The Blazing Musket Partners With Backheeled

Our highest-tier of supporters will gain access to the best site for national-level independent coverage of American soccer

Hello friends! As we enter our third season of The Blazing Musket/Post-SB Nation era, we have been able to do some things we have never imagined. While we remain your home for all things New England Revolution, we have increased our soccer coverage throughout New England. Whether trekking up to Vermont to cover USL League Two soccer or heading south to cover Hartford Athletic and Rhode Island FC, we have become a one-stop shop for New England soccer fans.

It’s an exciting time in the region. Portland Hearts of Pine begins play this year, and BOS Nation FC will enter the fold. Oh yeah, there’s also a World Cup in 2026 that includes games at Gillette Stadium.

As we prepare for our third season, we’re constantly reflecting on how we can improve and provide more value to our lovely paid subscribers. We currently offer three paid options: our $5-a-month plan, $60-a-year plan, and yearly $125 (or more) TBM Supporter plan.

Our TBM Supporter plan was created to give the opportunity for fans to support us above and beyond the general plans we offer. Now we have a bonus offering for our most loyal supporters.

With that in mind, we are happy to announce that we have partnered with Backheeled, the best site for national-level independent coverage of American soccer. Those who are TBM Supporters will get their excellent coverage for free.

We created this tier for those who want to go above and beyond in terms of supporting us. We are glad that we are able to offer a little bonus to those who have been so generous

Backheeled’s founder and editor, Joe Lowery, along with his great group of writers, have filled a desperate need for in-depth soccer analysis that declined when SB Nation decided to defund its MLS coverage.

While I could go on for days about Backheeled’s coverage, who better than Joe to tell you about it?

Hello readers of The Blazing Musket! First, I want it to be known that you’re reading the best-named soccer outlet in the country. It just doesn’t get any cooler than The Blazing Musket. There’s no room to go up from there. Second, I wanted to introduce myself: my name is Joe Lowery. I’m the founder of Backheeled.com, an independent website covering American soccer.

At Backheeled, we’re passionate about growing the love and knowledge of soccer in the United States. That’s why we’re so excited to partner with The Blazing Musket, who have done an absolutely phenomenal job covering the sport in New England, to provide free annual Backheeled subscriptions as a perk for folks at the TBM Supporter level. That’s right: free.

Since Backheeled launched in 2022, we’ve continued to do work that I’m truly proud of.

We don’t just recap what happens on the field across the American soccer landscape — we tell you how and why it happened, like when the LA Galaxy triumphed in MLS Cup without their biggest star.

We don’t just tell you stories — we tell you stories that change how you think about the game and its most compelling characters, like this fullback whose time spent delivering UberEats on the back of a motorcycle helped shape him into a trophy-winning professional.

We don’t just give you news — we give you a combination of news and informed perspective you won’t find anywhere else, like with the Philadelphia Union’s decision to hire Bradley Carnell as Jim Curtin’s replacement, a choice that might put more pressure on sporting director Ernst Tanner than Carnell himself.

We’re the only place on the web where you can read independent coverage of every team in MLS every week during the season. And we don’t stop there. We have top-tier experts covering domestic leagues and U.S. Soccer alike.

So come on over (for free!), check out what’s happening outside New England, and stay awhile. We’d love to have you.

That's right, folks. In addition to getting all the New England soccer coverage you desire, you can get all the national-level news from Backheeled, if you become a TBM Supporter ($125 or more per year).

Beyond adding value to your subscription, we also want to support other independent media. Check out our partner’s page to find other sites we support, such as Ruben Tisch’s Chicago Fire coverage over at The Lantern or Big D Soccer, which covers FC Dallas.

Now for some housekeeping. As stated above, this perk will be for those at the TBM Supporter tier. These individuals pay more than the standard $60 yearly (current price $125). If you already are supporting us via this tier, click on this link to create your free Backheeled account if you do not already have one. If you do already have one then you can fill out this form to indicate your interest in redeeming your free annual subscription to Backheeled.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out via Substack dm or by emailing us (thebentmusketig@gmail.com).

Thanks again for supporting independent media!