Under pressure from its accreditor, the University of Valley Forge is offering students and families information on how to transfer to other colleges.
The move comes as the Phoenixville-based college — which enrolls 589 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics — faces the possible loss of its accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Colleges need accreditation to keep their students eligible for financial aid.
Middle States last month issued its most serious warning — “show cause” — to the small Christian college that prepares students for leadership in the church and the world. It cited concerns about finances, planning, and governance.
The university is among the latest institutions in the region to face the threat of closure amid a declining pool of high school students and increased competition. The University of the Arts and Cabrini University closed in 2024. Rosemont College’s campus has been purchased by Villanova University, and the college plans to conclude its operations in 2028. Peirce College has been merged into Lackawanna College, a process that has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education and was sanctioned by Middle States this month.
University of the Sciences and Philadelphia University were phased out in previous mergers with St. Joseph’s University and Thomas Jefferson University. Pennsylvania State University plans to close seven of its Commonwealth campuses next year.
On its website, the University of Valley Forge says that it is not closing, but that it has established several colleges as “teach-out partners” that would streamline admission of University of Valley Forge students in the event of a closure. The school was required under the Middle States process to develop “teach-out plans” that would provide students with options to complete their education if the school were to close.
“Although this process does not require the university to provide students with teach-out options at this time, we understand that students may wish to consider alternative pathways for completing their academic programs during this period of uncertainty,” the school wrote in an email to students.
The school, according to its website, plans to charge $41,020 in tuition, fees, and room and board for next academic school year, which is scheduled to start Aug. 30.
The school held an event on campus earlier this month with representatives from the partner institutions — Eastern University in St. Davids, Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, and Southeastern University in Florida — so that students could get information. All three schools are private, Christian universities.
But the University of Valley Forge on its website, which was updated as recently as Tuesday, said it is “actively pursuing strategies to strengthen enrollment, finances, partnerships, and operations.”
“While no institution can guarantee future outcomes,” the school said, “leadership remains committed to preserving and advancing the university’s mission.”
The challenges appear to be substantial.
Earlier this month, the school said that it planned to soon communicate decisions about staff furloughs and that it would have to delay payroll for up to one week, according to emails obtained by The Inquirer from a source close to the university who was not authorized to discuss the matter and requested anonymity.
“I am deeply sorry for the disruption and for the hardship this may cause,” university president David Kim wrote, according to the email.
Kim, board members, and several other administrators and faculty have not responded to a request for comment. The emails did not indicate if furloughs occurred, how many, or for what period.
The school employed 419 people in calendar year 2021, according to the school’s most recently filed Form 990. With expenses of $20.2 million, the school operated with a $1.9 million loss that year, the tax document shows.
The Rev. Don Immel, a member of the University of Valley Forge board, addressed the Middle States action in responding to a July 11 Facebook post asking why the college was requesting “urgent prayer.” The university held a day of prayer and fasting on July 8 following the Middle States’ action.
“The need is financial,” Immel wrote. “We have a donor who has the capacity and has expressed the willingness to step in. Please pray that the donations is released.”
In other public Facebook posts, parents of students, alumni, and others have expressed concern.
“I have a daughter enrolled at UVF right now, and is supposed to be starting her sophomore year come this fall,” one parent wrote. “I don’t know at this point what to do concerning her returning to campus in the fall, or do we need to look at transferring now.”
An alumnus also had questions.
“Should we be doing anything to secure duplicate degrees or official transcripts (in the event that we lost ours or anticipate needing copies in the future)?” the alum wrote.
The school has until Sept. 1 to “show cause” to justify why it should not lose accreditation, according to Middle States. The commission will review the university’s submission, the school said on its website, and take its next action — which could include up to revocation of accreditation — in November.
In issuing the show-cause decision, the commission cited “insufficient evidence that the institution is in compliance” with standards involving planning, resources, and institutional improvement, and governance, leadership, and administration.
The university must document in its show-cause report “financial resources, funding base, and plans for financial development to support its educational purposes and programs and to ensure financial stability,” the commission said. The school also must provide information on long-range financial planning that includes “realistic enrollment projections and the assumptions on which they are based,” the commission said.
The university started in 1939 as the Eastern Bible Institute, which was aimed at training pastors, evangelists, missionaries and Christian educators, and lay workers, according to the school’s website. It became a college in 1975 and the University of Valley Forge in 2014. The university is part of an international network of Assemblies of God colleges and universities and offers more than 60 degree programs, according to its website.
The Eagles are being awarded a $4 million grant from the state of Pennsylvania to help fund renovations to their training facility, the Jefferson Health Training Complex, according to documents published by the Office of the Budget.
The Philadelphia Business Journal was first to report on the grant award.
The Eagles had submitted an application for the grant through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, which supports regional economic, recreational, cultural, civic, and historical improvement projects, during the 2025 funding round.
The team had applied for a $7.725 million RACP grant. The program requires at least 50% of the total project costs to be paid by at least one non-state funding source. The Eagles listed their total private match at roughly $7.753 million, bringing their budget total for the project to approximately $15.478 million.
The Eagles declined to comment on the awarding of the grant.
The Eagles listed their planned renovations in the application, which included the expansion of the locker room and the training room, the construction of a cafeteria addition to include a rooftop area, the expansion and renovation of the seating area in the existing cafeteria, the renovation of the kitchen, the expansion and renovation of the staff locker rooms and coaches locker rooms, and the expansion and development of the main lobby and coaches’ entrance.
The grant, the Eagles wrote, would be used to “offset hard construction costs associated with the renovations to the amenities” they listed in the application, resulting in a “more efficient workplace and training facility.”
The Eagles also were required to explain how the project to upgrade the Jefferson Health Training Complex, which was called the NovaCare Complex until mid-February when the team announced new sponsorship agreements, will provide a benefit or improvement to the community in the application.
“NovaCare has served as the Eagles’ training facility and corporate headquarters since 2001,” the team wrote. “The Eagles have made 3 Super Bowl appearances and earned 2 Super Bowl victories in the past 8 years. This would not be possible without its commitment to investing in its facilities to attract top talent. This success has fueled civic pride and provided increased visibility to the city. As the nature of professional sports has changed, so have teams’ needs relating to physical space.
“When NovaCare opened, we had 138 full-time employees. Today we have 276. In 2017, the Eagles Autism Foundation was created, and has grown from a staff of 1 to 10 and raised $40MM+. From 2003-12, total PA State Income Tax withheld was $29.5MM (average of $2.9MM/year). From 2013-22, total withheld was $61.7MM (average of $6.17MM/year). We project that for 2023-32, total withheld would be $113.9MM (average $11.39MM/year). This project will ensure the facility can meet the needs of our team as it continues to grow.”
Saquon Barkley greets fans at what then was known as the NovaCare Complex last season.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The Eagles also explained the factors that they relied on to arrive at their requested grant amount.
“The construction of the NovaCare Complex included public financing, and the Complex sits on public land,” the Eagles wrote. “It is an excellent example of a successful public/private partnership that has generated an economic return for the Commonwealth and the City. Financial assistance from the Commonwealth will enable the Eagles to maximize the scope of the project, minimize the construction timeline, and increase the prospect of maintaining the practice facility at the site.”
As The Inquirer reported in February, the team has been upgrading its practice facility after acquiring the former Rothman Orthopaedics space. The team had a meeting last offseason with their player leadership council to address the topics raised in the 2025 NFLPA survey, which rated the locker room a D+, as a means of identifying prospective improvements.
This year, according to an ESPN report, the Eagles locker room was rated a D. Still, the team received an A- for their weight room and a B- for their training room.
The Jefferson Health Training Complex may not be the only Eagles facility subject to upgrades — or, potentially, more significant changes. At the league meeting in March, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said the team is conducting “exploratory research” on the prospect of a new or renovated stadium ahead of the expiration of Lincoln Financial Field’s lease in 2032.
One of the variables that the Eagles must consider is the location of a potential new stadium, either in the South Philadelphia sports complex or beyond. Lurie wouldn’t rule out any potential location if the stadium was built anew, noting that he would do “whatever’s best for the fans.”
A week later, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on The Inquirer’s unCovering the Birds podcast, “We’re not going to lose the Birds. They’re going to stay in Philly, and we’re going to make sure of that.”
Tower Health and Jefferson Health announced Friday that they have formed a clinical affiliation that would expand access to advanced treatments in Tower’s markets northwest of Philadelphia.
The two nonprofit organizations said Jefferson is not acquiring Tower, which is the biggest healthcare provider in Berks County and also owns two hospitals in Chester and Montgomery Counties.
“Healthcare organizations today face unprecedented challenges, including inadequate reimbursement, rising costs, workforce shortages, and increasing competition,” Tower’s CEO Michael Stern said in an announcement to employees.
“History teaches us that when an organization is confronted by challenges on multiple fronts, success depends on finding the right ally — one that shares our values, respects our strengths, and is committed to the same mission,” Stern’s note said.
Jefferson said it routinely works with other health systems to provide high-level specialty care throughout the region it serves.
“As part of that commitment, we are working with Tower Health to enhance access to advanced tertiary and quaternary services, bringing more specialized expertise, innovative treatment options, and coordinated care closer to the communities we serve,” Jefferson said.
Details of the arrangement with Tower will worked out in the next few months.
Jefferson is also among the Philadelphia-area health systems exploring a clinical alliance to support financially struggling St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, which Tower manages and owns in a 50-50 joint venture with Drexel University.
Turnabout for Tower
For Tower Health, the potential collaboration with Jefferson represents a turnabout from a decade ago when the system based in West Reading plotted a move into the Philadelphia market. Tower spent $423 million for theacquisition of five community hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania from Community Health Systems Inc. in 2017.
The idea then was that the health system’s anchor, Reading Hospital, would draw patients for the most advanced care to Berks County from the Philadelphia region. That deal led to massive losses as the anticipated patients didn’t materialize in Reading and then COVID-19 crushed health system finances nationwide.
Tower sold or closed three of the five acquired hospitals, but remains saddled with a huge debt load. The interest payments leave the system with little money left over to invest in the new facilities and services. Last year, Tower instituted significant service cuts and layoffs at Pottstown Hospital.
Jefferson has expanded through acquisitions from three hospitals to 33 since 2015. The most recent acquisition was Lehigh Valley Health Network two years ago, creating a network that stretches from South Jersey to near Scranton. The system has been losing money for years as management attempts to make the hospitals it acquired work as a financially sustainable system.
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating after a car full of teenagers crashed in South Philly early Friday morning, killing a 16-year-old girl and sending five other teens to the hospital.
Around 1:30 a.m., Philadelphia police requested state police assistance to close the off-ramp from I-95 southbound to Columbus Boulevard after a “serious” crash, state police said. When troopers arrived, they determined the vehicle crash had begun on the interstate.
The car, a Nissan Maxima, “exited the off-ramp at a high rate of speed, struck the concrete median prior to the traffic light, and became airborne until coming to final rest in the center of the intersection,” said State Trooper Paul Holdefer.
Six teens — four of them sitting in the back — were inside the Nissan, Holdefer said.
A 16-year-old girl who was sitting “in the center rear of the vehicle” was pronounced dead at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Holdefer said. Another girl and the 17-year-old boy who was driving the car also were taken to Thomas Jefferson UniversityHospital.
A 17-year-old girl who had been sitting in the back was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in critical condition, Holdefer said.
Two 17-year-old boys, one who had been sitting in the front passenger seat and the other in the rear, were taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and were in stable condition.
Police did not identify anyone involved in the crash, which remained under investigation.
What initially appeared to be a significant amount of blood inside the Olney home tied to a missing persons investigation was not real blood, according to law enforcement sources.
Forensic testing conducted so far also has found no DNA belonging to the two missing women at the center of the evolving investigation, the sources said.
Philadelphia police and FBI agents began searching the home of Eugene Horsch last month after police arrested him with a woman carrying a fake ID in the name of Blair Tonzelli, a woman struggling with drug addiction who was last seen at the property in 2022. The probe also renewed interest in another missing person, Amy McHale, the ex-wife of Eugene’s father, who was last seen in 2016 at the same house on West Chew Avenue.
But detectives did not find the DNA of either woman on items tested so far, and while preliminary tests indicated that a significant amount of blood was present in the house, subsequent forensic tests came back negative, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing case.
The Philadelphia Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
This week police began excavating a pipe beneath the property to search for more evidence. And FBI agents are examining hundreds of pages of handwritten and typed documents, CDs, videos, and text messages for clues related to the missing women, the sources said.
Police arrested Horsch on June 19 near Independence Mall with drugs, guns, and various other weapons, as well as a phony U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration badge in the name of “Eugene Frederick Steiner.” He remains in federal custody on charges related to those offenses but has not been accused of any crimes in connection to the missing women.
Horsch, 44, was incarcerated for a previous drug conviction at the time McHale’s family reported her missing in 2016. But his father, Raymond “R.C” Horsch, who died in May 2025, has become another focal point of the investigation.
Raymond Horsch was an erotic photographer and filmmaker whose career in the porn industry dates to the 1970s. His work depicted graphic sexual violence and simulated death scenes, often involving women in addiction. Some scenes used what appeared to be prop blood. Horsch also penned semi-autobiographical novels that featured sadomasochists and serial killers.
While the forensic testing has not shown that any real violence took place, investigators continue to examine other evidence found in the home, including unpublished film and writing, law enforcement sources said. One of those items is a handwritten note that describes hurting people and references the serial killer Ted Bundy.
Shortly after Raymond Horsch’s death last year, a fire led police to search the property and arrest Eugene after they found a drug manufacturing operation and several illegal firearms.
When police searched the property again last month, they found additional drugs and guns, as well as hidden compartments, vats filled with chemicals, and a 55-gallon drum with connections to water lines in the basement.
When police arrested Eugene Horsch near Independence Mall in his black BMW, a woman with him showed police a fake ID in Tonzelli’s name. According to an affidavit of probable cause to search the Olney home, the woman told police that she did not know Tonzelli. She said Eugene never harmed her, but he told her he knew the chemicals needed to dissolve human bodies.
Testing of the pipe excavated from the property this week remains ongoing.
A 15-year-old boy was charged with murder and related crimes for fatally shooting a 43-year-old man in Southwest Philadelphia earlier this month, authorities said.
Zakah Johnson, of East Mount Airy, was already in custody for an unrelated crime when police accused him Friday of killing MD Mahfuzul Haque, who investigators said was shot dead on July 7 in the city’s Kingsessing section.
Police responded to a residence on the 100 block of South Ithan Street that evening to find Haque with a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
He was pronounced dead at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center around 9:30 p.m.
On Thursday, police took Johnson into custody for an unrelated investigation. Before he was set to be released, authorities kept him in custody and charged him for Haque’s killing.
Johnson will be tried as an adult, police said. In addition to murder, he was charged with robbery, conspiracy, and a handful of firearms crimes.
He is being held in the Philadelphia Juvenile Detention Center and was denied bail.
Haque, a native of Bangladesh, had been delivering food for DoorDash at the time of the shooting, investigators said.
Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has a history with James. They first crossed paths as Ohio high school basketball players and later when Gansey was an executive with the Cavaliers.
// Timestamp 07/24/26 7:44pm
‘It’s a Philly King’: Inquirer and Daily News front (and back) pages
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s front page for Saturday, July 25, 2026.The Philadelphia InquirerThe front of the Philadelphia Inquirer sports section for Saturday.staffThe front cover of Sunday’s Daily News.Daily NewsAnd the back cover of the Daily News.Daily News
// Timestamp 07/24/26 7:37pm
Steve Gansey says Sixers fans are showing him the love after his brother’s big move
Steve Gansey, right, brother of Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, left, became popular online after he shared an image of his brother and LeBron James.Courtesy of Steve Gansey
Steve Gansey was at work on Friday morning when the texts started to trickle in.
Two colleagues from Philadelphia shared the news that LeBron James had signed with the 76ers. Gansey, the younger brother of new Sixers’ president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, logged onto Twitter/X, and saw a post from ESPN insider Shams Charania saying the same.
Like any other responsible basketball fan, he checked to make sure it wasn’t a prank account, before getting too excited.
“I was like, ‘OK, well, who knows?’” Gansey said on Friday. “You’ve got to do your due diligence and make sure that’s real.”
About an hour later, Steve received the ultimate confirmation from his brother.
“Mike actually called me,” he said. “And was like, ‘What’s up?’ And I was like ‘… What’s up?’”
Steve said his brother barely talked about LeBron at all.
“We talked about how excited he is, this that and the other, and the first thing he said was, ’Yeah, it’s Nick Nurse’s birthday,’” Gansey said. “And Nick was boarding a plane or something, and Mike had to shoot him a text, and he said, ‘Happy Birthday,’ or something.”
He added: “Only a couple of hours after he gets the news with LeBron, Mike is talking about going to the flea market with his kids tomorrow in Cleveland. And how excited he is to find some old school starting lineups or action figures. That’s just who Mike is.”
The younger Gansey ignited social media a few weeks ago, when he posted a photo of his brother, side-by-side, with LeBron, in high school. LeBron played basketball at St. Vincent-St. Mary, a short drive from Olmsted Falls, where Gansey played.
Steve says he didn’t have any inside knowledge when he posted that prophetic tweet, but that didn’t stop Sixers fans from showering him with praise on Friday afternoon, after the news became official.
“Everyone was like, ‘Thanks Steve for everything,’ like I did something,” Gansey said. “I gave people hope, I guess, by throwing out a couple of tweets there.”
Steve has never been to Philadelphia; the closest he got was a trip to Delaware when he was coaching in the G-League. But he is excited to go. And when he does, he will have plenty of free food and alcohol awaiting him.
“Someone said that Mike can walk on the Sch-ku-yu? What is it? Water?” Gansey said, referring to the Schuylkill River. “I was like, ‘OK, that must be a tough body of water to walk on.’
“The free Tastykakes. ‘I have your hookup for free Tastykakes for Mike.’ Free cheesesteaks. ‘You get free beer, or a free drink, when you come into town.’”
These are nice perks, but the younger brother is more proud of his brother than anything else — and unlike the rest of the NBA, he’s certainly not surprised.
“It comes around,” he said. “And that’s what relationships are. Obviously they have a good relationship together, they won a championship [in Cleveland] together, they feel comfortable. Nick Nurse won a championship. He’s a players’ first type of coach.
“It’s just really awesome that they are back together again. And it’s even cooler that they’re teaming up in a different city. Two northeast Ohio guys, takin’ on the world.”
We still don’t know when LeBron James will make his regular-season 76ers debut, as the NBA has yet to drop its schedule, but two preseason games have already been revealed. And if you hope to see him in preseason action at Xfinity Mobile Arena, get ready to pay a pretty penny.
As of Friday afternoon, tickets for the Sixers’ preseason home game vs. the Boston Celtics (7 p.m. on Oct. 16) start at $305 each for two tickets, according to Vivid Seats. A single ticket is $321. Tickets for the Sixers’ other known preseason game, at the Celtics’ TD Garden Oct. 10 (8 p.m.), start at $157 for two tickets together, while a single seat starts at $193.
We’ll say it again: These are for preseason games.
Worth it for an audience with King James?
The preseason home-and-home already had intrigue, since it could be the first time Jaylen Brown sees his former team. The Sixers acquired Brown from the Celtics, the only team he had known in his 10 NBA seasons, on July 1 for Paul George and four draft picks.
Breaking down LeBron’s decision to join the Sixers
// Timestamp 07/24/26 5:24pm
‘That’s cheating’: Kendrick Perkins, Vince Carter on LeBron signing
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, who played with LeBron James on the 2014-15 Cavaliers team that fell in the finals, said the future Hall of Famer’s decision to sign with the Sixers made Philly a legitimate championship threat.
With an existing core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and the recently acquired Jaylen Brown, Perkins believes James is the piece that will put Philly over the top.
“The Philadelphia 76ers, with LeBron James, can win the championship this year, with this roster,” Perkins said. “The teams that he won a championship with, they had dogs… this is what [the 76ers] have”
Hall of Famer Vince Carter said James joining the Sixers was “cheating”.
Along with James, who is entering his 24th season in the NBA, Carter also played well into his 40s, with a career spanning from 1998-2020. But while the former 5th overall pick did not win a championship across his 22 year career, James will now aim to win his 5th championship, and become the first player to win one with four separate teams.
During an recent episode of The Cousins, a podcast he co-hosts with Tracy McGrady, Carter said James “doesn’t have to do much to still be him” due to Philly’s talented roster.
“Now your fifth-best starter has to guard one of those guys,” Carter said, calling it “crazy.”
LeBron James’ signing adds an exclamation point to Sixers’ transformational summer
LeBron James chose the Sixers over suitors that included the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
LeBron James’ Friday morning news dump did not come via ESPN television special or Sports Illustrated open letter.
Or on his agent’s podcast, for that matter.
Instead, it was one tweet from ESPN newsbreaker Shams Charania. And another from James’ agency, Klutch Sports, with confirmation. Then a thread of tweets from LeBron himself, with an initial explanation of what he is calling his final decision.
It was gargantuan all the same. For the NBA. And for Philly.
LeBron is a Sixer. So is Jaylen Brown. And Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe, for that matter. And it all brings together arguably the most improbable-yet-transformative offseason in franchise history under new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey.
James, who has agreed to sign a two-year, $8 million deal, The Inquirer confirmed, will finish his legendary career with a team with which he has far less prior connection than his other reported suitors. He did not choose the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. Or the Miami Heat, where he won his first two NBA championships. Or even the Golden State Warriors, where it is easily commutable from Los Angeles if his family chose to stay there.
But “everything changed,” agent Rich Paul said on his Game Over podcast, once the Sixers pulled off the blockbuster trade for Brown.
Playing with Tyrese Maxey, a fellow premier Klutch client who has worked out with James since his pre-draft process, went from theoretical to realistic. Working with a young VJ Edgecombe was intriguing to James, Paul said. A source close to James also told The Inquirer Friday that James has known Sixers co-owner David Blitzer for many years, and appreciates the franchise’s history and passionate fan base.
In 2017, coming off the opening weekend of his film Split, M. Night Shayamalan rang the Sixers’ ceremonial bell before the Philly team took on the LA Clippers. His daughter Saleka sang the national anthem.
“I can still remember when Dr. J retired,” the filmmaker and die-hard Sixers fan who grew up in Wynnewood and lives in Willistown Township, wrote on the Sixers website in 2019. “It was a tough, tough night in the Shyamalan household.”
A big fan of the late 1990s, Pat Croce, Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo era, Shyamalan chose to celebrate LeBron James’ decision to join the Sixers with an AI generated image of him and James, which he shared on Instagram. In it, the filmmaker is dressed in an armor embossed with the Sixers’ logo and wears a metal crown. Next to him, James wears a “Phila 6” basket ball jersey and a crown more regal than Shyamalan’s. Behind them, a chessboard serves as a background; Shayamalan is the knight (get it?) and James the king. The minimalist caption just tags James and the Sixers’ Instagram accounts.
Most comments decried Shyamalan’s use of Generative AI and one commenter specifically pointed out that the number 6 jersey was retired across NBA teams, in honor of the late Boston Celtics legend, Bill Russell, who passed away in 2022.
Shyamalan, a Sixers season-ticket holder with courtside seats, directed former Sixers point guard James Harden and former coach Doc Rivers in a promotional short for his 2023 thriller, Knock at the Cabin.
Sixers remain silent about LeBron, but not season ticket sales
A text message sent by the Sixers Friday afternoon.Conor Smith
The 76ers have not posted about LeBron James’ decision to sign with the team on social media yet. However, it seems that the team’s ticket sales department is looking to take advantage of the frenzy following the initial news breaking.
In a well-timed time message, the team sent out a reminder to past ticket purchasers that “2026-27 Season Tickets are selling out fast.” Wonder why that may be?
No plan for Bronny James to join LeBron in Philly: ESPN
As for the impact of LeBron James’ decision on his son Bronny James, Rich Paul, the agent for both tells ESPN that "they are not a package deal" and there's no current plan or request for Bronny Janes to join his father in Philly.
Raymond Davis took the train into 30th Street Station to play basketball at Schuylkill River Park.
Before leaving his home in Mount Airy, he put on his Tyrese Maxey to hoop in — not knowing LeBron James would sign with his favorite team shortly after. pic.twitter.com/VhnGdRSg9i
Raymond Davis took the train into 30th Street Station to play basketball at Schuylkill River Park. Before leaving his home in Mount Airy, he put on his Tyrese Maxey to hoop in — not knowing LeBron James would sign with his favorite team shortly after.
“I didn’t even know he was coming until I got on the train,” Davis said. “I was ready to cry on that jawn, bro. It’s so crazy. We getting the chip though, you know what I’m saying. This is the best our team ever looked and I’m just happy to be here. Happy for LeBron, been a LeBron fan since I was a young boul. It’s thorough.”
Davis met up with a few friends on the way to Schuylkill River Park. One of them, Christopher Gaines, is just as excited as Davis. Gaines is ready to write the day down in history books.
“The king of basketball’s coming to Philly — the city of sports and this is like a great day, a great moment,” Davis said. “You know, what? July 24th, I will always remember as ‘King Bron Day’ — the day LeBron came to Philly.”
“I think it’s a special day that all people in Philadelphia should celebrate and should look deep inside their hearts to just remember this is a very important and special day in Philadelphia’s history.”
‘We were picked!’: Sixers fans react to LeBron signing
Lydia Victor and her sister bought a Whole Foods cake to celebrate LeBron James signing with the Sixers.Lydia Victor
After LeBron James announced his decision, Lydia Victor and her sister bought a Whole Foods chantilly cake to celebrate. The Northeast Philly graphic designer and sports content creator had the bakery write “Trust the Process 23” in red frosting on top. She planned to cut it later Friday with her father, who went to college in Ohio and is the biggest LeBron fan, she said.
She said it almost didn’t matter if the James-led team wins a championship — though she was already planning to celebrate on Broad Street. The fact that James chose Philadelphia brought her more happiness than a championship (or potentially getting married or having kids) might. She likened the moment to Meredith Grey’s iconic monologue in the TV show Grey’s Anatomy imploring Derek Shepherd to choose her.
“It’s just the mindset that Philly isn’t always considered a big market and the national media usually counts us out when it comes to acquiring big name free agents,” she said. But this time, things were different.
“We were picked!” she said.
Cormac Watson, a Lakers fan visiting Philadelphia from Ireland, said he was glad James had chosen the Sixers. He wished the 41-year-old well after having spent nearly a decade playing in Los Angeles, but gave a cryptic and familiar warning about the Sixers’ future.
“It all relies on Embiid,” he said.
Darnell Butts, 56, said there’s no way the Sixers would have landed James had former general manager Daryl Morey still been in charge. Butts was optimistic about the Sixers’ championship chances, and excited for the team’s younger stars to learn from a player he calls the greatest of all time. Butts said he wants to welcome James in Philly fashion.
“Get a Philly cheesesteak, it’s on Darnell Butts. Meet me at Reading Terminal,” he said.
Not everyone was thrilled with James’ decision though. Swain Tomar, 39, is from Miami and was dismayed his Heat couldn’t ultimately sway James. He said although he’s a fan of James, it would be tough watching Sixers fans getting to enjoy his final act when the Heat were reportedly among James’ final suitors. Swain blames it on the team’s mistakenly posting a YouTube link to a future introductory press conference for James had he signed with Miami.
“I think we bungled it,” he said.
But Victor said her goodwill toward James goes away if reports are true that he would commute from New York City while a Sixer, instead of living in the area.
“If you’re choosing us lock in [and] choose us,” she said.
LeBron James’ new Sixers jerseys didn’t last long.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Fanatics is already sold out of some LeBron James Sixers jerseys.
About two hours after the news broke, all first editions of the no. 23 jerseys were sold out on the Fanatics website. The adult royal blue, white, and red Swingman premium jerseys had been selling for $124.99, in line with the price of similar jerseys for other Sixers stars. Youth jerseys had also been available to pre-order for $69.99.
Red-and-blue adult Fast Break jerseys, which are made of different material, were available to preorder for $79.99 as of Friday afternoon. They were set to ship in early August.
Longtime Sixers public address announcer Matt Cord retired at the end of the season, but took a minute to offer up what his LeBron James intro would sound like during an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic Friday.
I bet you want to hear Matt Cord Introduce LeBron James…
Deyson Martinez prepares food at Honeygrow in Center City Philadelphia.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Honeygrow, the Philly-founded fast casual food business, tried to lure LeBron James to the Sixers in the day leading up to the announcement.
On Thursday, the company known for its made-to-order stir-fries as well as salads posted on its Instagram what sounded like an enticing offer: Come to Philadelphia, and we’ll give you free Honeygrow food for life, the company touted.
“Thoughts on taking your talents to Broad Street?” the company said in the Instagram post. “We’ve got all the Heat you need.”
One commenter on Instagram chimed in: “I’m not LeBron James but I’d happily take free Honeygrow for life.” Another noted: “Way to sweeten the pot lol”
When the news came out on Friday that James was actually coming to Philadelphia, founder and CEO of Honeygrow Justin Rosenberg said he was “ecstatic.”
He joked: “LeBron personally called me before the announcement and let me know that it was partially because of this – I’m totally kidding.”
Rosenberg, who calls himself a “hardcore Sixers fan,” doesn’t think his company ultimately had anything to do with the decision.
“We’re all floored. This is super cool,” he said. “Just to have him be a part of the city is great.”
Asked if he’ll keep up his end of the deal and provide free Honeygrow to James for life, Rosenberg said, “We’re going to have to keep our end of the bargain and have a conversation with him about this.”
“He’s going to have to reach out. Let’s talk, LeBron,” he said. “Let’s figure it out.”
Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe react to LeBron James coming to Philly
Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James during a December 2025 game in Philly.Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-I
Philly’s other pro athletes are among the most excited about James coming to Philly, after big names like Bryce Harper and Cooper DeJean attempted to make their pitch on the All-Star red carpet.
Despite speculation that Jaylen Brown and James might have beef, after Brown said a few years ago that he didn’t believe James’ son Bronny was a pro, Brown was the first to post after the announcement.
While we’re still waiting on Joel Embiid, Embiid spent much of 2014 on Twitter trying to lobby James to the Sixers. Twelve years later, he finally got his wish.
@KingJames hey bro hope you're having a good day…… Want to join us in philly?? Peace
Even the city’s other athletes are getting in on it. Saquon Barkley extended a golf invite, after Sixer fans spent weeks conspiring on the locations of James’ golf trips.
Welcome to the city! Let me know when you tryna tee it up 🏌🏽⛳️ @KingJames
LeBron James’ arrival makes the Sixers true championship contenders.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
A lot changed for the Sixers on Friday, including their title odds after LeBron James announced he’d be ending his free agency by signing with the Sixers.
Prior to James becoming a Sixer, they were listed as +2000 to win the NBA Finals, according to Sports Illustrated on July 20.
Philly is now up to +1000, the fourth favorite behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (+260), San Antonio Spurs (+260), and New York Knicks (+900).
The Knicks (+340) remain the favorite to win the Eastern Conference, but the Sixers sit in second with +380 odds for the conference title. Prior to James’ two-year $8 million contract, Philly was +700 to win the East.
Their odds to be the Atlantic Division winners jumped from +450 to +220, according to DraftKings Sports.
— Mia Messina
// Timestamp 07/24/26 11:58am
Gov. Shapiro declares it ‘LeBron James Day’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro rings the bell before a 2024 Sixers game.Steven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that Friday would be known as LeBron James Day in a proclamation posted on X following the announcement that the famed player would be signing with the 76ers.
“Pennsylvania is honored to welcome LeBron James to our Commonwealth as he joins the Philadelphia 76ers for his best season yet,” the proclamation reads.
Shapiro highlighted James’s record-breaking NBA career and philanthropic endeavors throughout the proclamation as a reason to dedicate the day to him.
“LeBron has prioritized giving back to his community by founding programs to help at-risk youth stay in school,” the proclamation says. “Funding scholarships and college support, establishing community hubs to address emergency housing, food insecurity, and other wraparound service needs, and much more — making LeBron one of the most charitable athletes in the world.”
LEBRON IS COMING TO PHILLY.
By the power vested in me as the Governor of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a die-hard Sixers fan… I hereby proclaim today to be LEBRON JAMES DAY.
Shortly after news broke that LeBron James planned on signing a two-year deal with the Sixers, the future Hall of Famer took to social media to explain his most recent decision. Here’s the full text:
“I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.
“The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point?
“I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.
“Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!”
LeBron James is signing with the Sixers, who immediately become one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Steph Curry changed the way basketball was played and the way boys and girls around the world wanted to play it, and among the fraternity of NBA players themselves, Kobe Bryant was more respected and feared, for his preparation and cutthroat competitiveness. But LeBron James has been greater longer than any other player in the sport (with the possible exception of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, if you count his Lew Alcindor/UCLA years).
Set aside, if possible, the four NBA championships and the 10 Finals appearances and the league’s career scoring record and the three Olympic gold medals and the other records he has set. His choreographed announcement in 2010 that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat was the 21st century’s answer to the revelation that Kristin Shepard had pumped two bullets into J.R. Ewing’s belly. It changed everything about the power that elite players held over their respective teams because it showed elite players that they held power over their respective teams. Pro sports hasn’t been the same.
Finding an athlete comparable to James in popularity and influence is difficult enough, let alone one who arrived in Philadelphia during the middle stage or latter half of his career, after he had established his galactic superstardom. Wilt Chamberlain already had been a high school phenom here when the Warriors made him a territorial pick in the 1959 NBA draft. Julius Erving was the “Babe Ruth of basketball” — at least, that’s how Sixers general manager Pat Williams described him in trying to persuade owner Fitz Dixon to cough up the money to acquire Dr. J. But Erving had spent six years in the relative obscurity of the ABA; telling someone you had seen him play for the Virginia Squires or New York Nets, whether in person or on TV, was akin to claiming you had spotted a Sasquatch.
Allen Iverson was a pop-culture revolutionary with the Sixers for introducing hip-hop style and fashion into the mainstream; his on-court accomplishments, though, don’t stack up to James’. Bryce Harper was as well known as any player in Major League Baseball when he signed with the Phillies in 2019, but he didn’t and still doesn’t have anywhere near the global recognition and cachet that James does.
Right now, we’re still waiting for the NBA to release the Sixers’ full 2026-27 schedule, but on Monday some preseason games began to trickle out, including a pair against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 10 (away, 8 p.m.) and Oct. 16 (home, 7 p.m.). Both games will likely air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, but could be promoted to a national network.
And that’s assuming James even plays in the preseason.
At 41, James could opt to wait until the regular season opener to make his Sixers debut, although he has played in recent years, with the exception of last season when he also missed the first 14 regular-season games with sciatica.
Shooting guard: VJ Edgecombe, Anfernee Simons, Dalen Terry
Small forward: Jaylen Brown, Justin Edwards, Jabari Walker
Power forward: LeBron James, Dean Wade, Dominick Barlow
Center: Joel Embiid, Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti, Johni Broome
// Timestamp 07/24/26 11:32am
Mike Gansey first earned LeBron’s respect as a player
A photo of Mike Gansey (far right) and LeBron James (to the left of Gansey) that originially appeared in the Plain Dealer. Gansey and James both played high school in Ohio.Courtesy of Steve Gansey
By now you’ve probably seen the picture. It was taken in 2000, and was on the front page of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s sports section. Ten high school basketball players from Northeast Ohio stood side by side, in their respective jerseys.
The group had been voted by coaches and athletics directors as the best players in the region. There was Maverick Carter and Chester Mason (“Chet the Jet”) toward the left. Brian Swift was closer to the middle, alongside Mike Patrick.
But what caught everyone’s attention was to the far right: future Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, of Olmsted Falls High School, alongside future Hall of Famer LeBron James, of St. Vincent-St. Mary.
Gansey was a junior at the time; James was a freshman. Steve Gansey, Mike’s younger brother, posted the photo on X on July 1, with an eyeball emoji, promptly setting the Sixers fan base ablaze with speculation.
Before long, it received hundreds of retweets. Sixers fans sent Gansey direct messages asking if he had any information on whether James would consider coming to Philadelphia.
The truth is that James and Gansey never competed against each other on their high school teams. Olmsted Falls and St. Vincent-St. Mary were in different regions.
Olmsted Falls, which is on the west side of Cleveland, was grouped with schools in northwest Ohio, closer to Toledo. St. Vincent-St. Mary’s is south of Cleveland, and often played schools in the Akron-Canton area. It is possible they overlapped playing AAU ball, but if they did, Steve didn’t hear about it.
Despite their lack of competitive overlap, James and Mike Gansey shared a mutual respect. Over the years, Gansey frequently referred to the future Hall of Famer as the “greatest of all time.”
And James thought highly of the future executive, too. One time, when Gansey was playing in Europe, and James was in the midst of his first stint with the Cavaliers, the two brothers went to a game at Quicken Loans Arena (now Rocket Arena).
Gansey knew some of Cleveland’s players, from training with them during the summer, and went down to the tunnel to say hello.
“And we were probably 100 feet from where LeBron and his people were talking,” Steve recalled. “Someone said, ‘Ganz is over there.’ And LeBron totally walked the opposite way of where he was going, and went to dap up Mike, to say, ‘What’s up, hey man, how you doing?’ Just a quick hello.
“It just shows you the respect. And I was like, ‘Man, Mike, he really walked 100 feet over here, and just dapped you, and walked directly right back. That’s pretty cool.’ And Mike’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, he’s a great guy,’ and that was it. I’ll always remember that.”
The Bron-O-Meter now officially reads: “It’s on!”Sam Morris
From the asterisk next to Tyrese Maxey’s name on Rich Paul’s white board to LeBron James saying he wants to “trust the process” — and from Steve Gansey’s viral picture to Tyrese Haliburton asking James if this was his 76th season — there have been no shortage of Easter eggs pointing to King James ultimately signing with the Sixers.
Were some of them random coincidences? Sure. Were some chum in the water for Sixers fans starving for a title? You bet. We may never know which was which, but you can recap it all — and see how each moment impacted his chances of ending up in Philly — with our patented Bron-O-Meter.
LeBron James, 41, is entering his 24th NBA season.Katie Chin
The 76ers had already shocked the NBA by acquiring Jaylen Brown in a blockbuster trade on July 2. They just one-upped themselves.
LeBron James, a legendary player and one of the most famous humans on planet Earth, is coming to Philly. According to ESPN, he agreed to a two-year contract with the Sixers on Friday in one of the more improbable roster additions in franchise history.
The second monumental move in a month further illustrates that the Sixers are making the all-in push toward championship contention in the Eastern Conference, joining a Toronto Raptors team that has reacquired Kawhi Leonard and a Miami Heat team that traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo in recent days.
New Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has now assembled a starting five featuring arguably the best player of all time in James, a former NBA Most Valuable Player in Joel Embiid, a five-time All-Star in his prime in Brown, and ascending guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. And James was willing to take a veteran’s minimum contract to join this group.
Wilbert Rosado-Ruiz, 63, was also convicted of four counts of attempted murder — three for other coworkers he wounded in the May 2024 shooting, and one for another man he attempted to shoot before his gun jammed.
Rosado-Ruiz had no reaction as the verdict was handed down by Delaware County Court Judge Kevin Kelly, who presided over the bench trial. Kelly will sentence Rosado-Ruiz in October. A conviction for first-degree murder carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison.
Leovanny Peña Peña, 30, and Giguenson Peña Peña, 26, were killed by Rosado-Ruiz during the shooting at Delaware County Linen, an industrial laundry facility where he had worked for 10 years. The three other victims were seriously wounded, including Charles Doyle, who said that he suffered severe internal injuries that have left him with limited use of his arms.
During his trial before Kelly, Rosado-Ruiz testified that he acted in self-defense: A group of his coworkers, including the Peña Peña brothers, cornered him inside the facility and threatened to kill him and his family.
The brothers, he said, were holding knives as they slowly walked toward him.
Prosecutors disputed Rosado-Ruiz’s version of events. Evidence from the scene, including surveillance footage and witness accounts, showed Rosado-Ruiz was the aggressor, screaming that he was “tired” of his coworkers during an argument near the facility’s time clock.
He then pulled out his 9mm handgun and opened fire, according to Nilamarie Valdivieso, the first person Rosado-Ruiz shot that morning.
In her closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Sophia Polites said none of the victims were armed, and no weapons were recovered from the scene. She asserted that Rosado-Ruiz went room-to-room, searching for more victims as they fled from the initial gunfire, and at one point paused to reload his gun before continuing to fire.
Rosado-Ruiz intended to kill more people, according to the prosecutor, and would have done so had his gun not jammed. He fled the scene, and was arrested by a Trainer police officer not far from his home.
The Phillies have lost two straight series, but fans will have at least one thing to look forward to this weekend — John Kruk in a suit.
The former Phillies first baseman turned TV analyst will be back in the booth for NBC to cover the series finale against the New York Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball. That means Kruk will once again ditch his polo shirt and ball cap to meet NBC’s rigorous broadcast standards.
“We’re a coat-and-tie shop, so somebody does forcibly make him wear the suit,” said Jason Benetti, the voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball, who will be calling the game alongside Kruk and former Phillies manager Joe Girardi.
If the past is any indicator, expect social media to have fun with Kruk’s attire. This is the third Phillies game he’s called for NBC this season (though the first was a Peacock exclusive), and each time fans have cracked jokes.
One thought Kruk looked like “a clean-shaven Benjamin Franklin.” Others joked he “legit looks like a Mafia hit man” or like a “washed-up hockey coach who tries to make a comeback after years of heavy drinking.”
John Kruk in a suit looks like someone who’s been advised by a judge to not represent themself in court. pic.twitter.com/hkNmcBqPSh
“Some local place should give him a suit deal, and they should let him gift it to charity,” Benetti said.
Even Tom McCarthy’s gotten in on the fun. Following June’s NBC game, McCarthy suggested they send Kruk’s suit to Cooperstown, N.Y., to be part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Earlier this week, Kruk mentioned he might need to borrow a tie for Sunday, so McCarthy brought in a bunch of his own for his broadcast partner to pick from.
“I believe he is going with one of the ones I brought him,” McCarthy said. “The whole exchange has been great.”
Kruk didn’t have a specific color in mind — he just wanted “something that pops” that went well with his dark blue suit.
“I mean, I look good in everything,” Kruk said on the broadcast Sunday during the Phillies’ loss to the New York Mets, though he questioned why he needs to wear a suit in the first place.
This is NBC’s first season broadcasting Sunday Night Baseball, which it took over from ESPN as part of a three-year TV deal with MLB that reportedly runs about $200 million a season. While Benetti is the play-by-play voice, he is joined each week by two different analysts linked to the teams playing.
Benetti has called two games with Kruk this season, describing him as “the perfect improv partner.” But the depth of Kruk’s baseball knowledge took Benetti a bit by surprise.
“I went in with this notion he’ll say anything, and it’ll be interesting, intriguing, weird — the whole range of creativity,” Benetti said. “But he’s an absolutely astute, perceptive, issue-spotting baseball analyst.”
Phillies back on Apple TV to kick off Yankees series
While Apple TV will stream the game, fans can choose to listen to Scott Franzke and the Phillies’ radio broadcast. NBC Sports Philadelphia
Before we get to see Kruk back in his suit, fans will have to log onto Apple TV to watch the Phillies-Yankees series opener on Friday Night Baseball.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Friday, with Jesús Luzardo on the mound facing Yankees ace Cam Schlittler. Calling the game is Wayne Randazzo alongside onetime Phillies pitcher Dontrelle Willis. Heidi Watney will report live from Citizens Bank Park.
Despite the annoyances that come with being forced to stream a Phillies game, Apple TV has the best feature of any sports streamer — the ability to switch to an audio feed of your team’s radio announcing crew. So Phillies fans can listen to Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen, no syncing required.
It’s the fifth season of Apple TV’s seven-year, $595 million deal with MLB, which runs through the 2028 season. Over that time, the cost has nearly doubled from $6.99 to $12.99 a month, though Apple TV is offering a free one-month trial and this is the last Phillies game scheduled to stream on the tech giant’s platform.
Saturday’s game will be back on NBC Sports Philadelphia, with McCarthy calling the action alongside former Phillies general manager Rubén Amaro Jr.
Citizens Bank Park gets high marks from Benetti
NBC play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti, seen here interviewing Phillies slugger Bryce Harper.NBC Sports
In addition to being the voice of Sunday Night Baseball, Benetti calls Detroit Tigers games for Detroit SportsNet. Prior to that, he spent eight seasons as the TV voice of the Chicago White Sox.
There isn’t a stadium in the majors Benetti hasn’t called a game from. And Citizens Bank Park, where he’ll be Sunday night, is near the top of his list of the best ballparks.
“It’s top three in the league,” Benetti said. “It’s absolutely wired. When it’s close and late, you can’t hear yourself … The ballpark itself plays loud.”
“It was an 11 out of 10,” Benetti said. “It was nonsense how good it was.”
Phillies standings
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Phillies news
Phillies owner John Middleton. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
It has the potential of being a dream story, really.
It’s also one the Union have played out before. Stop if you’ve heard this: An area native and former professional climbs the ranks to become the franchise’s manager.
Part 1 of that tale was former manager Jim Curtin. Part 2 is interim head coach Ryan Richter, the Southampton native, 2010 Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year at La Salle, and Union draft pick who played seven professional seasons across MLS and other leagues.
On Wednesday, Richter, 37, stood in the coach’s box on the sidelines at Subaru Park and orchestrated a 3-1 win against rival Red Bull New York.
Congratulations to La Salle grad Ryan Richter, ‘11, as he has been named @PhilaUnion interim head coach!
In this role, Ryan manages team logistics, leads specific training drills, and analyzes player performances.
It was the Union’s first league win at home this season, and, despite their starting centerback holding out, which forced a shift along the team’s back line, the Union (2-10-4, 10 points) looked impressive.
But Richter knows one win doesn’t make him soccer’s Winston Wolf. He’s not quite the fixer yet, but he coaches in a forgiving league. Despite the Union wallowing in the basement of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference, there’s still time to chase a playoff run. And that would make it hard for Union brass not to consider revisiting history when it comes to their next full-time manager.
But that’s not on Richter’s mind right now. Well, maybe a little.
“I’ve been a part of this club since 2011 and in pretty much every role, from a coaching standpoint, that you can be involved in,” said Richter, who in addition to coaching the club’s reserve squad, Union II, has coached on just about every level of the club’s youth system, including SWAG, its developmental program dedicated to introducing an underserved population to high-level soccer training.
“I think over that period, I’ve made a lot of good relationships with people, staff in the academy, staff in the second team, ownership, everyone that’s involved in the club … this opportunity for me, personally, is a reflection of all the people that have helped me in this club, all the people that have helped me get to this point.”
For now, all Richter can do is continue to replicate the success from Wednesday and wait. There’s a prevailing belief that the Union not bringing him on immediately is less that they want to conduct a global search for their next manager, than that they don’t want to be on the hook for paying three. They’re still paying Curtin’s buyout and remain on the books with Bradley Carnell, who lasted a season and a half before being dismissed in May, but has a contract with the club through the end of the year.
Richter took over in an interim role following the departure of Bradley Carnell (above) in May.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
However, according to a source with knowledge of the proceedings, the Union made few moves to bring in candidates over the seven-week break for the World Cup.
Many within the organization believe Richter already has the respect of the locker room, the tactics to make adjustments within the Union’s playing philosophy, and a “ton of energy,” as Union president Tim McDermott said recently when asked about the team’s coaching situation.
But McDermott’s words felt less like a deflection and more like admitting that right now the club’s on-field leadership is in wait-and-see mode, and part of that is waiting to see whether Richter can turn around the team’s fortunes.
“He interacts and communicates and relates incredibly well to our players,” McDermott told The Inquirer. “He is a guy that’s not too far removed from playing himself, and that brings a lot of credibility. He carries himself in a way that’s highly respected, and he’s good at simplifying messages to the players so they get it. They understand what he’s trying to do.”
Drafted by the Union in 2011, Ryan Richter also had a stint with Toronto FC in 2013.
Listen to Richter speak about the game, and it becomes clear that the guy knows ball.
“The philosophy is not going to change,” Richter said. “As someone who’s worked in this club for eight years … three of those years, the Union has had the most points in the league. So what I’ve learned and what I’ve seen produce a winning product is playing this style [and] using this methodology.
“I know it can lead to success when it’s done in the right way. Your job as a coach is to put your players in a position where you only see their strengths. So whether that’s a [4-4-2] diamond [formation], whether that’s a 4-2-2-2, we’re going to try to put the players in a position where we can see their strengths in the game.”
Playing to strengths is a novel idea, considering that Richter had to adapt to a new role when he played for the Union. A striker with a nose for goal, Richter often was used as a more defensive player and even played outside back at times. It may not always have felt comfortable, but he was effective and filled a need that got him playing time.
Union interim head coach Ryan Richter relays instructions from the sidelines during the first half of Wednesday’s game against Red Bull New York.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
What did look comfortable? His transition to the sidelines, particularly Wednesday. He stood toe-to-toe with former U.S. soccer stalwart Michael Bradley, Richter’s former teammate in Toronto and now the manager of Red Bull and son of U.S. coaching legend Bob Bradley, and outperformed him.
There are a lot of games left, and the Union likely will take their lumps as they look to write history as one of the few teams that bounces back from the bottom of the standings to squeak into the playoffs.
They’ll need more goals, more opportunities. Communication. And, of course, stacking wins. And there are intangibles, too: timing, luck, leadership.
On Wednesday, Richter made a team down on its luck believe it can bounce back. Time will tell if all those stops along the way have made that last one, leadership, his most significant contribution in their run toward the top of the table.
Union midfielder Jovan Lukic (second from left) celebrates with teammate Cavan Sullivan (left) and others in Wednesday’s home win against Red Bull New York. Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
“The opportunity to take on Union II was something I was really grateful for because it’s so important to learn how to lead a staff,” Richter said. “It’s different when you’re speaking to the players as an assistant coach than when you’re the one making the final decision of who plays on the weekend. Learning that communication piece and learning how to lead people forces you to be honest with yourself every day.
“But, really, it comes down to how you communicate to your players and realizing that everyone’s different. Getting them to do what’s required to be successful is great, and when it all comes together, that’s when you realize that the goals you have for yourself, for them, and for the club are attainable. So, yeah, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m excited to see how far we can take this.”
