https://theathletic.com/664327/2018...-regular-season-playoff-schedules-on-the-way/ Talk about schedule and playoff changes coming next year. Decision day 10/6, playoffs over by International Break mid November. Increase playoff teams to 14 in anticipation of 28 team league. Also, more mid-week games.
Ugh. What is the obsession with having 50% of the teams make the post-season. For all of the MLB's flaws, they get the playoff part correct.
14 teams is a ********ing joke... shit, 12 teams is a joke. I’ll take midweeks and playing through the breaks to avoid this ridiculous playoff intermission. The extra wild card one game playoff in the MLB is ridiculous, but it’s not half as bad as MLS. Cheap ********s like Jay Sugarman want this. That’s what it comes down to... MLS was finally correcting the playoff problem with continued expansion... now they are resetting things again and making it shitty.
MLS, basically. Not a huge fan of anything that rewards mediocrity. Teams in the 15th & 16th spots will point to how close they were to a playoff spot.
Completely agree with both of you. We all know that the broadcasters dictate these things though. Playoff games have more at stake, which leads to more drama, and higher ratings. Besides, it's not like this is something new for MLS. Sheesh, they had 8/10, 8/12, 8/15, an 8/16 making the playoffs. I have to be honest.......haven't heard too many folks complain about more than half the league making the playoffs in the NHL and NBA (since before most of us were born btw)............... Don't be shocked when the NFL decides to add more teams to the playoffs. They'll do that before they add more regular season games. Which, btw is stupid as well seeing as the CFL has an 18 game schedule.........with 9 teams.........6 of which make the playoffs......... Honestly as a Union fan and STH............I hope they let more teams into the playoffs with the ever expanding league. If they don't.............playoff appearances will be even fewer and further between for the Union. Especially with well heeled Nashville and Inter-Miami entering the league in 2020. Off topic but, MLB should shorten the regular season, and add more teams to the playoffs. That would help keep people interested in the game for longer. It would also generate more interest from Fox and TBS, and ESPN, leading to more $$$ coming into the league.
For whatever it's worth, this is the reason I watch no non-Flyers regular season NHL games, and just pop into Flyers regular season games on and off (that is, they're not 'appointment viewing' for me). I love hockey, but these games are just so meaningless because, as you say, half the league gets in. And it's pretty common to hear even fairly hardcore basketball fans say things like they only really start paying attention around Christmas. Contrast that with the NFL: I'm watching Chiefs-Rams right now (and multi-tasking on Big Soccer, I guess) because the game at least feels like it matters.
3 big takeaways for me... 1. Ending in early November would mean a minimum 4 month off-season for every team, and 5 months for the other half of the league that misses the playoffs. No way we can do that. I think they have to start playing in February, but get creative with the scheduling so that the Montreals/Minnesotas/New Englands of the world play minimal homegames during that month. Plus, as an ATL season ticket holder, I don't want to wait 4-5 months in the off-season. One of the beauties of soccer is that club season is around at least 75% of the time- having a 4-5 month off-season would be awful. 2. Over half of the league getting in the play-offs would be no fun. I won't go into that as others have already touched on it. 3. Ending in early November would mean less TV competition. Going up against CFB conference championships every year has been rough.
You lost me at "as an ATL season ticket holder". Please go back to your side of the tracks and talk about your rich owner problems over champagne and caviar. "Is a $15 million transfer fee for a DP striker going to be enough?"...Try worrying about whether your owner can afford to pay for a scouting department. "Going up against CFB conference championships every year has been rough"...try wondering if you will ever get to watch your team play a home playoff game again.
Y’all are going to think I’m stupid, and you should, because... This thread was in the “trending” section on Bigsoccer and I assumed it was in the MLS general section. Didn’t check to see if it was a team forum.. my bad. I blame how tired I was.
Supply and demand... in the case of NFL, the shortness of the regular season keeps interest high. Opposite applies to MLB. Just my opinion but 8 in the playoffs seems about right for MLS now.
Oh man, imagine if the 2018 regular season would've ended on October 6th of this year? That was the 5-1 dismantling of the Loons. S'all good, man. Don't let these (other) crotchety a-holes scare you off. Since you're here, think you can see if Mr. Blank would be willing to gift Jay Sugarman a few hundred million dollars?
So....does this mean ATL and us have a rivalry now? A wayward BS poster? No less contrived than the I95 Cup or whatever we have with the Revs. You'd think that Atlanta would be a little more respectful because of the last time the Union marched into town....* *Historical shots fired
I'm hoping that the MLS hurries up and gets to 40 teams so we can have 2 levels and (hopefully) fight to get relegated and promoted every year. Or better yet just let the shitty MLS teams slot right into the USL playoffs. Whatever just something to make things interesting. Also a GWAR night would be cool. They could probably actually get GWAR to show up play too. haha GWAR.