David Shams

Between "fibermaxxing," dodging unpredictable spring weather, and approving final book layouts, it's been a busy month.

The latest dispatch is live, featuring a free download of two short stories from Beijing for my subscribers.

Drop in and grab yours:

Fibermaxxing, Geopolitics, and Beijing Postcards Embracing the mundane, avoiding Metamucil, and a free creative bundle from the Beijing archives.

Red smoke drifting over the pitch in North Dublin, and a golden-hour pitch invasion in the midlands.

Two distinct communities, one shared passion.

The new photo essay is officially live on the newsletter today.

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Footy in Phibsborough and Hurling through the Lens of an Outsider Capturing the pyrotechnics of Dalymount Park and the community magic of a midlands matchday.

I went to Dublin and found the perfect antidote to the sterile, modern MLS-style marketing I had to endure in the US.

If you’ve ever worried that modern football is losing its soul to corporate sponsorship, this one is for you.

Check out the new dispatch from Around the World in Matches!

The Beating Heart of Phibsborough: How Bohemian FC Refuses to Sell Out Inside Bohemian FC: How Dublin’s fan-owned club balances progressive politics, historic terraces, and the fight against sterile, corporate-washed soccer.

“A game with too much corporatist bu****it is an empty shell of itself, soulless in the best of light and nearing putrefaction in the worst.”

My latest piece for Around the World in Matches takes us to Dalymount Park for a Bohemians match, exploring why this fan-owned club has captured a cult following.

If you love historic grounds, political murals, and raw football culture, join me on the terraces:

The Beating Heart of Phibsborough: How Bohemian FC Refuses to Sell Out Inside Bohemian FC: How Dublin’s fan-owned club balances progressive politics, historic terraces, and the fight against sterile, corporate-washed soccer.