MLS playoffs.

[UK Subs]

Ok, ok I'll admit it. I havent been following the Revs for very long,:( (just this season really) so I would like to know, why have the playoff system? I take it that it is in the form of a knock-out? If so then that means that the winner of the league aren't necessarily the team that finished first. That seems wierd, and pointless to me. And one other thing, since we are in the playoffs, are they over two legs, or just a one off game??

Sorry to ask what to you may seem an obvious question :) but please excuse my ignorance.

[ngower]

It's just how American sports are, when the league was created it was the best option. It looks like next season we might be going to a single table with the top 8 making the playoffs. There are flaws in the system, but that's just how it goes.

As for the format, there are two conferences, the East and West. The top 4 teams from each play each other in a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 format.

Currently, it looks like this:

EAST

DC United (1) v Chicago Fire (4)
New England Revolution (2) v New York Red Bulls (3)

WEST

Chivas USA (1) v Kansas City Wizards (4)*
Houston Dynamo (2) v FC Dallas (3)

*Kansas City play in the East, but as 5 teams from the East qualified, one had to be moved to the West bracket for the playoffs. KC are the 5th team in the East, therefore they take up the 4th spot in the West.

Hope that helps, though there are plenty of others (including myself) that can help if you still need it.

[peridigm]

The MLS cup is not the winner of the league. We all know DC United has that trophy in hand again this year. If everyone starts thinking of the MLS cup as a totally separate, end of the season tourney seeded by top regular season clubs, then MLS will see that the Supporters Shield carries more weight in the eyes of the soccer fan. I believe if you ask any player and any manager of an MLS club what would they rather win, the MLS Cup or the Supporters Shield, the answer will be hands down, the Supports Shield.;)

[patfan1]

Ok, ok I'll admit it. I havent been following the Revs for very long,:( (just this season really) so I would like to know, why have the playoff system? I take it that it is in the form of a knock-out? If so then that means that the winner of the league aren't necessarily the team that finished first. That seems wierd, and pointless to me. And one other thing, since we are in the playoffs, are they over two legs, or just a one off game??

Sorry to ask what to you may seem an obvious question :) but please excuse my ignorance.
First, welcome.

Secondly, not everyone's happy with the playoff system, but it's very normal with US sports, so MLS went with it. We're not the only ones in the world that have playoffs BTW.

The first round is two legs, and while it's aggregate, away goals don't count like they do elsewhere. The semifinals are just one game, as is the final.

[edlova]

Ok, ok I'll admit it. I havent been following the Revs for very long,:( (just this season really) so I would like to know, why have the playoff system? I take it that it is in the form of a knock-out? If so then that means that the winner of the league aren't necessarily the team that finished first. That seems wierd, and pointless to me. And one other thing, since we are in the playoffs, are they over two legs, or just a one off game??

Sorry to ask what to you may seem an obvious question :) but please excuse my ignorance.
First round is 2 legs on aggregate but no away goals rule

Second round and the final are one off game, the higher seeded team in the second round is the home team...

[Chowda]

The MLS cup is not the winner of the league. We all know DC United has that trophy in hand again this year. If everyone starts thinking of the MLS cup as a totally separate, end of the season tourney seeded by top regular season clubs, then MLS will see that the Supporters Shield carries more weight in the eyes of the soccer fan. I believe if you ask any player and any manager of an MLS club what would they rather win, the MLS Cup or the Supporters Shield, the answer will be hands down, the Supports Shield.;)

You're killing me.:)

[UK Subs]

Thank you everbody for clearing that up, appreciate the help!!

Does anyone know if it will be possible to watch these games live in the U.K?

[edlova]

Thank you everbody for clearing that up, appreciate the help!!

Does anyone know if it will be possible to watch these games live in the U.K?
check Channel 5 as they show select games on late at night, but doubtful that it would be live


Also you could try the official MLS site www.mlsnet.com

[JMMUSA8]

The MLS cup is not the winner of the league. We all know DC United has that trophy in hand again this year. If everyone starts thinking of the MLS cup as a totally separate, end of the season tourney seeded by top regular season clubs, then MLS will see that the Supporters Shield carries more weight in the eyes of the soccer fan. I believe if you ask any player and any manager of an MLS club what would they rather win, the MLS Cup or the Supporters Shield, the answer will be hands down, the Supports Shield.;)

You sir are hilarious.

[RevsFanDan]

I know a lot of Revs fans are against me on this...but for me the SS is the champion of the league..no question.

I think we all know that most playoffs are to make money, period. I can't for the life of me figure out why you need to play an entire season just to have more than 50% of the teams shoot it out until one is left...Why does the NBA and Hockey play a little less than 100 games just to have a playoff? For the beauty of the game??? I think not and can see only the $$ as the reason.

I can almost see why the nfl does it...not every team plays against one another, therefore widdling down the tops in each conference makes sense. Even baseball at one time had only the champions of the American league play the champs of the national league..again, I can see the rationale..it was really a championship series.

However, to have 8 of 13 teams in MLS make "the playoffs"??? C'mon...

Over a entire season...the top team takes it, period. The Revs had a chance there..I mean we were the SS winners if the season ended sometime in July, right?!! And ultimately..I don't even mind that MLS cup exists..as a tourney for the entire season, but let's get to a good number of teams, say 18-20.

And if in the not too distant future MLS can justify and be healthy with say 30+ teams like the nfl, then sure...a good playoff system will make a Ton of sense..

[patfan1]

You sir are hilarious.
Nothing quite describes Arrogant as a DC United fan.*

*Used to be the Yankees. :D

[patfan1]

However, to have 8 of 13 teams in MLS make "the playoffs"??? C'mon...
As long as they leave that number at 8 as the league grows to 20 or whatever, I'm OK with it.
The Revs had a chance there..I mean we were the SS winners if the season ended sometime in July, right?!!
Well that's the one that counts after all!

BTW, I agree with you. SS > MLS Cup.

[Hed7181]

Thank you everbody for clearing that up, appreciate the help!!

Does anyone know if it will be possible to watch these games live in the U.K?

I think your best bet will be to check in with myp2p.eu

DC United v Chicago Fire will be on ESPN 2 on Thursday so it might be picked up by someone to stream it.

New England Revolution v Red Bull New York will be on FSC and FSE so there is a chance it might be streamed as well.

The other games are only available online at mlsnet.com, which you can always purchase for a small fee.

______


To add to the above explanations, another interesting factor in the MLS structure is that both the SS winner (single-table points) and MLS Cup winner (playoff) are given spots in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, which is our region's version of the Champions League. This further lends to the MLS Cup playoffs being looked at as more of a post-season tournament in itself that teams must qualify for based on regular season results.

[RevsFanDan]

Nothing quite describes Arrogant as a DC United fan.*

*Used to be the Yankees. :D

I wouldn't mind having all their Silver and Gold..and then everyone could call us Arrogant ..Massholes, errr NewEnglanholes!!! :D

[peridigm]

Not trying to be arrogant, just putting a little spin on the over analyzing of the playoff system in MLS. A lot of fans wonder why MLS isn't single table, the rest of the season is meaningless, etc... I attend about 6-8 DCU games per year. I am hoping DCU make it to the MLS Cup final as it will be exciting since I can attend. However, if they are knocked out in the "group stages" I will not attend the MLS Cup final at RFK. I am not interested in watching another MLS club in the final. I will watch it on TV.

To me, a DCU fan, the regular season is what matters. How much would it have sucked for DCU, Chivas, NE, etc. to play as well as they did all season and end up losing to LA in the final. I can't believe they knocked us out of Superliga. But anyway, put more weight on the Supporters Shield, think of MLS Cup as a separate Tournament like the US Open Cup and all yer problems are solved!

[Mick7184]

I like the playoffs. I'd rather see just 4 teams make it, but I understand why do many do with money and everything. As an American I'm conditioned to them and I dont want the regular season to be the deciding factor, I like playoffs and championship games. Without playoffs everything is so anti-climatic most of the time.

[edlova]

I like the playoffs. I'd rather see just 4 teams make it, but I understand why do many do with money and everything. As an American I'm conditioned to them and I dont want the regular season to be the deciding factor, I like playoffs and championship games. Without playoffs everything is so anti-climatic most of the time.
I agree that limiting it is great...I don't hate the playoffs since MLS does not have the English way of mid table teams making Europe to fight for, so lower teams can fight for that instead of relegation or Intertoto glory, but I hate bad teams showing up 5 times at the end of the year and winning it (LA in 2005 for example) because the good teams all year (SJ and us) were tired

[patfan1]

I agree that limiting it is great...I don't hate the playoffs since MLS does not have the English way of mid table teams making Europe to fight for, so lower teams can fight for that instead of relegation or Intertoto glory, but I hate bad teams showing up 5 times at the end of the year and winning it (LA in 2005 for example) because the good teams all year (SJ and us) were tired
I can't hate it ... because it was almost us once. That's part of the chance that happens with the playoffs.

[Chowda]

To me, a DCU fan, the regular season is what matters. How much would it have sucked for DCU, Chivas, NE, etc. to play as well as they did all season and end up losing to LA in the final. I can't believe they knocked us out of Superliga. But anyway, put more weight on the Supporters Shield, think of MLS Cup as a separate Tournament like the US Open Cup and all yer problems are solved!

It'd be nice if it were that way, but MLS wants that "showcase event" deciding the champion for the foreseeable future. DC fans are just being delusional in thinking it's as important.

Until then, MLS Cup >>>>>>>>> USOC, SL, CCC, and SS

[SeñorFutbol]

The MLS cup is not the winner of the league. We all know DC United has that trophy in hand again this year. If everyone starts thinking of the MLS cup as a totally separate, end of the season tourney seeded by top regular season clubs, then MLS will see that the Supporters Shield carries more weight in the eyes of the soccer fan. I believe if you ask any player and any manager of an MLS club what would they rather win, the MLS Cup or the Supporters Shield, the answer will be hands down, the Supports Shield.;)

Really? You don't get a Championship Ring w/ a Supporter's Shield......just a ticket to the CCC (which is nice if you're still on the team next season), a loaned trophy and a big wet juicy kiss from Kim Klyberg and Oscar Zambrana.