#Merritt Paulson

[kingofcupsandswords]

Merritt Paulson to sell the Portland Thorns

Merritt Paulson, owner of the Portland Thorns and Portland Timbers, announced Thursday (December 1, 2022), that he intends to sell the Portland Thorns. However, despite selling the Thorns, Merritt Paulson will still retain ownership and control of the Portland Timbers. Fans are not happy about this, and many have voiced that Paulson should sell both the Timber and Thorns.

This is coming months after the Sally Yates investigation uncovered rampant abuse and cover-ups in US Soccer and the NWSL. Merritt Paulson, according to the Yates Investigation, knew players on the Portland Thorns were being sexually abused by former Thorns Head Coach, Paul Riley. Paulson even supported and praised Riley when he was hired as head coach of the North Carolina Courage. Riley was then fired as head coach after former players, Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim, came forward with their stories last year, detailing sexual abuse and coercion at the hands of Paul Riley, when they were playing for the Portland Thorns.

If you need a refresher, or if you would like more information about the Yates Investigation, below are links to videos I did covering the Sally Yates Investigation, and the fallout of the investigation. I also have the full 319 page investigation report linked below as well.

Sally Yates Full Investigation Report:

[youneedtolookatthis]

He needs to sell both teams. Selling the Thorns and keeping the Timbers is a way to try to make himself look good while still getting to enjoy making /more/ money off of it since he won't have the soccer costs of the Thorns but will charge them freaking RENT.

Women are employed by the Timbers, and what the Yates report uncovered isn't limited to the Thorns. If you're unfit to own an #NWSL team, you're unfit to own an #MLS team. Period. This move hurts the Thorns and doesn't fix the /actual/ problem.

"favorable usage terms"

Gah, this makes me so mad for Thorns and Timbers fans. Y'all deserve better than this clown show.

[akasmileygirl]

Alright. Now sell.

[arnau16]

Gradas, despachos y estrellas, el 2022 de la NWSL

El décimo aniversario de la NWSL nos ha llevado de la alegría a las lágrimas pasando por despachos y gradas. Toca poner las cartas sobre la mesa. (more…)

[thinkwinwincom]

Los Portland Thorns, equipo responsable del escándalo de agresiones sexuales de la NWSL, se llevan a casa la Copa de la Liga

Los Portland Thorns, equipo responsable del escándalo de agresiones sexuales de la NWSL, se llevan a casa la Copa de la Liga

Un final triunfal después de unos años turbulentos para Portland Thorns.imagen: imágenes falsas Ha sido un tiempo ocupado estudiando qué significan exactamente los torneos. En el béisbol en particular, la discusión sobre las fallas inherentes a cualquier sistema de comas parece haber estado bajo el microscopio, aunque en su mayoría son equipos que no funcionan para ellos (¡me encanta LA!). En el…

[noodle-fc]

Don't mind me, just screaming into the void.

[ID: Portland Thorns logo, heading reads "2022 Fan Experience Survey. 32. Please provide any other additional comments that you would like to share with the Portland Thorns regarding any aspect of your experience with the organization:" There follows a text entry box which has been filled in. end ID]

[ID: screenshot of a text document "Untitled" that reads "

Driving Riveters/Annual Members away from matches due to the handling of player abuse has drastically reduced attendance and atmosphere. Thorns games used to be my refuge from everything wrong in the world, but now being there, seeing thousands missing from the crowd, thinking of how they lost their ability to passionately support the players on game days in good conscience—

It reinforces the feeling that rich white men will make decisions affecting things that do NOT belong only to them, and will continue to face zero consequences for it. I hate hate HATE feeling that way at games, and probably will not renew next year unless something changes (we've told you what you need to do), but I don't expect change based on what has already been done (or not done)." end ID]

[princessofsunspear]

would like to believe the silence from nwsl clubs is because they’re busy cleaning house but i know in reality it’s because they just have absolutely no response to the truth

[newbiesquadgoals]

The response from Portland's veteran players to the abuse that occurred within the Thorns organization has been underwhelming from the start, but them going out of their way to thank Merritt Paulson is so harmful and disappointing. It was always curious to me that Alex Morgan was the most vocal current/former Thorns player to stand with those abused while many other prominent players associated with the organization kept quiet or made vague statements. Now we know why.

[uswnt5]

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2022/08/former-employees-of-portland-timbers-thorns-allege-toxic-work-environment-for-women-working-mothers.html

This is beyond... how can Merritt still own two teams?

Not to mention, this just sent me over the edge. Taking bites of peoples FOOD?

[hardtchill]

To be fair I sent that before all the mess started, then I went on Twitter and now I’m pretty much scared.. why are they switching blame on an individual player all the time? Like first it was Jordan then Stina, then Vivianne?

Family tried to force me to like football when I was a kid cause my brother played witch meant men’s football got hyped and women’s were let’s just say it did not. Until a couple years ago I didn’t actually know women played professionally. Started following a bit internationally and then started listening to Beth’s book at work cause somebody recommended it to me. It made football seem like so much more that just random people running and kicking a ball. Idk I got interested in the players which got me interested in their game. Maybe that’s the wrong way to go about it? But i actually got interested in the results

also NWSL = England/Europe? And uswt = USA?

Honestly the number 1 rule of woso is, don't go on Twitter after a game (and if you're me, don't go there at all).

There is no wrong way to go about it tbh, we're all as screwed as each other whether we love the game or the players. Since you're new i will give you the rundown of some abbreviations and teams/countries.

Leagues you will probably hear most about:

NWSL - American league

FAWSL - English league

Primera División Femenina - Spanish league

Frauen-Bundesliga - German league

Division 1 Féminine - French league

If you follow European football you will also encounter Champions league, if you want the lowdown on that, let me know.

National teams you will probably hear most about:

Uswnt - American national team

Engwnt - England national team

Nedwnt - Dutch national team

Canwnt - Canada national team

Gerwnt - German national team

Espwnt - Spanish national team

Frawnt - French national team

Swewnt - Swedish national team (adding this under protest, kidding anon just really wanted it lmao)

People that should make you run for the hills (i'm not kidding, these people/groups are bad news)

Carli Lloyd

Hope Solo

Sarah and Sara (Youtube fucknuts)

Sheabutter crew (Podcast fucknuts)

Lchat (you don't want to know)

Rory Dames, Paul Riley, Merritt Paulson, Christy Holly, Corinne Diacre, Richie Burke (abusive coaches/owners which you will probably see/hear people talk about)

Kim McCauley (former pretend journalist who now works for a club in the NWSL, do not engage)

In general be very careful when trusting people who claim to be journalists. A lot of people covering the NWSL and FAWSL have no clue what they are doing. There is hardly any professionalism in woso journalism so a grain of salt is required with most of these people.

[arnau16]

Gradas, despachos y estrellas, el 2022 de la NWSL

Gradas, despachos y estrellas, el 2022 de la NWSL

El décimo aniversario de la NWSL nos ha llevado de la alegría a las lágrimas pasando por despachos y gradas. Toca poner las cartas sobre la mesa. (more…)

[bagelbongos]

Nahhhh pls don’t tell me people think walmart-Alex Morgan is national team material. What’s she gonna do if called up? Whine about how fans don’t want to support a team owned by Merritt Paulson?

weaver is the talex baby if you look at her thru the right angle which i'm sure in 2013 would have made her an immediate fan favorite. and maybe that's still the reason why!

[uswntpoc]

I wouldn’t say Wilkinson did everything by the book lol, by the looks of it the only reason she reported it and resigned was because the Portland players found out and she got caught. If I were a Portland player and I found out my coach had been screwing my teammate I’d be wanting them gone too.

I think the Paulson thing has caused quite a divide in the locker room, you have people like Sinclair and Menges writing odd thank yous to him then you have people like Kling and Becky making thoughtful statements. Even during the season earlier this year there was just a general refusal by most Portland players to even acknowledge the fans boycotting, they preferred to guilt trip fans into coming back. They also didn’t really speak up about Merritt the same way CRS players publicly did about Arnim. Seems like half the team wants him gone asap and the other half are like “well he’s nice to me so he can stay” (🙄 at that he’s nice to me excuse players have probably been using as a means to justify their lack of condemning for Paulson btw).

But they reported it and the investigation happened before the players found out, so I'm confused where the narrative is coming from that they got caught and then had to report. And apparently they did not screw.

[kingofcupsandswords]

Arnim Whisler to Sell His Majority Stake in the Chicago Red Stars

There’s been so much NWSL news coming out today. According to Sportico, Arnim Whisler, former owner of the Chicago Red Stars, has reached out to a third party to facilitate the sale of his majority stake in the Chicago Red Stars.

Arnim Whisler, like Merritt Paulson, was also named in the Sally Yates Investigation. Whisler knew players on the Chicago Red Stars were being abused by former Red Stars Head Coach, Rory Dames, and did nothing to stop the abuse. Whisler played dumb during the investigation and acted like he knew nothing about it, despite many players coming forward and saying they told him about Rory Dames’s behavior. Whisler defended Dames, allowing the abuse to continue, and dismissing complaints from the players.

I covered the Rory Dames abuse scandal in great detail and below are the links to videos I did covering Rory Dames and Arnim Whisler. Word of warning though, the subject matter is intense and very disturbing. If you are sensitive to that, or feel uncomfortable, I recommend that you do not watch it. I also have the 319 page Sally Yates Investigation Report linked below.

Sally Yates Full Investigation Report:

[newbiesquadgoals]

what happened

Merritt Paulson announced today that he is selling the Portland Thorns and some of their players and staff have posted statements thanking him for all he has done for women's soccer while ignoring that he knowing continued to employ and praise abusers within the team. It is disheartening that they went out of their way to thank him and don't seem to even really care about the people he hurt.

[princessofsunspear]

if merritt paulson isn’t fit to own the thorns then why is he fit to own the timbers lmao like let’s unpack that