Way back when (read: May and early June of last year), I started a small blog, purely for my own enjoyment. Major League Soccer had just announced New York City FC would be joining the league as its twentieth club.
I didn't have grand plans for the blog. I've been blogging on-and-off since 2000. I still believe what I believed then; blogs are an excellent way to document things as they happen. I thought that blogging about New York City FC was a fine way to note the growth of the team, as it moved from idea to finally taking the field.
I kept plugging away, from spring through the summer and into autumn. I wrote when I could, always keeping an eye out for interesting stories to relate. All that time, the club kept on growing. New York City signed the legendary David Villa as its first Designated Player; in July, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard joined as its second.
We are now about three months, give or take, from the team playing its first game. There are now seven players on the club's roster; more will be added between now and February, starting with the Expansion Draft on December 10. We've even had our first few controversies: between the introduction of a home kit that many felt didn't properly reflect the club, and the growing uncertainty on whether Frank Lampard will be with the team from the start, New York City FC certainly feels like a proper team.
That's why it's great to now be a part of SB Nation. Here, we now have the resources to cover the club the way we want to. There's more, though. All of us at Hudson River Blue are here because we're interested in New York City FC. We're here at SB Nation because it's a fantastic way to make our voices heard to the club.
In other words: we came here because of the club, but we're really here for you, the readers.
So: welcome! We want your voices, your takes, your stories. You're what matters; without the fans, soccer is nothing. We wouldn't be here without you.
If you want to write for us, check out our available positions. Feel free to drop us a line by email or Twitter -- we're always happy to hear a good, solid pitch.
Welcome, and thank you.