…We’re biased, but yes, it is. We’re so excited to announce something we’ve been cookin’ up for months behind the scenes. OffBall is going Offbol with today’s launch of OffBallFC, a new brand from OffBall focused on culture-first storytelling and activations in soccer. (Oh and also, NWSL player Madison Hammond is headlining the creative squad, no big deal).

Just in time for (but not limited to the duration of) the World Cup, we’ll be celebrating everything soccer (it’s okay to say soccer!) for the casual fan (like me, maybe you). And, just like this here newsletter and our website, the content will be curated and taste-driven. We’ll continue to forego AI slop, taste slop, global conflicts, and ticket prices, and deliver the compelling, feel-good stuff. That means all the fun stories, memes, content, and more. 

Madison and Daniel-Yaw Miller (you know him as the writer of my pesky kid brother newsletter, SportsVerse), will bottle all the ways soccer is influencing culture and send them to your inbox. Things like Olivia Rodrigo and Barcelona. The first ever World Cup Final halftime show. American investment in global clubs.

Sign up here. Like right now.

“Go Off” is a special edition of our daily newsletter, featuring my thoughts, takes, and general vibes, presented to OffBall readers every Wednesday.

I’ve been quietly conducting a scientific study for a few months as I’ve noticed Arsenal support in the States seemingly skyrocket, and my findings, while not revolutionary (or even that scientific), are worth writing about. 

Nine years ago, this Reddit thread credited Thierry Henry for building an entire generation of Arsenal fans in this country. Fair, but I would wager we’ve seen a huge uptick in a new gen of Gunners. I attended an Arsenal-Man U match in January 2023, and while the atmosphere was electric, I admittedly didn’t have the context. I didn’t do the required reading. 

And because I’m a very casual Tottenham fan (it was a huge weekend for us, too, for other reasons…), all I knew was that I was supposed to have a strong disdain for this team that randomly had Dwight Howard leading them in pregame chants. I should have understood at the time that the fans next to us accusing us of being Man U fans “because we aren’t cheering for Arsenal” was shade, levied by some of the most devout, knowledgeable fans in the game. 

No shade but the kits are mostly unremarkable to me, and to a total outsider, they aren’t the obvious bandwagon pick. So why is everyone, diehards and casuals alike, seemingly an Arsenal fan? This is a question I often ask my North London Forever colleague Daniel-Yaw Miller, by the way. So, if soccer isn’t your sport, but you’ve noticed everyone and their dogs wearing this kit, here’s the reason. The mic is yours, Dan:

Arsenal has been and always will be the Culture Club, worldwide. It's the reason why when we won the Premier League last week, there were fan parades, parties, religious ceremonies, fake sick notes all concocted in the blink of an eye, not just in London, but in NYC, in Nairobi, in Tokyo, in Sydney. Arsenal is a team that transcends mere support for soccer itself. When speaking to Americans (occupational hazard), I always compare Arsenal to the Knicks. Until last week (when Arsenal finally went all the way and won something), Arsenal and the Knicks shared so many parallels in my eyes. Two iconic teams whose badges, logos, jerseys and visual identity bleed into street culture, music and fashion. Two iconic brands that are loved all the way from the hood to the box seats at the Emirates or celebrity row at MSG. Two teams with storied heritage, which have had years upon years of likeable rosters, yet so many times have come up short of championship glory. If Knicks fans are looking for solace from Arsenal's story, they're in luck: there is always light (and a Championship) at the end of the tunnel.

Ignoring the comment about speaking to Americans and moving on, his comparison of Arsenal to the Knicks, on the heels of the beloved NY team punching their ticket to the NBA Finals, is one of great coherence to a more casual soccer and diehard basketball fan like myself. Thank you for dumbing that down for us Yanks, Dan. 

Other comparisons have been made by other colleagues of mine (some said the Cowboys, another said the Yankees), but the Knicks makes the most sense to me. After years of devotion and, let's be real, anguish, both teams are having their moment in the sun. 

On Monday night I went to the New York Liberty game (don’t want to talk about the result), and immediately sprinted from Barclays Center to my neighborhood bar to be there when time ran out (not to brag but Google says its a nine-minute walk and we ran it in about three), and it was well worth it. No matter where you were in the city, you could feel a release of decades of disappointment. Rain fell after a 27-year drought. 

All week long I’ve been scrolling through party after party on social media. They’re celebrating the Arsenal Premier League win — the club’s first championship in decades, by the way — everywhere. From Ethiopia to London to Uganda to  New York. Also, they both claim the heart of Anne Hathaway. 

This week, New York looked just like Emirates. Because Knicks fans, like Gunners, understand they’re a part of a community that shows out for their teams, and also for each other. That’s another thing I wouldn’t fully have understood if I didn’t live in New York. 

The other day I watched an interview with famously prickly tennis star Iga Swiatek, and she was beaming, laughing, charismatic. She was making jokes about hoping to attend Taylor Swift’s wedding, telling stories about challenging her coach to a volleying match for 100 euros, which caused him to tear his Achilles. It was a delight, and a far cry from her usual public persona. It was also my intro to this year’s French Open at Roland-Garros. And since then, not only have matches been on my TV non-stop, but the content on social has been good, too. 

Anna Kalinskaya brought her emotional support spectator, a.k.a. her dog to the stands.

I learned Coco Gauff brings nine rackets to her matches. And although it’s hotter than l’enfer, it’s nothing she can’t handle.

And that champions are made from clay. 

But also that clay is…bullsh*t. 

Flavio Cobolli can do this.

Aryna Sabalenka spent some much deserved downtime taking in the tourist spots.

Another year around the sun and I still don’t own the Lacoste tennis skirt bag. Devastating. 

Naomi Osaka and Taylor Townsend celebrated Black excellence. 

Jannik Sinner is working on a Lego Eiffel Tower.

And speaking of Taylors, Mr. Fritz was already upset, and so was Jessica Pegula.