I think that's a bridge they're waiting to burn until they cross it. Nobody really knows what this stupid Qatar schedule is going to do to club teams across the globe yet.
It means the 4/5 winner is guaranteed to go on the road for the 2nd round, but the 6 seed could host. I don't like it. I doubt teams will overtly tank to drop from 5 to 6, but it's not a great look.
There's nothing to re-seed in MLB. The wild card teams play, the winner gets the top division winner while the other two division winners play each other, winners play for the pennant. I was not aware of the NHL's format. So no, MLS would not be the only league not to re-seed.
There's not going to be a normal pre-World Cup window in 2022. The current published FIFA calendar says players released on Nov. 14 and games start on Nov. 21. Leagues will be in progress and will do the bare minimum break. MLS will still need to push things back a bit for that year, but also there won't be an October international break, nor any summer international tournaments, so that provides some room to compress the schedule.
Theoretically, MLB could re-seed by ranking the four remaining teams by record instead of forcing the wild-card winner into the 4 seed, but they don't. Also, I forgot that the NBA does not re-seed, so the NFL is the only one that does.
I like this overall. All teams will have at least 2 weeks to sell tickets to their first playoff game...correct? No playoff games during FIFA dates. I like that. This pushes the final up around a month from this year. I like that a lot. The only thing I question is the adding another team from each conference. It takes away the first round bye for #2 team. I have mixed feelings on that. I like rewarding the #1 more but it is a long season and I kinda think #2 should get a bye also. I also think 12 teams was plenty. But that said, I think there is much more good than bad with these changes. Cup final on a Sunday vs Saturday. Is that good or bad?
It depends on what NFL games it competes with, and MLS didn't mention the time. At night there would only be competition with one NFL game, but if you announce the MLS Cup time before you know what clubs are in it, you could have Atlanta United playing at the same time as the Falcons, the Red Bulls or NYCFC at the same time as the Giants or Jets, etc. Sunday Night Football is decided before the season. Late in the season NBC has flexibility to change the game, but I don't think NBC has flexibility on November 10. The best thing for MLS would be if the November 10 Sunday Night Football game had teams in markets that don't have MLS clubs or have clubs that don't make the playoffs. People can watch the NFL all day, but if MLS Cup is at night some fans could choose MLS Cup for a change of sport as long as their favorite NFL team isn't playing then.
Is there really many teams that needs season-starting road trips, if they only start in March? Montreal is the coldest team in the league in March, and they've played early-season games and winter Champions League games in the indoor Montreal Olympic Stadium before (to bigger crowds than even fit in their usual stadium). Minnesota is almost as cold as Montreal, but isn't using the Vikings indoor stadium an option - it was certainly in the early running for a 2026 World Cup venue. But after that, temperatures are pretty doable in March. I believe Toronto is the next coldest (just ahead of Chicago) - and they opened the season there last year on March 3, after playing a Champions League game at home in February. Toronto too has a covered stadium available, that they've used before for winter Champion's League games (and an unnecessary summer friendly - though that's off the table now with the extended conversion time now necessary for the Blue Jays). Chicago was also playing on March 3 at Toyota Park (albeit a friendly). The three coldest cities have covered stadiums available, if people are willing to come up with the $ to use them at least.
A. Permanently telling MTL/TFC/MIN to plan to rent covered stadiums every year is a non starter B. March is Colorado’s snowiest month
Yes, it makes so much sense to tell MNUFC ownership that they have to pay rent to the Vikings owners whom they beat out for the franchise after spending a quarter of a billion dollars of their own money on Allianz Field simply because some poor boo-boos can't handle a little cool weather in March.
I'm not a fan of the fixed bracket, otherwise, it is wonderful. That two-week break between the conference semifinals and final was a momentum killer for me, and the MLS Cup in December was always in conflict with Holiday related activities The extended off-season also gives them more time, if needed, to work on the new CBA before the 2020 season.
The NBA doesn't either. 1 v 8 winner plays 4 v 5 winner. 2 v 7 winner plays 3 v 6 winner. 8 v 5 & 2 v 6 if that is what hapoens. NFL does and prior MLS did. That is it. In all, I HATE this. It is a power play by the deep pocketed clubs to leverage their monetary advantage in home field in the POs. And no home PO games for lower seeded teams. HATE IT. But there is some good stuff. Getting the window right. 7 teams with #1 a bye is fine. No reseeding is fine.
28: 6×2 + 12×1 + 1 = 34. 1: DC, NYRB, NYCFC, Philly, NE, TFC, Mon 2: CLB, CIN, CHI, Nash, ATL, ORL, MIA 3: COL, FCD, HOU, AUS, SKC, STL, MIN 4: LA, LAFC, SJ, SEA, Port, VAN, RSL 32: 7x2 + 24×1 = 38. 1: DC, NYRB, NYC, Phi, NE, Atl, Orl, Mia 2: CLB, Cin, Nash, TFC, Mon, CHI, Min, Det 3: COL, RSL, FCD, Hou, Aus, SKC, STL, SA 4: LA, LAFC, SJ, Sea, Por, Van, Phx, SD
I have zero problem with it. Want to get a home playoff game? Do better in the regular season. Before 2018, SKC lost four road playoff games in a row to go one-and-out, because they didn't play well enough throughout the regular season. This makes winning the Supporter's Shield a serious incentive - you don't think NYRB doesn't wish they had this playoff system this year and could have avoided going on the road at ATL to start the conference finals? I love it. It puts greater value on the regular season and rewards teams with home field advantage against lower seeded teams. And you and I both know that "deep pocketed clubs" is a cop-out. Several very successful teams (NYRB, SKC, FCD) spend comparatively little. Conversely, CHI and ORL spend a lot and are still crap. TOR didn't make the playoffs. It ain't necessarily how much you spend, but how you spend it. ATL spends a lot but they spend it well.
The NHL has four division-based brackets with the top three from the division and a wild-card team that may or may not be from a different division. So within each bracket, there's nothing to re-seed in the second round with only two teams remaining.
I think MLS has finally configured a decent playoff system. Hopefully they leave it alone for awhile.
So the change is since the last divisional realignment - when Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference. Prior to that, the league reseeded. As a Hurricanes fan, the current playoff format is a bit of mystery.
I think it is silly that some are crying about "too many teams" in the playoffs. The 7th seed (and probably the 6th as well) would have to win 4 straight away games which they probably have not done all year to win the cup. This is really going to put pressure on teams to get to at least 4th so you have the best chance to have a home game. Even 5th would have to win the first two and then hope there are a few upsets to host the 3rd, and that is only if there were 4 upsets. I like it and the fight for the shield just got real, All home games if they keep winning, which is a lot of cash.
March weather in Montreal and Toronto is not significantly different to Foxboro, New York or Ohio. And the conditions can be very specific. For instance, when the wind whips down the Hudson and across the Harlem River into a very exposed and 2/3 empty Yankee Stadium, it feels significantly colder than whatever the thermometer might say.
I feel pretty confident in saying, MLS will not play a 38 game season. I've been wrong many times, but I just don't see. Schedule is already super tight. Just don't see them adding 4 games. 32: 15x2 + 4x1 = 34 or 7x2 (division opponents) + 8x1 (all other conference opponents) + 12 x 1 (all but 4 non-conference opponents) = 34
Montreal can't play any more cold weather matches in the Big O until it's repaired (which would cost more than Saputo paid for his SSS) so that's not gonna happen. The Rogers family offered Bill Manning (TFC President) Rogers Centre for their CCL early matches in 2017 and again this year but he said no. They've invested way too much money in BMO Field (with another $20m + upcoming for 2026 World Cup) to justify renting another venue.