What do the Red Stars need to be a force in 2023? Will the new owners relocate the team? It’s hard to say, but it will likely be a tough pill for the Red Stars’ fanbase to swallow, since they’re one of only four teams that have persisted in the same city since the league’s inaugural year. Regardless, the Red Stars struggled to sell tickets and were repeatedly in the bottom third of the league’s attendance numbers last season. Of course, there are still big names that remain on Chicago’s roster, including the likes of World Cup winners Mallory Pugh and Alyssa Naeher. While it’s difficult to tell who will step into the ownership role Whisler previously filled – or even when this will happen – it’s worth mentioning that there is no guarantee the team stays in Chicago. 5 that Whisler confirmed he is planning to sell the Red Stars. 10, detailing their request for Whisler to sell the club. Whistler was removed from his chairman role in the Red Stars organization in the wake of the report, but Chicago’s players released a statement on Oct. The Yates report, and the NWSL joint investigation which followed, made it clear that Whisler ignored and dismissed player complaints and reports about Dames’ behavior. Longtime team owner Arnim Whisler initially allowed Dames to resign, well aware of the complaints and the impending report. Former head coach Rory Dames departed hours after the team’s 2021 NWSL Championship loss amid reports of Dames’ verbal and emotional abuse of Red Stars players. The Red Stars have experienced a lot of turmoil in recent seasons. Chicago’s off-the-field turbulence continues Realistically, though, Chicago isn’t the most attractive destination at the moment. Now, they are all gone.Ĭhicago will have to be aggressive during this free agency period and turn their attention to the 2023 NWSL Draft if they want to fill those massive holes in their midfield. Combined with Sarah Woldmoe – who recently announced her retirement – they created a good problem for the Red Stars: they always had more starting-caliber midfielders than they had available starting spots. They provided the Red Stars with unrivaled depth. Though there were six active midfielders listed on Chicago’s 2022 roster, these three players were Chicago’s go-to center midfielders for the last several seasons. With the departure of DiBernardo, Colaprico, and Gautrat especially, the Chicago Red Stars midfield is essentially nonexistent. DiBernardo and Gautrat recently signed with the runners-up from last season, the Kansas City Current. Though she played limited minutes in 2022 due to injury, her midfield presence shouldn’t be overlooked. Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Morgan Gautrat, who made 83 appearances in the Chicago midfield, had been with the Red Stars since she was traded from Houston in 2017 (minus a brief loan to Lyon in 2018). Vanessa DiBernardo, the Red Stars’ captain, was drafted to Chicago in 2014 and played nine seasons with the club. They recently signed two-year deals with the Wave. Both Colaprico and Hill have found new homes at San Diego Wave FC. Rachel Hill, who scored the Red Stars’ lone goal in the 2021 NWSL Championship, spent three years with Chicago ahead of this move. They leave a void that could be impossible to fill in the short-term.ĭanielle Colaprico was drafted in 2015, had a breakout Rookie of the Year season in Chicago, and went on to record over 100 appearances and 10,000 minutes in a Red Stars uniform. Unfortunately for Chicago, these players filled big roles in the Red Stars line-ups over the years. The remaining four players who were eligible for free agency this offseason were quick to inform the Chicago front office that they did not plan to re-sign with the club. Kealia Watt, who was on maternity leave last season while rehabbing an ACL injury, has yet to make a decision. There were seven Red Stars players on the free agency list, and only two – Arin Wright and Yuki Nagasato – have re-signed with the club so far. For the Red Stars, free agency means their roster is thinning What’s actually going on in Chicago? Here’s what you should know ahead of the 2023 NWSL regular season. Undoubtedly, the Chicago Red Stars are at an inflection point. The recent exodus of long-time Red Stars players paired with the ongoing ownership disaster raises a lot of questions for the team with the most consecutive National Women’s Soccer League playoffs appearances in the league’s history. All rights reserved.Things in Chicago aren’t looking great. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. ^ Back to Top ^ © 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures.
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