the league can only mean one thing, the growth of this website! At least I wish it was that simple.
Yes we are all still waiting for the Sacramento expansion we were all promised. An yet still no formal announcement. However, I truly do believe we will see 2 more teams announced this year. Cities like Atlanta, NYC, Denver, and Columbus could be at top of the list of cities next to get an NWSL team. Personally, I could use a nice excuse to go to New Orleans once a year.
2021 The Year of Kelcie Hedge
I’m calling my shot! 2020 was the year of Kristie Mewis, Kelcie Hedge has got 2021. I’m actually really stoked with what OL Reign has built so far (Blog To Come). Unfortunately we didn’t get to see Kelcie play during the Challenge Cup or the Fall Series due to an ACL Tear, but she will be ready for 2021 and so will the supporting cast she’ll have. Tziarra, Watt, Huerta, Balcer, Long, Rapinoe, and Lavelle when she’s back.
Did I mention that I love the team OL Reign have pieced together? An Olympics year means Kelcie will get a chance to see the field and let me tell yah, OL Reign got a steal in that 2020 draft. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t finish the year with at least 5 assists to her name. Big year coming for her.