Merritt Paulson, owner of the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns and one of North American soccer's most outspoken social-media presences, has announced his departure from Twitter.

Paulson joined Twitter in 2011 and used the medium to provide visibility and accountability to fans, something he said he values and will give in "other outlets" than just social media. He says he made his decision early in 2018 that this MLS season would be his last on the platform.

In his statement, Paulson left the door open for a return in the future, saying it's "possible" he re-evaluates in a few years.