Urban Pitch Podcast - The Beautiful Game Of Life

From the reports of parking for World Cup matches in LA costing between $250 and $300 to the latest jersey releases, we get into the latest happenings in the soccer culture-verse on the latest episode of the Urban Pitch podcast! Timestamps (00:37) Buchanan's and the impact in the Hispanic community (05:47) Crazy prices for World Cup parking in LA (24:47) Super Bowl weekend and Bad Bunny's takeover (36:30) The adidas x Bape collaboration and other new jersey releases (45:04) Trinity Rodman as the future of marketable athletes Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's been a viral trend all over social media, so we hopped on it and took a look back at 2016 — where we were personally as well as where the world of soccer and culture were too. From our favorite moments in soccer to our favorite albums from the year, we throw it back to 10 years ago on the latest episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast! Timestamps (03:20) Looking back at the year of 2016: Who we were 10 years ago (17:35) 2016: The year in football (38:22) 2016: The year in music Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Born from their love for soccer and dual national experience, Ray An, Josh Lee, and Emmanuel Hahn created "Korea, Away," an upcoming docu-series that recently hit its fundraising goal on Kickstarter. Despite the name, "Korea, Away" tells the story of many dual nationals in the United States, and how they balance their identities with their soccer fandom. An and Lee join the latest episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss the project, the Korean-American soccer fan experience, and how Son Heung-min brought a new wave of soccer fever both in Los Angeles and beyond. Timestamps (00:01:40) Pouring up some somaeks (00:08:27) The Korea, Away project and Korean fan culture (00:23:00) The LAFC TSG supporters' group experience and American soccer culture as a whole (00:41:27) The origins of Korea, Away (00:48:20) The Son Heung-min effect in LA Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news o

"If you don't celebrate your wins, then no one else will." Longtime friend of the podcast Favian Renkel returns to drop some gems like the quote above, and he also shares the major moves he's been making. Renkel recently moved from the Bay Area to New York City, and is now with Kickbase USA in addition to freelancing for The Athletic. He shares some insight into what went into his success, and also some of the biggest MLS moves this offseason that caught his eye. Timestamps (00:53) Getting acclimated to NYC lifestyle (09:00) New roles at Kickbase and The Athletic and tips for young journalists (28:16) The MLS offseason: Big moves and storylines to follow Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S

Wine and Sprite? Don't knock it 'til you try it! Lionel Messi moved the wine and spirits market when he revealed his favorite drink: tinto de verano. Naturally, we had to see what the GOAT was onto for the latest Urban Pitch Podcast, and turns out, it's pretty dang good. We also discuss the recent USMNT kit leak, and give some bold predictions for the rest of the year. (00:49) Drinking Messi's favorite drink, tinto de verano (04:15) Brigitte's recap of her trip to Peru (14:45) Our thoughts on the USMNT kit leaks and how they compare to Mexico's released jersey (29:00) Our bold predictions for 2026 Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p

We're starting the new year off strong with Ashley Niveth, a soccer content creator who's quickly burst onto the scene. In addition to getting her soccer background, we discuss her upcoming Niveth Futbol Fest in Los Angeles, and what it was like working for Jordan Belfort. Then, we check in with Urban Pitch co-executive director of vibes Brigitte Flores, who took in the new year in Rio de Janeiro, to see how they really do things in Brazil. (02:39) Ashley's background in soccer and how she started creating soccer content (23:29) What we're looking forward to in 2026 outside of the World Cup (29:50) Checking in with Brigitte Flores in Brazil Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for i

Closing out 2025 with a bang, we and adidas threw The Kickback, a celebration of the beautiful game, at The Football Boutique. In addition to live music performances, art installations, and giveaways, we shot a special episode of The Urban Pitch Podcast, discussing the hype around the 2026 World Cup with two of our best friends -- Tony Magaña, founder of The Football Boutique, and content creator extraordinaire Eli Lesser. It was a fantastic night, and we can't wait to do it again! (01:19) Welcoming Tony Magaña to the stage (03:45) 2026 World Cup hype (06:55) What is the greatest World Cup song of all time? Featuring Eli Lesser (09:07) What Eli is gonna be up to in 2026 Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz comp

As we reach the end of 2025, it's time to look back at what was a jam-packed year in the world of soccer. From our favorite kit releases to the most memorable moments, today's episode is all about the best of the year. Timestamps (01:00) The Kickback at The Football Boutique (07:10) Doing pilates with Katie Johnson (12:10) Our favorite moments of 2025 (28:47) Our favorite kit releases (33:14) Assessing our favorite teams - what happened in 2025 and what's next (48:06) Our Spotify Wrapped/Apple Music Replay Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Aside from a few playoff teams still looking to qualify, the field for the 2026 World Cup is now clear after last Friday's highly anticipated draw in Washington, D.C. We get into everything that went down at the draw, from the cringe-worthy ceremony to the actual results themselves! The time for speculation, predictions, and anticipation is here as we inch closer to next summer's tournament. Timestamps (02:30) The World Cup Draw ceremony (18:17) Group analysis: USMNT, Mexico, and potential groups of death (39:57) Another Ronaldo-Messi matchup? Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We've been rocking with our guy Feefa since day one, and he returns to the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss what he's been up to -- from working on his new project at Dr. Dre's studio, to the politics in the West Coast music scene. In addition, we discuss AI's growing prevalence, and its place, if it has one at all, in music. Timestamps (01:16) The connection with El Salvadoran club FAS (03:32) Feefa's music journey and getting a spot in Dr. Dre's studio (23:40) The use of AI in music (34:00) The West Coast music scene (47:40) Our favorite music projects of the year Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As World Cup qualifying nears its end, the field of 48 teams at next summer's tournament is starting to come into focus. So far, we've seen some surprise qualifiers including the likes of Cape Verde and Curaçao, who will both be making their debuts, while other nations like Italy and Nigeria are either out of the running completely, or will have to win a playoff to get in. On the latest episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast, the crew gets into some of the best moments from World Cup qualifying, while also looking at the USMNT's dominant November window in which it defeated Paraguay and Uruguay handily. Timestamps (00:41) What the crew has been up to (12:20) World Cup qualifiers: Surprises, disappointments, and everything in between (27:20) The USMNT's hot streak Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and f

You know the World Cup is coming soon when we start to see kits release -- and adidas was first to the party with its release of 22 national team home jerseys. On the latest episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast, we discuss the best and worst from the bunch, as well as what we're looking forward to from upcoming releases. Timestamps (02:19) The adidas World Cup home kits -- what worked, what didn't? (26:57) Hot takes: jerseys and crest design (36:40) Wild card shoutouts: Korean fried chicken and getting named to Forty-One Magazine's 41 List! Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most athletes retire after their peak playing days, but they are still in the primes of their lives. Some transition into coaching, while others may find themselves on TV as analysts or commentators. But Spencer Richey has taken a different path after his 10-year MLS career. The former Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders, FC Cincinnati, and Chicago Fire goalkeeper has carved a new career for himself in the real estate industry, managing several properties including Missing Hotel, a boutique experiential resort in Marble Falls, Texas. He joins the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss his post-soccer pivot, what he misses from the game, and how he got into the world of real estate. But first -- Julio and Ramsey discuss the ongoing infiltration of gambling in the world of sports, and how its prevalence has led to several scandals both in and out of soccer. Timestamps (02:02) Has sports gambling gone too far? (21:47) Spencer Richey joins the Urban Pitch Podcast Check out Spencer's Missing Hotel property here. Cast Ho

We catch up with Toronto FC's Malik Henry, who's fresh off his rookie season in MLS, to discuss his atypical journey to the league, what he's working on in the offseason, and how he got into making beats. Timestamps (00:30) What he's been up to so far in the offseason (02:40) The highs and lows of his rookie pro season and his overall soccer journey (16:00) Getting acclimated to Toronto both on and off the pitch (20:28) The budding LA-Toronto rivalry (22:39) Athletes turning to music for a creative outlet and his journey making beats (40:00) Goals for the offseason and outlook for next year Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal

MLS expert and Urban Pitch contributor Favian Renkel joins the squad to talk all things MLS, including his pick for MVP, MLS Cup favorites, and biggest surprises of the year! (00:15) Balling with Justin Bieber (02:08) Christen Press' retirement (05:15) LAFC's hot streak heading into the MLS Cup Playoffs (12:20) Favian Renkel joins the show to discuss the MLS end-of-year superlatives Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As prices continue to rise on everything from kits to tickets, we discuss how it's becoming harder for fans to experience the game with EatPrayBall's Matt Marshall! (00:01:47) The new format of the Urban Pitch Podcast and Matt Marshall's soccer background (00:13:50) Today's main topic: Fans getting priced out of the game (00:37:50) The hot take round Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whether it's on the pitch with the North Carolina Courage, or off the pitch through her work with her foundation and the NWSL BWPC, Brianna Pinto is an extremely high achiever. We were able to sit down with the talented midfielder to discuss her family's athletic pedigree, how growing up in Durham, North Carolina shaped her as a player, and the upcoming Black high school player showcase she's helping put together alongside Black Star and the BWPC. Timestamps (02:30) Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min: The best duo in MLS? (09:10) Should Carlos Vela get a statue for LAFC? (13:53) Brianna Pinto joins the show! (22:00) Her college career at UNC and how growing up in North Carolina shaped her (30:28) The Black high school players showcase she's helping put together with Black Star and the BWPC Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer c

We're back! After our end-of-summer sabbatical, we had to do things big in our return -- so we headed to the Angel City FC training facility to do our first on-the-road podcast recording, with special guest Riley Tiernan. From getting a non-roster training camp invite to becoming one of the top goal scorers in the entire NWSL, Tiernan has burst onto the scene in her rookie season with Angel City FC. We discuss her stellar work ethic, how growing up in an athletic family helped shape her playing style, and what her experience with Angel City has been like so far in her young career. (01:11) Getting acclimated to Los Angeles after growing up on the East Coast (04:19) Growing up in an athletic family and having a sister that also played in the NWSL (08:00) Her experience with Angel City FC (22:20) How she developed her style of play (27:55) Who's on AUX duty in the Angel City FC Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews

The summer may be winding down, but the heat around the United States men's national team keeps going up. A longstanding feud between current and former stars was reignited when Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah addressed comments from former US players in the nine-part 'Pulisic' docu-series. We address the controversy (again) and see if the USMNT can get through the strife ahead of next summer's World Cup. (03:10) How summer 2025 has panned out (18:00) Christian Pulisic's USMNT drama Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Growing up in Southern California, Sky Rodriguez was more in touch with her Mexican side than her Puerto Rican side. But that all changed in college, when she got the opportunity to play with the Puerto Rican women's national team. Since then, she's been an ambassador to help grow the sport in the country, and continues to spread the love for the game across the island. She joins the latest episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss her journey with the national team, the various club teams she's played for, and the increased opportunities for professional women's soccer across North America. 01:36 Playing in the same rec league as Brigitte 08:36 Her experience with the Puerto Rican national team and soccer culture in the country 25:10 Her current training regimen and her search for a club team 31:42 Playing with Cruz Azul 43:33 Growing up in a soccer and sports family 49:03 The growing opportunities for women's soccer in North America Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores P