The MLS already plays in Nov and March, so we are talking about 3 months Dec, Jan, Feb for cold weather. I don't know why they can't do a modified FIFA schedule with a winter break. It would keep the games out of the hottest parts of the summer, which would be better for player health. Extreme Heat is pretty dangerous on the body and you can't do anything about it. Putting the MLS Cup in direct competition with College Football's Conference Championship weekend just seems like a very bad idea from a TV rating stand point.
Being that Orlando and Miami and most likely Atlanta are coming aboard there is the idea of just playing 2-3 games in the South and West coast in December, WINTER BREAK, and 2 games in the last 2 weeks of February in the South and West coast and like you mentioned continue to play around the league as we have been for years now from March to November with a SUMMER BREAK in mid June to mid July to have trasfer windows and obviously avoid playr loss the FIFA regional and world tournaments. Basically follow the Argentine football calendar cuz teir Summer break is long and is actually mirror of our long North American long Winters. And going up against gridiron is just never wise. Perhaps many soccer folks don't follow gridiron but guess what, most American sports junkies due so MLS has to get that memo and act accordingly.
I know we say MLS plays in November but it is only the playoffs - folks aren't turning out for a regular season game against TFC like they would for a playoff game. I think MLS should start in March and end by October 20. I don't sense that going longer or deeper into the fall helps the against other sports.
I think that MLS needs to find a way to get off the summer schedule. It really affects the quality of play in Houston, and other cities. Cold weather is soccer weather. Heat, and humidity suck the speed right out of a match.
as garber said at half time when asked about a winter schedule, the MLS would have to take a 10 week break to facilitate it. frankly that just isnt possible. a winter schedule is unattainable until we get more southern teams that could absorb games during the winter and close that 10 week window to something like four or five.
I'm curious of why people are stating fans would not show up in the cold to watch an MLS match. Green Bay, Chicago, Philly, Baltimore were all well attended Football games this weekend and the weather was poor to say the least. It was -4 with the wind chill at the Chicago game. So people will show up for 4hrs to watch American Football but not 2.5hrs for a MLS Match?!? So are MLS Fans just really fair-weather fans? The MLS is going to continue to work around FIFA unless they do a better job lining up their schedule. Are there any other leagues in the world that are playing games DURING any of the World Cup rounds?
Besides the NFL being the most popular sport in this country on an exponential scale, they only play 8 regular season home games, meaning every game has about double the impact of a single MLS regular season game. And season ticket sales are probably like 90% of the total tickets sold. And Philly, Baltimore, Green Bay and Chicago are generally successful teams with hard core fan bases. A snow game in Nashville or Cincy isn't drawing as well in terms of butts in seats.
hell we have trouble getting butts in seats during nice weather.....as long as the seat is sold the MLS is happy, right?
What do you mean by "work around FIFA"? The 2014 schedules aren't out but in 2010 these leagues had games during the World Cup: During the Group Stage: Ecuador Primera Peru Primera Spain Segunda Italy Serie B During the Knockout Stage: Ireland Premier MLS Ecuador Primera Peru Primera Russian Premier UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League
Hmmm. "well attended". This is the Detroit-Philly game, two teams in the playoff hunt. There are people there but a lot less than normal for this game.
Correct. The most dominant code of football in any nation will more than likely pull solid attendance even in less than ideal weather conditions. Which leads to this. In each of the nations above, association football is the run away most popular sport in the nation. I.e. folks can't get enough type of men and women. Thus playing during the World Cup is of no mind. For us in the U.S. and Canada with all our 5 major pro leagues and 3 NCAA minor leagues that are very popular and footy still finding it's foothold, playing U.S.-Can pro soccer at the same time the very best in pro soccer is on TV can actually dent attendances.