NEW YORK, N.Y. (Tuesday, April 28, 2020) – As part of MLS Unites, a league-wide platform designed to educate communities, entertain fans and elevate heroic efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Soccer unveiled a week-long series of programming that highlights ways the soccer community is coming together to learn, try, teach and experience new things.
This week MLS Unites programming focuses on how clubs, players, coaches, fans, partners and staff are discovering new activities, skills and talents, all while staying safe and at home.
MLS Idle: Soccer’s Hidden Talents
In the spirit of discovering new skills, a new weekly show called “MLS Idle: Soccer’s Hidden Talents” reveals non-soccer talents of MLS players. The show streams every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET on @MLS Twitter and MLS Facebook.
Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies and a new guest judge will review performances by four MLS players from different clubs each show. Fan voting on Twitter and Facebook determines each week’s winner. Fans may vote by posting #MLSIdle and a competing player’s last name on Twitter or in the show’s Facebook comments. Fan voting closes each Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET.
MLS WORKS, the League’s social responsibility platform, will donate $1,000 to a local charity selected by the club of each week’s winner.
New “Train With MLS” Content
Players and fans are discovering new ways to stay in shape at home while social distancing. Today, Tuesday, April 28th, new workouts will be released on TrainwithMLS.com – the League’s comprehensive digital experience featuring hundreds of training videos from MLS clubs for coaches, parents and recreational players of all ages and abilities.
Some of the most popular sportscasters on Spanish-language TV created their own scalable “Train With MLS” workouts at home with their families, while spreading a message of encouragement during this challenging time. Watch TUDN’s Hristo Stoichkov, Marcelo Balboa and Iván Zamorano, FOX Deportes’ Mariano Trujillo, and ESPN Deportes’ Mauricio Pedroza and Richard Méndez test their soccer skills while participating in “Train With MLS” drills HERE.
“Train With MLS” features world-class coaching from MLS clubs and first-team coaches in a central online location in. Organized in easy-to-understand categories, such as Ball Mastery, Dribbling, Fitness, and more, the structure allows soccer fans to set up training programs for athletes of all levels interested in enhancing their soccer skills.
MLS Clubs Examples
Throughout the week, the League and clubs will also have a series of digital content showcasing ways our MLS community is discovering new passions. A sampling is detailed below, with more to be featured on @MLS, @MLSWORKS, and club social platforms, as well as available HERE.
- Atlanta United – Go behind-the-scenes and in the kitchen with midfielder Jeff Larentowicz and his son Sebastian. The duo teamed up to teach fans how to cook chicken-meatball and hummus tabbouleh bowls.
- Chicago Fire FC – Fire midfielder Micheal Azira is continuing his education during this global health crisis. Working with League and club partner, Southern New Hampshire University, Azira is pursuing his master’s degree in sports management.
- Colorado Rapids – Keegan Rosenberry, Rapid defender, provides fans an entertainment Master-ish Class on the art of cutting your own hair. The Rapid’s Master-ish Class series doesn’t stop there, check out Colorado midfielder Kellyn Acosta teaching fans how to make pasta, and striker Diego Rubio demonstrating activities he does with his kids to keep them active.
- Orlando City SC – City defender Kamal Miller is using this time of social distancing to share his passion for cooking with fans. In a digital series “Cooking With K Millz,” fans can step inside his kitchen and learn his favorite recipe for a breakfast for champions including a healthy smoothie, pancakes, bacon and an omelet, as well as a delicious dinner of pasta with shrimp and mixed vegetable, and mixed green salad.
- Real Salt Lake – Every Monday, Real Salt Lake’s Leo the Lion is posing a new STEM question to elementary and middle school students as part of their “Leo Wants to Know” program. Students can email the club a 30 second video with their answer for a chance to win a Leo signed RSL jersey. Make sure you check out this week’s question.
MLS Unites was launched in partnership with the Major League Soccer Players Association. For additional ways the soccer community is discovering new talents, follow #MLSUnites. For more information, visit mlssoccer.com/mls-unites/to-discover-new-talents.
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About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer – celebrating its 25th Season in 2020 – features 26 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, in addition to future expansion teams in Austin, St. Louis, Sacramento, and Charlotte. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.
