Major League Soccer's seventeenth season begins in less than two months and as the teams prepare for the on pitch action their fans will prepare to follow them from not only stands, but with social media.
Their two main online allies? Facebook and Twitter.
Since the beginnings of MLS in the mid-1990s the Internet has exploded and in the last five years the advent of social media has changed the face of sports in the United States and the world.

The University of Wisconsin soccer teams will be back on the field in just more than a month.

Both Badgers teams released their spring exhibition season schedules this week, with games starting in mid- to late March.

The UW men have two home matches, opening their six-game spring slate March 25 against UW-Green Bay and closing against DePaul on May 4.

Former Boston Breakers (WPS) General Manager, Andy Crossley, runs a great site called Fun While It Lasted where I love to go to see the great history and information he digs up about minor league franchises that have come and gone in the American sports landscape. I especially enjoy anytime he posts something regarding soccer teams that once played in the D.

Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo (commonly called Colo Colo) has long been one of Chile's most popular and successful soccer teams. The club has won a record number of national...

Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo (commonly called Colo Colo) has long been one of Chile's most popular and successful soccer teams. The club has won a record number of national...

Although it's fair to say that Arsenal have enjoyed a rather strange season, lurching from one extreme to another, the fact remains that they have somehow managed to get themselves back in contention for a Champions League place, something that seemed like a distant dream after the crushing 8-2 defeat they suffered against Manchester United early in the season.

It's remarkable how varied soccer teams' attitudes towards possession are. Obviously, no team is more deeply committed to possession in all situations than Barcelona, even though that commitment can cost them, as it did in the recent Clasíco, when Real was handed their early goal via an uncharacteristically dumb and easily-intercepted pass from Víctor Valdés.

The case of San Antonio having two possible pro soccer teams has been a back in the news again the past week. The San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) has been looking at a proposal to tear the track out of Alamo Stadium. Alamo is the stadium of choice for the NBA San Antonio Spurs [...]

The midfielders who made the the offenses go for the Marquette and University of Wisconsin men's soccer teams this fall were honored with spots on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Great Lakes Region team.

Golden Eagles senior Calum Mallace was a first-team selection on the regional team, while Badgers junior Tomislav Zadro made the second team.

Just a week after Stanford University captured the women's soccer title, four teams gather in Hoover, Ala., for the College Cup to decide the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Champion for 2011. Today, top-seeded University of North Carolina will meet the UCLA in one semifinal, while UNC-Charlotte will square off against Creighton in the other.

By JOSE M. ROMERO

PHOENIX -- Four MLS teams have agreed to take part in the Desert Diamond Cup, a round-robin tournament to be held at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 22-March 3.

The defending MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy, the New York Red Bulls, the New England Revolution and Real Salt Lake are the scheduled participants in a series of matches that span a week and a half.

The Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup 2011 took place from November 22nd to the 26th in sunny Dubai with several of the world's best beach soccer teams on show. Reigning world champions Russia beat Brazil in the final while Switzerland took third. While the tournament featured some fantastic action, as with most beach soccer events, [.

Don't you just hate those arrogant, talented, supremely handsome Americans? Me too. Well, this American had the pleasure of writing for and speaking with some friends from across the Atlantic, and the results were marvelous. At least in my humble imperialist American opinion.

First, I penned a piece for the excellent 200 percent.

The last two Minnesota D-3 soccer teams season came to an end this weekend in the NCAA Tournament. The two remaining teams, St. Benedict's and Concordia-Moorhead, both members of the MIAC women's soccer conference, were defeated in Friday's round of 16 match-ups. St. Benedict's who had previously defeated Carol in shootout penalty kicks and Loras [.

The season ended for the UW-Milwaukee and Marquette women's soccer teams against Big Ten Conference teams Friday in North Carolina, along with the careers of two players whose accomplishments over the past four years will be prominently featured in the NCAA Division I record book.

Senior Sarah Hagen (Appleton North) scored on the final touch of her career, curling in a free kick from 19 yards out in the 90th minute, but it was the only shot on goal for the 15th-ranked Panthers in their 2-1 loss to Ohio State in an NCAA tournament second-round match in Durham, N.

Wisconsin is well represented on the Capital One Academic all-district men's and women's soccer teams.

Thirty-two players from the state were named to the honor teams across the country, split into eight regions, and are now eligible for Academic All-American teams.

This year, there are four divisions: Division I, Division II, Division III and the College Division, which is for NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools.

Two Minnesota Division 3 women's soccer teams remain in the 2011 NCAA post season tournament after this weekends first round action. Two teams women's soccer teams representing the MIAC Conference are all that's left after this past weekends NCAA Tourney. Saint Benedict's (13-6-3) and Concordia-Moorhead (13-3-6) are the two teams remaining after each schools teams won [.

Last Saturday, the UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater women's soccer teams went to penalty kicks following the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament final.

A week later, the conference rivals both advanced in the NCAA Division III tournament thanks to shootout victories.

Oshkosh, making its second NCAA appearance and first since 2006, got past Ohio Wesleyan 2-1 following a 0-0 tie in a first-round match Saturday night in St.

The MIAA has announced that it will add men's soccer as a conference sport, effective with the 2012 fall season. Fort Hays State University, Lindenwood University, Northeastern State University, Southwest Baptist University and Truman State University will all field men's soccer teams in 2012.

Additionally the MIAA announced that is has extended invitations to Harding University, Southern Nazarene University and Upper Iowa University to begin the process to become Associate Members of the MIAA for the purpose of playing men's soccer in the MIAA.

Kawasaki Frontale (川崎フロンターレ) is a Japanese football club currently campaigning in Division 1 of the J. League the top-tier of soccer in the country. Among the more popular and most successful soccer teams in Japan, Frontale is currently in 12th place in the J. League. On the club's books are Japan World Cup 2010 [.

The University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Women's Soccer teams 2011 season came to an end on Friday afternoon in Evanston, Illinois, site of the Big Ten tournament. The lady Gophers (9-10-2) lost 3-1 to Penn State (19-3-0 overall) who won the Big Ten regular season with a 10-1-0 league record and who now move on to [.

In a match between the last two unbeaten men's soccer teams in the Big Ten Conference teams, scoring chances were at a premium Sunday afternoon.

And in the end, one defensive breakdown proved to be the difference.

Junior Nick Gendron worked his way open between two University of Wisconsin defenders and headed a cross from Layth Masri past goalkeeper Max Jentsch for the lone goal in the 76th minute as Northwestern topped the Badgers 1-0 in Evanston, Ill.

There was plenty of action for the state's Division I men's soccer teams this week.

Marquette battled yet another ranked opponent in dreadful conditions and lost, but the Golden Eagles got a hat trick from a freshman and continue to lead their division in the Big East Conference.

UW-Green Bay came up with a big win over a state rival, then pulled off an impressive rally to move up the Horizon League standings.

Both the UW-Green Bay and the University of Wisconsin men's soccer teams had halves with the wind at their backs Wednesday night.

But not only did the Phoenix get a goal during their 45 minutes playing with the significant breeze, they also got one while going against the wind.

Junior forward Alonso Flores scored in the ninth minute and freshman forward Kirby Allen (Appleton North) added a goal against the run of play – and the winds that gusted up to 35 mph – in the second half as Green Bay stopped the Badgers 2-0 in a non-conference match at Aldo Santaga Stadium.

In 1991, a group of 20 soccer teams in England entered into an agreement to break away from the existing English Football League and form their own, independent league. They... Read more »

The wins keep coming for the state's nationally ranked NCAA Division I women's soccer teams, Marquette and UW-Milwaukee – even without All-American forward Sarah Hagen missing from the Panthers' lineup for one game.

Meanwhile, UW-Green Bay continues to keep things close but struggle to find goals.

It was a week of mixed results for the Marquette, UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee men's soccer teams, with midweek losses offset by all three teams collecting points on the weekend.

The Golden Eagles remained unbeaten in conference play, while the Phoenix and Panthers both played matches that were 2-0 at halftime but didn't finish that way.

If the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association polls are a good barometer of the state's top boys soccer teams, then the WIAA Division 2 Pewaukee sectional figures to be an incredibly difficult bracket.

The 17-team sectional includes the top four teams in the latest WSCA Division 2 poll – Milwaukee Thomas More, Shorewood, Pewaukee and Waukesha Catholic Memorial – along with East Troy, which is now honorable mention after being ranked earlier this year.

The nationally ranked Marquette and UW-Milwaukee women's soccer teams continued their winning streaks in conference play this week, while UW-Green Bay saw a trend continue, too – unfortunately for the Phoenix, it was a struggle to score.

Get all the highlights in our weekly recap of the Golden Eagles, Panthers and UW-Green Bay.

The Marquette, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay men's soccer teams all ended the week with the same number of wins as losses for the year. But they each got there in different ways.

The Golden Eagles extended their unbeaten streak with a draw and a win. Meanwhile, the Horizon League rival Panthers and Phoenix hooked up for a thrilling Chancellor's Cup match in midweek then had disappointing results on the weekend.

The Marquette, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay men's soccer teams all ended the week with the same number of wins as losses for the year. But they each got there in different ways.

The Golden Eagles extended their unbeaten streak with a draw and a win. Meanwhile, the Horizon League rival Panthers and Phoenix hooked up for a thrilling Chancellor's Cup match in midweek then had disappointing results on the weekend.

Players on the U.S. Futsal National Team scrimmage Thursday at South Coast Soccer City in Torrance (Photo by Staff Photographer Brad Graverson).

When it comes to U.S. national outdoor soccer teams, the South Bay is already home to all but the Under-17 boys national team program (that has its HQ in Bradenton, Fla.

The state's top two prep boys soccer teams are headed to St. Louis this weekend for one of the country's top tournaments.

Milwaukee Marquette and Middleton, ranked first and second in the most recent Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Division 1 state poll, are among 60 teams from 13 states taking part in the seventh annual Gateway City Classic.

Five games and five wins for the Marquette, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay women's soccer teams this week.

Yes, there was plenty to celebrate across the state: The No. 14 Golden Eagles extended their home unbeaten streak by winning a pair of Big East Conference matches in overtime, the 15th-ranked Panthers saw senior star striker Sarah Hagen (Appleton North) reach a career milestone and the Phoenix celebrated their annual alumni weekend by ending a five-game losing streak in which they didn't score.

The University of Wisconsin and Michigan women's soccer teams have played a lot of minutes against one another the past three years, with not a lot of goals to show for it.

Sunday's meeting was no different, as the sides played a 0-0 draw in a Big Ten Conference match in Ann Arbor, Mich.

It was a perfect Saturday for the Marquette, UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee men's soccer teams, as all three teams opened their conference schedules with victories.

Each of the three games played out in different fashions, with a comeback, a dominating performance that didn't yield any goals until midway though the second half and a win over a perennial conference power that hadn't lost at home lately.

The great folks at Nike hosted a team dinner for the US of A at Piazza Italia on Sunday night and as the squad's flight was delayed out of Kansas City, and the players were HUNGRY, the bus went straight to the restaurant. After everyone had eaten enough for two soccer teams, and seeing as there was a mic and an amp for entertainment set up at Piazza Italia, the chants of "Pia, Pia, Pia!

For 80 minutes Sunday afternoon, the University of Wisconsin and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville men's soccer teams were locked in a scoreless duel.

But the last 10 minutes of regulation was packed with action, with goals by each team and a player sent off for collecting two yellow cards in a 7-minute span.

The Marquette and UW-Green Bay men's soccer teams celebrated double-overtime victories Sunday, with the Golden Eagles' win their first in their past five games.

UW-Milwaukee, meanwhile, had the lead in both of its matches at a tournament in Alabama, only to be undone with late goals both days.

Sometimes your team is just beaten by a better team. Sometimes the opponent is stronger or faster or more technically skilled, and you just have to take your beating with the best grace you can muster. Thus the equanimity with which Alex Ferguson accepted Manchester United's loss to Barcelona in last season's Champions League final: Barça was simply and obviously better.