9/9/05: Two

[GPK]

Workers' metal on display at Fire home-Chicago Tribune (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/fire/chi-0509080208sep08,1,151774.story?coll=cs-fire-headlines)

FC Dallas' Johnson, Vanney show hustle-Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/soccer/stories/090905dnspofcdbriefs.73d8079.html)

Already In, U.S. Goes With a Different Look(AP) (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090800040.html)

Meola makes a stop at Kansas City home-Kansas City Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/soccer/mls/kansas_city_wizards/12596346.htm)

RSL Notes: Countess to return to goal-Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/realsaltlake/ci_3013752)

Just 2 left standing as soccer sites-Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/realsaltlake/ci_3010130)

Reliant set to host Mexico-Bulgaria-Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/soc/3346097)

USA's Reyna making impact overseas-USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2005-09-09-reyna-europe_x.htm)

Soccer leaders face deadline-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (http://www.jsonline.com/sports/socc/sep05/354361.asp)

Thunder will not host Cup final-Star Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/stories/503/5602424.html)

Downsview pulls ahead as site for new soccer stadium-Globe and Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050908/STADIUM08/TPNational/Toronto)

[garbaggio]

Thought these were the most important excerpts in the expansion article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article:

MLS currently has 12 teams, including first-year franchises in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles (Chivas USA). Garber said the next round of expansion should come in 2007, when Toronto is expected to join the league, and 2008, with one additional team.

In addition to Milwaukee, other candidates for the 2008 slot are Cleveland, Houston, Philadelphia and Rochester, N.Y., Garber said. The league is also seeking to move its Kansas City franchise to a city with a soccer-specific stadium, although Garber indicated that should happen before expansion occurs.

So MLS is looking at adding just one team in 2007? (with another team the next season)


Garber also said he would welcome a Midwestern trio of Milwaukee, Columbus and Chicago as natural rivals while building toward an 18-team league.


Further evidence of the planned future size of the league. I wonder if it's part of any MLS strategic plan (or something to that effect) or just Garber thinking out loud. Would the league turn down investor applicants after they reach 18 teams?

[dhunter]

Actually, Garber and the league were asked by FIFA to work towards 18 teams and then stop expansion. i am not sure of all the reasons behind it, but i do know it was a request from FIFA, supposedly for the good of the league and its future.

One team in 2007 and one in 2008 doesnt make much sense to me though.

[MasterShake29]

Actually, Garber and the league were asked by FIFA to work towards 18 teams and then stop expansion. i am not sure of all the reasons behind it, but i do know it was a request from FIFA, supposedly for the good of the league and its future.

One team in 2007 and one in 2008 doesnt make much sense to me though.

Why not, we have an even number of teams and we have bye weeks as it is.

[Detective40oz]

Why not, we have an even number of teams and we have bye weeks as it is.

exactly, and it could also signal a move to a single table which would make all eurosnobs and bigsoccer single table enthusiasts jump for joy.

[Etienne_72772]

exactly, and it could also signal a move to a single table which would make all eurosnobs and bigsoccer single table enthusiasts jump for joy.

Doubtful. Conferences are in place to build regional rivalries and to help with travel costs. The preceding paragraphs of the article (where Garber discusses the midwestern rivalry of Milwaukee, Chicago and Columbus) is an indication that Garber feels regional rivalries are important.

[bright]

Doubtful. Conferences are in place to build regional rivalries and to help with travel costs. The preceding paragraphs of the article (where Garber discusses the midwestern rivalry of Milwaukee, Chicago and Columbus) is an indication that Garber feels regional rivalries are important.

The following is a nitpick on the idea that Garber's reference to regional rivalries means he wants conferences. I think he was stating that the regional closeness of the cities encourages rivalries. That would be the case whether the league schedule was a balanced single-table or an unbalanced conference system.

However, I believe I have heard Garber mention explicitly in other articles that MLS will be sticking with a conference system.

- Paul

[bright]

If the league really is going to stop at 18 teams, then I sincerely hope that none of Vancouver, Seattle, or Portland enter the league. It really pains me to say that because I'd love to see the highest level of soccer here, but I do not want to see our triumvarate broken up. I just don't see any room for all three of us in an 18-team league, especially considering that Toronto, Houston, and Milwaukee are all likely to get in, leaving only three remaining slots.

I'd like to hear something solid about MLS capping the league at 18. If that is the case, then the USL can relax a bit and focus on growing its league with the cities it has.

- Paul

[Freddy Garcia Lives]

FIFA has given a guideline for all leagues to be at 18 teams, with a 36 game schedule. In part to reduce fatigue players and keep seasons shorter. I believe Argentina was looking at reducing the size of its league to meet that goal (just what I thought I heard on FSC).

[GPK]

If you attempt to do the news thread, it must be done in the MLS News & Analysis board. You cannot start new threads in the Soccer Journal section -I apologize that this has happened to a few of you who have tried to pitch in

Again - I'll be off all weekend - so if anyone can step up and help out that would be great.

Thanks

[chayes]

Thought these were the most important excerpts in the expansion article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article:







Further evidence of the planned future size of the league. I wonder if it's part of any MLS strategic plan (or something to that effect) or just Garber thinking out loud. Would the league turn down investor applicants after they reach 18 teams?

Existing owners would like to cap the number of franchises too.

Franchise value doesn't increase very much when you can just go buy a new one for $10 mil. Gotta limit supply to drive up the price.

[deejay]

So MLS is looking at adding just one team in 2007? (with another team the next season)


I think that it will be two teams in 2007 (14 total) and then one team in 2008 to make it 15 (and possibly a 3 conference league)

[Mimir19]

Hmm.. the thing i took from those quotes is that KC is moving in 2006 to Rochester.. (KC is moving to a SSS before any expansion)..

[Mimir19]

The stadium, which features innovations such as heated field turf, will be the fourth such facility to be built for Major League Soccer teams in the last six years, officials said.

Heated field turf eh? Guess Rochester led the way on that one :rolleyes:

[Saltenya94]

Thought these were the most important excerpts in the expansion article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article:

So MLS is looking at adding just one team in 2007? (with another team the next season) /QUOTE]
Yeah, that would make uneven teams for 2007. That really wouldn't make much sense.
[QUOTE=garbaggio]Further evidence of the planned future size of the league. I wonder if it's part of any MLS strategic plan (or something to that effect) or just Garber thinking out loud. Would the league turn down investor applicants after they reach 18 teams?Didn't Lamar Hunt say a 30-leauge team wouldn't be too much of a surprise? Of course, the ensuing 25 page bigsoccer thread had FIFA, as the main reason MLS couldn't do a MLB, NFL. My worry would be having enough soccer tallent to go around. No one's going to suppport a weak product. Yet in 20 yrs. I think it'll be there. What I'd propose is a 33 team MLS leauge. THE CATCH:

16 home games (*)
16 away games (*)
(*)Every season, you would play against each team in the leauge (just once !); either at your own SSS, or as the away team. During the following season, you would switch stadiums, so for example if in 2009, Chivas USA visits the Crew at Colombus, for 2010; the Crew would make the trip to the Home Depot Center. After 2 years, the worst team (finishing #33)automaticcaly gets relegated. Than team #32-30, play a playoff battle between the 3 best teams in the USL.


Right now MLS teams play (32 total games)
16 home
16 away
(and too many games seem meanigless, I mean can one really get that excited about the 2nd time the Wizards come visit you in a span of 3 weeks?)

[WHOLMAN2]

FIFA has given a guideline for all leagues to be at 18 teams, with a 36 game schedule. In part to reduce fatigue players and keep seasons shorter. I believe Argentina was looking at reducing the size of its league to meet that goal (just what I thought I heard on FSC).

36 games from 18 teams? :confused:


The mandate was not originally intended for non-UEFA leagues. FIFA made the 18 team limit mandate directly at UEFA leagues due the fixture congestion caused by teams playing in as many as four competitions simultaneously. It wasn't that long ago that Manchester United created a furor when they declined to compete in the FA Cup because of fixture congestion.

When FIFA mandated 18 teams, notice how compliant the EPL was: their league has 20 teams and has no plans to reduce to 18.

[WHOLMAN2]

Workers' metal on display at Fire home-Chicago Tribune (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/fire/chi-0509080208sep08,1,151774.story?coll=cs-fire-headlines)

Anybody got a password for this site?
Bugmenot's five passwords don't work.

[Freddy Garcia Lives]

36 games from 18 teams? :confused:


Just my fuzzy math.