Home openers announced today: MLS announces 2018 home openers for all 23 clubs; season kicks off March 3 December 19, 2017, 2:00PM EST MLSsoccer staff The Revs opened 2017 in week 2 (March 11) vs Orlando, which was cancelled due to snow. Nevertheless, the league is repeating that in 2018, with the Revs home opener March 10 vs Colorado Revs open in Philly on March 3rd, 2018.
Well, I guess the odds of having a massive snowstorm that weekend might be higher in Colorado than here. I guess Orlando can only host one game per weekend in March. Yeah, I know, we only play the cRapids once this year at home, and our Rocky Mountain game will be in Utah.
Can you imagine if our home opener were 19 degrees with a wind chill factor of minus 14 and we had to postpone? That would be insane! Oh, wait.
I'd rather they just start with 4 games on the road, develop a good road mentality and come home stronger.
At this point, I'll take any mentality that doesn't mean "We're on the road, so here's another loss." 3 wins on the road in the last two seasons. Yuck. Since '07 (all the time I had to go back to when I did the research), only thrice have we won the first away match of the year.
We will get a very early idea of how Friedel is doing within the first 2 games - they are against Philly and Colorado - 2 other teams who were pretty poor last year too. Philly did not fire Curtin although many thought they should have, Colorado has a new coach and is signing some players. These are not the teams to drop points against.
It takes time to develop a new system and, even working it in during preseason, it will take time to get in a rhythm in 'real' regular season competition. And, those early games aren't going to be 'typical' MLS games: it's an added hurdle facing a team at their home opener and at least our first two games are likely to feature some pretty challenging conditions (for players and fans) - and it's not clear who those conditions will favor. Sure, these are challenges that all teams face, but I think some patience is going to be necessary integrating a new coach, new system and [hopefully] new players.
The new schedule is here! The new schedule is here! MLS releases 2018 regular-season schedule January 4, 2018, 2:00PM EST MLSsoccer staff
First 10 games: 3 against non-playoff teams: Philly, Colorado, Montreal - with Colorado and Montreal with new coaches too 7 against pretty strong teams: yes, including Dallas here even if they did not make playoffs last year. Good thing - they get 3 games against Philly and Montreal. Could have been worse.
Four Wed games, but only one at home (May 30 vs ATL). Only 2 Sat-Wed-Sat stretches: May 26-30-Jun 2 (@VAN, ATL, NRB) Jul 14-18-21 (LAG, @MIN, @NRB) PHI is only city we visit twice.
As usual, the lowest National TV appearances coming, with only 2. 4 others also have 2 (Minn, RSL, Crew and Colorado). 3 home games from mid-July till mid-Oct. That's scary.
Following the World Cup break, a 3-game homestand is followed by 9 of the next 12 on the road (and 10 of the final 15). Meanwhile, DCU opens with 12 of their first 14 on the road while they wait for Audi Field to be ready. The two home games to be played at a to-be-determined site.