OPINION: No Doyle? No party
Wednesday was a bummer as senior columnist Matt Doyle aka The Armchair Analyst announced he’d been let go by MLS after 15 years on the job.
The pragmatic crowd will tell you social media and podcasts are easier to consume and written pieces are dead, but turn that logic on its head: Social media is fine for basic stuff, but accessing in-depth coverage usually requires listening to podcasts which can easily run an hour or more.
Yet with his weekly recap, Doyle somehow managed to cram the valuable insights you’d find in those podcasts from all 30 teams into an engaging column, giving fans the ability to read how teams performed across the league in a matter of minutes.
The man was doing the Lord’s work keeping countless fans informed about the league with his rich tactical discussions. Now, Doyle’s departure now leaves a hopelessly massive void for a league website which has grown considerably leaner the past few years.
I’m not sure where MLS is going with this plan. (Ai isn’t it) Most of their editorial staff has been jettisoned, along with the popular ExtraTime podcast. Their in-house fantasy soccer league was outsourced to KickBase. As far as I can tell, there aren’t many compelling reasons to visit the site these days.
You’d think especially with the country hosting a World Cup this year MLS would go all out to promote itself, but that has yet to materialize.
While reading articles is less of a thing than it used to be, quality written content is still excellent at forging connections with fans and keeping them coming back for more. It’s why rival leagues like the NFL, NBA and MLB continue to feature robust editorial sections. They want to market their product.
Why doesn’t MLS, a league of billionaires, have their own robust editorial section, never mind letting go of their most popular writer? If the outpouring of support from the American soccer community is any indication, his work was incredibly valued.
I can tell you right now that if I don’t subscribe to his newsletter, I’ll be less educated about the league this year, simple as that.
*Raises a glass of Pliny the Elder
Here’s to you, Doyle.