With more than 24 teams having intraconference and interconference games during regular season will be a mess. Because not all teams will playing against all teams or the same teams. You don't have a "true" regular season winner, even in the same conference teams will playing against a different lot of opponents. So I think is better "all intraconference regular season games" or a "all interconference regular season games"... In this case all teams will play against the same opponents and the same amount of times. In the first situation Playoffs will start with teams from different conferences and in the second situation Playoffs will start with teams from same conference. Playoff will be counterbalancing the regular season, complementing each other. Also with more teams in MLS I think Playoff should have more teams in. 28 or 30 I think Playoffs should have 14 teams. 32/34 or 36 I think Playoffs should have 16 teams. I think a "all interconference regular season games" is better because is more balanced with all teams from the 2 conferences playing the same oponents and the same amount of times. And at the end of each season you have 1 obvious regular season winner, a Supporter's Shield winner. With a "all interconference regular season games" MLS could have 34 teams, with 17 teams in each conference, playing 34 regular season games (17 home and 17 away). Then playing a "Intraconference "Playoff" before a Final between each conference playoff winner. With a "all intraconference regular season games" MLS could have 36 teams, playing 34 regular season games (17 home and 17 away). However at the final of each season you don't have a clearly regular season winner. You have 2 conference regular season winners, not one MLS regular season winner. Playoff will be between teams from different conferences from the start. Also I think with this scheme a Super Cup or US Championship could be create, this will be one tournament between regular season winner (or regular season winners) and MLS Cup winner. US Open Cup winner could also enter this tournament. 2, 3 or 4 teams.
28 teams can divide into four divisions with home-away series played against division opponents, a single game per season against every other team, and one extra game against conference opponents in the sister division for a total of 34 games. For playoffs, the winner of each division would get a bye. The 2nd place teams can host play-in round games against two wild card teams with the next-best records in the conference, regardless of division.
Divisions?! With 28 and with 32 teams? Why not something like I wrote. MLS 32 teams 2 Conferences, 16 teams each conference REGULAR SEASON 32 interconference games. 16 western conference teams playing against 16 eastern conference teams, home and away games, for a total of 32 interconference games. (With 34 teams, 34 regular season games). At the end of the season each team have played against the same opponents and the same amount of times! A clearly and fair Supporter's Shield Winner. PLAYOFFS 16 teams 3 weeks Conference Playoffs: Western: R1 (8 clubs): #1 VS #8; #2 VS #7; #3 VS #6; #4 VS #5 (one game) R2 (4 clubs): Highest VS Lowest (one game) R3 (2 clubs): Home and Away Games Eastern: R1 (8 clubs) : #1 VS #8; #2 VS #7; #3 VS #6; #4 VS #5 (one game) R2 (4 clubs): Highest VS Lowest (one game) R3: (2 clubs): home and away games MLS Cup: Western Conference Playoff Winner VS Eastern Conference Playoff Winner (One game. Host City. neutral field)
Congratulations, you've just defeated the whole point of having regional conferences, by creating a setup that ensures that everyone travels the maximum possible distance.
that's a thing in MLS?!! travel distances?!! In NASL and USL I understand it's a thing but in MLS it should'nt be when you have something like 32 or 34 teams. (I always think Canadian teams aren't in MLS at this point).
It's a thing for MLB, NBA, and NHL, so why wouldn't it be for MLS? (And Canadian teams aren't going anywhere.)
I'm OK with a supporters shield race that doesn't involve all teams playing the exact same opponents. It's not like teams don't change over the season with injuries and suspensions anyway. And it's just sports, luck is involved, deal with it. Also, I want my local team to host every team in the league at least every other year. If an eastern team signs a famous old star, or develops a fantastic young player, I want a chance to see that player in Colorado. I don't want to see the same opponents multiple times. I agree that conferences should be mixed earlier in the play-offs. This year the east clearly has the best 4 or so teams. I wish they didn't all eliminate each other; and that two of them could meet in the final instead a mediocre Seattle or Portland. I also think the chance of a derby final would be great.
It is a financial thing to some extent. Let's not forget that MLS still closely regulates the ability for teams to charter domestic flights.
Regional play also helps build rivalries and gives fans an easier time traveling to some away games. At the same time, though, everyone wants to see all the league's stars visit, so there's generally some of both in most sports leagues. The short NFL season means it struggles most to accomplish this balance.