That could be the response to every single thing you post. Also, I honestly have no idea what the blue hell what you're saying there. A 4pm start is actually 1pm on the East Coast ? No. That fail is so hard you don't get a snazzy picture with it.
Except when this mythical network that wants a doubleheader every weekend decides that: a Red Bulls (or any team that plays in the cold really) match up is one of the more attractive matches and wants it at 4 PM for better ratings; or decides that if they play a west coast team that the game might be better suited to a later start. Damn the fans! Full speed ahead towards ratings! Also, despite all starts on the west coast being at 4 PM eastern for obvious reasons, the 4 PM slot is also the game of the week for whichever of the two networks has the doubleheader that week. For pretty much all 17 weeks of the NFL season, at least one game at 4 is chosen because of ratings interest and not time zone issues. I believe that FOX's highest rated program of the week is often its 4 PM game--for which it chooses an attractive game as much as possible.
I'm sorry to bump this old thread but I just got on BigSoccer for the first time in weeks and couldn't leave this one alone. NFL fans are, like, 70% of America, and probably 85-90% of American sports fans. So if there's no overlap at all than MLS has a serious, probably terminal problem.
When I first read this, I thought a two month break would be too long, but I think it's doable as an Apertura/Clausura system.
More like minor league baseball's split season schedule than any Apertura/Clausura setup. You still have half of your big games(the Fall split), and your championship game(Soccer Bowl), being played in September, October, and November. In likely poor weather against the NFL, college football, and important baseball games. One of Wynalda's biggest complaints about MLS. Not that anyone took him seriously. Basically the NASL now aligns with the MLS schedule(March to November) with a one month break in July and a split season with the two season winners playing each other for the championship. We just have to wait for Wynalda's NASL rant on how they are ruining American minor league soccer by playing Spring to Fall. Something tells me it won't be coming given he drew a paycheck from one of its clubs and technically is still employed there.
Great points. On top of that we need to go back to a balanced schedule and a single table. There is no need to have a east and west conference with a balanced schedule. On top of that: I still preach that the Supporters Shield winner should be named Champion. Then the MLS Cup will be a post season cup that you can win but its still not considered to be as big of a deal as the Champion with most points, this would make games more exciting and important all season long.
They have a point, MLS really screws them a lot. The single entity system has to change some day, the clubs should have all rights to do with their players what they want. The system is good for MLS now for stability but in the next 10 years I don't think they will need it
Or, y'know, it would make fewer games meaningful all year long. That math is pretty obviously against you. But continue to spread your falsehoods and misunderstandings on threads that have nothing to do with it.
Or we could, you know, not. By my rough calculations, if the only thing to play for is the Shield, TWO teams are playing meaningful games. By those same rough calculations, even if one considers merely making the top five a meaningful thing to play for, six teams are still playing games that have worth. And again, that doesn't even consider the advantage of finishing third over fourth. So tell me again how single table, first past the post is better than what we have now?
No, I want to demonstrate how many more games are relevant under a playoff system. Under an "English"-style system where MLS awards its Championship to the most points-getters, the following games this weekend matter. SKC-NYRB, SJ-LA. Now, let's see how many games matter when under the current system, even if we presume that finishing 2nd is exactly the same thing as finishing 3rd. SEA-DAL, SKC-NYRB, SJ-LA, DCU-CLB, CHI-NE. PHI-HOU. POR/VAN. 12 teams have a shot, 7 games matter this week. The only game that doesn't matter is TFC/MON and CHV/COL. If SJ even gets a draw vs NY, that's the ball game. SKC would need two wins, for SJ to lost to Portland next week, and to score 30 goals (plus however many goals SJ scores against NY and POR). It'd be over. What about the playoffs? Well, SJ has locked up the #1 seed in the West, so their games don't matter. But this week's does, because LA is fighting for seeding. SKC and Chicago are fighting for the top berth. Those 4 games all matter. RSL is locked a a 2 or 3 seed, so those games don't matter. DCU is only 1 point about 4th, so their games matter. New York, right behind them, also have two games that matter. Seattle is only up three on LA to stave off a 4th place finish, and Houston is only 1 on Columbus for 5th. Vancouver only needs a draw against Portland or RSL to advance. FC Dallas is hoping that doesn't happen, and their superior goals scored gets them into the tournament. Straight Championship - 1 or two games matters. Playoffs - 15 games still matter.
Maybe I'm feeding the trolls here, but.... What is so jackass about explaining why you're theory seems less than wholesome? The educated response to a post pointing out why playoffs produce more meaningful games is to offer evidence that refutes that point. I'm not sure how one can spin that, but you are free to try. Dropping insults just proves that you have lost and just refuse to admit it.
I was hoping to see the old, tired and worn out "make them play for CL like Europe!" Argument. That'd have at least been trying (albeit not thinking very hard). Oh well.
You mean the part about having playoffs that aren't playoffs at all because they involve a bunch of different leagues? Because outside of baseball, college everything, and football in the 1960s, that could never happen in the States. Yeah I miss that argument too.
Well, more specifically that, outside of the Supporters Shield (the true championship!!!!1111oneoneone), teams could play for C'CAF CL spots, like Europe, and still be exciting!