Hello everybody. What better day than New Year’s Day to tell you all about the changes to Soccer By Ives and changes for yours truly. If you are reading this then you have found your way to the new version of Soccer By Ives. The changes go well beyond the design and web address of the site you’ve come to know as SBI.

I am leaving the Herald News after 10 years at the paper in order to devote myself to launching and running a soccer news website that readers from all over the country, and American soccer fans all over the world, can come to for the best mix of news and analysis around. My plan is to make SBI a one-stop shop for all your soccer news needs. Curious about European transfers? Wondering who the next coaching hire will be? Dying to know about a rumored trade? Interested in hearing other people’s opinions on the big news of the day? You will find all of these elements on SBI.

The new SBI will also broaden its focus to provide more news from around the country. My New Jersey roots will always assure that there will be a strong New York/New Jersey component to the site, but you can rest assured that there will be more news and insight on all the teams in Major League Soccer. Breaking news in other markets was already an element of SBI, but now I will make a concerted effort to cater to fans throughout the nation.

This new venture may sound like a risky one to some, but the growth of the original SBI, and the support of its readers, gave me the confidence and desire to give this a chance. There is a strong and growing army of soccer fans in this country who are hungry for information and analysis about the sport they love, but who struggle to find that in the mainstream American media. My goal is to have SBI help fill that void.

The site will officially go live on January 2 so make sure to bookmark the new web address and check back in soon for the latest from the world of soccer.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on the new site, and anything else, below in the comments section.