Been a minute, but we're back to covering the Riverhounds, Pittsburgh's quarter-century-old professional soccer franchise, as of this coming Saturday and a 7 p.m. home match vs. Miami.
Why now?
Couple reasons, really ...
First, it's awfully hard to ignore this:
— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPSmedia) May 1, 2024
... a franchise-record crowd of 6,099 this past weekend for the 2-0 clean sheet over Detroit City FC, plus a rapidly growing fan base in general, plus Bob Lilley's continued excellence in crafting USL contenders year after year, plus Tuffy Shallenberger's ambitious plans to expand Highmark Stadium to 15,000-plus, plus the awarding just this week of a future women's franchise, plus ... yeah, all of that actual soccer stuff.
But also, for anyone who's new, we've got a history with the Riverhounds that goes back to the beginning of our venture and their own beginnings upon moving into the city proper around the same time. We were business partners for several years, we had our original headquarters inside theirs, and we worked hand in hand on a lot of different things that I'd like to think helped both grow.
This isn't that. No partnership. Just plain old coverage. And that's to their credit and that of their supporters, especially the Steel Army. They've built that up.
Oh, one other reason: We're getting bigger ourselves. We can handle this.
We can handle more, too, provided there's a return. When there isn't -- as was the case with Robert Morris University athletics, which registered almost at zero in interest level in the year-plus that we maintained a daily Feed for the Colonials' various sports -- we don't have to be told twice. So we've placed that Feed on hiatus -- which is a disappointment, not going to lie -- while adding one for the Riverhounds and while also expanding our efforts within the other three existing ones: Pitt, Penn State and Duquesne. Details to come on those fronts.
Anyway, spread the word: Full Riverhounds match coverage, updated-to-the-minute Feed and, ideally, a community of soccer fans congregating to discuss and debate it all!
• Thanks for reading.
• And for listening:
