Well, it might work if most of their roster is playing for $2-300 game checks. Turlock manages to exist, so Soccer Sam must have a similar plan.
Reductio ad Turlock, as many things come back to. Somehow I think people should aspire to more than that, but maybe that's just me. If we're going to replicate the Utica model and experience, okay, that's something to look at. Small market, small arena, savvy front office with certain economies of scale. But I don't think the Turlock model is one to be copied, even if they have managed to survive. It's not helpful.
Glad to see Rochester and Soccer Sam back in the MASL. Yeah I was wondering the same thing about how they resolved the workman's comp issue. Hope it all works out and they are successful. Also wonder if they will put a team in the west from east to make the divisions even. Maybe KC Comets? Would like to see six teams per division make the playoffs. This would give more teams who normally don't make the playoffs a chance. Round 1- 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5 -Wild cards Round 2- Round 1 winners vs 1 and 2-Quarterfinals Round 3- Round 2 winners vs each other-Semifinal Round 4- East vs West winners-Championship Each round would play the current MASL playoff format. Home and Home, Mini game.
Teams that don't normally make the playoffs don't normally make the playoffs because they are not good enough. They actually already have a chance to make the playoffs: win enough games. Only seven teams in the league had winning records last year. The sixth-best team in the west went 3-21. The sixth-best team in the East went 9-15. Nope. Sorry. Next.
I am not sure if anyone saw this, but the Chicago Mustangs have been sold. Ok then. Here is a quote from the Mustang site. "Indoor soccer has been growing steadily in the USA and the amount of children playing soccer has increased steadily the past 30 years. “ We are looking forward to a great inaugural season as our ownership group takes control” stated Dominic Turcotte VP of Operations of Grand Partners LLC.. The Mustangs will have an amateur team in the PASL and a pro team in a new indoor league to be announced soon. “Our goal will also include to have an outdoor team for the 2020 season in a league yet to be announced as we evaluate the choices” added Turcotte." I am assuming that the new ownership group bought the indoor facility and the Mustang property was included in the deal. I love the quotes on the new indoor league and a outdoor league to be announced. No details provided as expected.
why not rejoin the MASL. trying to form another league usually doesnt work well. see the aborted I-League that got 3 teams.
With rochester returning, that means the East now has 10 teams, I imagine that means the schedule is being tweaked to have Rochester play teams like Milwaukee and Kansas City. Is it possible that they make the season longer as a result?
My question was whether Rochesters addition would change the season length. on reflection, likely not.
Although I read on the MASL website that the Fall Meetings today will discuss schedule and playoff format. I would think with 18 teams, that 5 playoff teams per conference would be a suitable number. as Kenn said. 6 per conference is too many, not to mention the 6th place team last year in the West would be Dallas at 9-15. and the East #6 would have been St Louis at 10-14.
I don't know if this is true, but the scuttlebutt is that they would go back to a four division alignment, in which case I would think the top two teams in each division would make the playoffs again.
Why do four divisions with 18 teams? Just do three divisions of six. Rochester Utica Baltimore Harrisburg Florida Orlando St.Louis Kansas City Mississauga Milwaukee Dallas Mesquite Monterrey Sonora San Diego Turlock Tacoma Ontario Monterrey is the only one who gets strongly hosed as they are closer to Dallas than the west coast, but this would work better, I think. Play the other five teams in your division four times each for 20 games and then four games against anybody else that makes sense.
Does not really matter what we think at this point, The MASL just announced four teams per East and West conference, will make the playoffs. The top seed in each conference will decide which of the 3 teams in their conference they play in the first round, Home/Away/Mini for each round. https://www.maslsoccer.com/news/masl-fall-meetings-day-two1 3 divisions isn't bad, would definitely switch Mil and Metrostars with Florida teams. Not sure how your playoff system would work as your wild card teams could end of being Florida and Tacoma, which would not be very travel cost friendly. You could do two divisions of 5 and 2 of four also, for a four division league. I see what you saying about not liking 6 playoff teams per division, But the reason I would like to see it is because it gives teams that never make the playoffs a chance. Having a team with a 9-15 record in the playoffs, does not bother me. Though the competition in the MASL has improved over recent years, the same teams seem to make the playoffs,as all teams are not on the same salary or talent level from the start. Now if all teams where close to even from the start, I have no problems with 8 total playoff teams. Ontario and Florida will have a better chance to make the playoffs this season, as they have greatly improved the talent on their rosters. I will easi;y predict this season's playoff teams. (in no particular order) East-Balt, Mil, Utica, Florida West-SD, Ont, Mont, Tacoma
These owners (who waste money on many things) are so skittish about travel expenses that they are letting the #1 seeds have their choice of playing the #2, #3, or #4 team in the first round. So they will definitely never go for a format that could see Utica hosting wild card Tacoma in the first round.
The MASL got rid of Milliken , Most of the MASL 2 Teams dropped out this year Soccer Sam said it was a living Nightmare on how the league was ran and the travel cost associated with playing.
https://www.maslsoccer.com/news/masl-announces-full-2019-2020-season-schedule "In an effort to showcase the game of arena soccer across Canada Southern Ontario, the MetroStars will play in six different venues from suburban Detroit to suburban Toronto to suburban Ottawa throughout the season."