OT - Should MLS change their Season to winter?

[QueensNick]

Last night on FFF they brought this up and of course both Nick and Steve thought it should on line iwth most of the leagues around teh world, so I ask you what you think - I am in Favor of an August - April type of format and here is why!

1) Champions League - with this begining and I am really pumped for this - the way it is set up now, when the Semis role around you will have MLS teams out of shape in tehir pre season - Advantage - Other Countries (If you can play Champions Leagues game in Feb and March - why not League games!!

2) MLS FINAL - I just dont understand WHY they put the final on a Sunday in November - I understand Sunday might be a better day but in November you are going up against the MONSTER that is the NFL! If you move it and have the final in April or May you have baseball! Have the final before the NBA and NHL playoffs begin and you shoudl draw more viewers!

Yes from Sept - November you will have a tough time as on Saturdays you go up against College football but from December - April - you should be able to have the attention - just a thought

Now I knwo attenance might take a hit because its cold out but really - outside of Jan and Feb - the other months are tolerable. Besides - a beautiful Saturday in August people might say - eh - lets go to the beach or to the city - not to a stadium- in the winter they might say - eh - lets bundle up and go to the game!

What are your thoughts?

[NYC_COSMOS]

I favor a August to May Calendar with two Championships instead of one. In this NON RELEGATION league having such a long season leaves teams that are down in the table bascially no reason to compete.

So two championships running August to Dec then Jan to May. Leave the summer for the families and you will have NO PROBLEMS with attendance. You might actually attract some of the hardcore soccer fans into the stadiums.

[QueensNick]

I favor a August to May Calendar with two Championships instead of one. In this NON RELEGATION league having such a long season leaves teams that are down in the table bascially no reason to compete.

So two championships running August to Dec then Jan to May. Leave the summer for the families and you will have NO PROBLEMS with attendance. You might actually attract some of the hardcore soccer fans into the stadiums.


The Hardcore fans will come with the improving product - its the casual "on the fence fans" you want to lure in and try to explain to a normal Baseball, American football fan Apertura and Clousura - not sure people will like that!

No Relgation - we cant do it here - no two championchips - one season the same time frams as the rest of the world and playoffs - The American Twist with the MLS CUP being in April.

That would be cool!

[Painkillerz]

i favor a winter season.the games would be faster paced.

[NYC_COSMOS]

The league needs to move away from the casual fan. This was there initial market and look where it got them. It's time for the league to cater to the real soccer fans. Not the soccer moms and 3 sport watching people. Soccer is a year round sport, sometimes with the summer off. Its about time that the league stopped being so scared and actually started doing these right.

[NYC_COSMOS]

I don't think that the two championship per year system would confuse anyone. It's just a matter of explaining it to people. It's not hard at all.

Ending in April would be too early. I say late May. Then you can have the full summer for training and exhibition games.

Best Case scenario you match up the MLS with the FMF. In the end, the FMF is our leagues major rival, not Europe. With the upcoming CCL, I seems like the right move.

[QueensNick]

I don't think that the two championship per year system would confuse anyone. It's just a matter of explaining it to people. It's not hard at all.

Ending in April would be too early. I say late May. Then you can have the full summer for training and exhibition games.

Best Case scenario you match up the MLS with the FMF. In the end, the FMF is our leagues major rival, not Europe. With the upcoming CCL, I seems like the right move.


This is a good discussion!

Yes i guess you could explain it just as you could relegation but this is not Rio just as its not London.

Americans know one Champion - just one - not two! Americans wont root for a team that has gotten relegated - to many other sports to keep them occupied

We have to americanize it but stay in line with the region - yes - they should play closely in line with the Mexican Championschip but I still think they should keep the One Season/Playoff Format so it stays like an American sport.

anyone other than me and chris have input?

I cant wait for this CCL - its going to be awesome!

[NYC_COSMOS]

This is a good discussion!

Yes i guess you could explain it just as you could relegation but this is not Rio just as its not London.
Althought the system that Brazil uses wouldnt be such a bad idea here. Local championships and then a national championship. This would help build up those PDL teams and USL 1 & 2 teams.

We have to americanize it but stay in line with the region - yes - they should play closely in line with the Mexican Championschip but I still think they should keep the One Season/Playoff Format so it stays like an American sport.
I disagree with you on the Americanizing of it. We need to try and keep it as traditional as possible with a hint here and there of America for good measure.

anyone other than me and chris have input?
Yeah what's up. Everyone's got an opinion lets all share it!

I cant wait for this CCL - its going to be awesome!
This is going to be awesome. I really hope that the MLS teams take their time and promote these games!

[QueensNick]

Althought the system that Brazil uses wouldnt be such a bad idea here. Local championships and then a national championship. This would help build up those PDL teams and USL 1 & 2 teams.


I disagree with you on the Americanizing of it. We need to try and keep it as traditional as possible with a hint here and there of America for good measure.


Yeah what's up. Everyone's got an opinion lets all share it!


This is going to be awesome. I really hope that the MLS teams take their time and promote these games!


Not to mention having the qualifiers is good - with the greatest team name in the region - JOE PUBLIC ha ha

[NYC_COSMOS]

Not to mention having the qualifiers is good - with the greatest team name in the region - JOE PUBLIC ha ha
lol funny thing is that i heard about Joe Public on the radio this morning i forget which station. Either z100 or ktu

[JRHokie]

No.

Not only would attendance take a hit, it would be non-existent in Boston, NY, Philly, Chicago, DC etc.

You cannot, and will never have, an outdoor winter league in the U.S.

[QueensNick]

No.

Not only would attendance take a hit, it would be non-existent in Boston, NY, Philly, Chicago, DC etc.

You cannot, and will never have, an outdoor winter league in the U.S.

Here is the thing - if the Galaxy and Chivas can get booted out of the HDC because of the X Games - and the league works the schedule - they can limit the amount of games in jan and feb - those are really the worst weeks. To make it better the league can go on a break for the holidays too - take two weeks off - just some thoughts!

I have been of the opiinion - they cant do this until the league is consistantly getting 20-25K a game but honestly, for this league to succceed it has to do well in the Chapmions league and it wont playing in the summer and having the quarters and semis when you are coming off the off season!!

[Metrogo]

I don't think you can get people out to the games in the middle of winter, and remember, we are colder than most of western europe. I think it's crazy to play when it's 10 degrees on a frozen pitch.

I would like to see us get into the regular international calendar, but I don't see it happening.

I agree with cosmos and two championships. And while I don't see us playing through the winter, I still think you can start around feb 15 and play the first two games in warmer weather cities. you can finish the "apertura" end of may with a couple of mid week games.

Start "clausura" august 15 end first week in december. Have a mini superbowl of sorts during the festive season for the apertura and clausura winners in a neutral warm weather site. Would be fun, me thinks.

[BuddhaNYC]

it can only happen if northern teams get retracktable roofs...any one who has lived upstate ( i have for college) it can snow for days..starting in november! i dont want to know what numbers toronto fc attendance will look like in novermber-february....weather is too unpredictable to make this a reality something people can not control.

[BuddhaNYC]

i do remember a league.. i think in ukraine or russia or somethin having a break in the season for a couple months during the winter because its too cold to play..

[TOTC]

Toronto.

February.

Yeah, that'll work.

Not.

[TorcidaNJ]

i do remember a league.. i think in ukraine or russia or somethin having a break in the season for a couple months during the winter because its too cold to play..

yeah your right, a lot of former Soviet Union countries take a break in the winter time. end in December and come back in February or March some time.

[NYC_COSMOS]

I agree with cosmos and two championships. And while I don't see us playing through the winter, I still think you can start around feb 15 and play the first two games in warmer weather cities. you can finish the "apertura" end of may with a couple of mid week games.

Start "clausura" august 15 end first week in december. Have a mini superbowl of sorts during the festive season for the apertura and clausura winners in a neutral warm weather site. Would be fun, me thinks.

This is the reason why I think that the two championship seasons can and will work. Having a break is a horrible idea but having two championships with a "break" as an off season in between is an awesome idea.

You can play almost anymore up until mid december and start back up mid feb. This will also allow for more competition, greater rivalries and more chances at hardware. Also it helps to line up with the intl calendar and gives the players some time in the summer off. Which is killer for soccer.

[studzup]

Two championship formats are a joke.

Anyone up for driving to Foxboro for a Saturday night game with the Rev in mid-January?

[NYC_COSMOS]

Two championship formats are a joke.

Anyone up for driving to Foxboro for a Saturday night game with the Rev in mid-January?

No one with a two championship format is talking about mid January games. Feb 15 - June then August 15 thru Dec.

Joke only because you choose not to understand it. Also since there is NO RELEGATION a long drawn out championship for a mid table to bottom table team is basically pointless.

The playoff race makes it interesting and having two championships helps out immensely towrds increasing the interest of the fans and growing the fan base of those mid table teams.