Hey everyone, Ben Wright here.
If you're anything like me, Matt Doyle (also known as MLS's Armchair Analyst) has been a crucial staple in your fandom and following of the league as a whole. Matt has written for MLSSoccer.com, the league's flagship site, for the last 15 years, and has been the best source for informed and accessible coverage of the league as a whole. His writing has helped countless fans to understand the game in greater detail, and as a result, become more invested.
Unfortunately, last week Doyle was let go as part of a larger restructuring within the league's editorial wing. It's an inexplicable decision.
Fortunately, you can still read Matt's coverage! He started his own site and newsletter last year, and is bringing his typical suite of coverage to his new outlet.
Matthew Doyle
My intention is to take all the stuff I've been doing at MLSsoccer for the past 15 years and... just do it here. I’m extremely excited to work for myself, to take some risks and to build something – including a direct relationship with all of you. The Armchair Analyst lives on!
So here's my coverage plan:
- Sunday night: The weekend recap (paid)
- Monday / Tuesday: Power Rankings (free to all!)
- Wednesday: Tentpole topics (Tiers, Transfer Grades, Team Needs, etc.) + news reactions (paid)
- Thursday: general pondering & weekly round-up (free to all!)
Additionally, Doyle has teamed up with our friends at Kickback Soccer Media to join their audio and visual coverage of MLS, including reuniting with David Gass and Tom Bogert on their Soccerwise podcast.
Tactics Free Zone has launched new paid membership options, and they'll include some really cool features like monthly "Brown Liquor Special" livestreams and exclusive livestream Q&As.
For anyone who wants in-depth yet accessible coverage of MLS, the type of writing that will make you a smarter fan who is more excited about the game as a whole, I can't recommend subscribing enough. I've already signed up and can't wait to follow Matt's coverage in 2026, the biggest year for soccer in North America.
Subscribe to Tactics Free Zone!
