What Would a Fall to Spring Schedule w/ a winter Break Look Like?

Discussion in 'MLS: Commissioner - You be The Don' started by Udosean, Nov 16, 2014.

  1. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    The NBA and NHL seem to handle the issue of practice and travel. Its a simple as an indoor facility (which in a multimillion dollar business each team should have), problem solved.

    Not that I am saying the switch should happen but wording about travel and practice is hardly a concern.
     
  2. QuietType

    QuietType Member+

    Jun 6, 2009
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The weather is one issue.

    I'm more concerned with MLS having to compete for butts in seats and and broadcasting space going up against the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA athletics(most notably football and basketball) - oh, and not to mention all of those European leagues most fans in the US love watching in the winter, MLS and Eurosnob alike. Switching to a winter schedule would mean it would be even harder for MLS to grow and have relevance in the sporting landscape. Why in the heck would someone want to compete with all of that, when in the Spring to Fall it is largely MLB we have to compete with? It's like you have a goal of becoming bigger and more notable and decide to take actions that would make it many times harder to get there.

    In short, it would have the exact opposite effect of what proponents are hoping for.
     
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  3. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    Because when the MLS season reaches the point that matters most (Fall) its suddenly going head to head with the 2 biggest sports in America (NFL and NCAA football), the MLB playoffs, and the start of the NBA/NHL seasons.

    Yeah, they benefit from having the middle of their season only compete with MLB but to do that they've put the most important part of their season in the worst possible place within the sporting calendar. Sorry but as long as MLS Cup is on at the same time as NFL football MLS will never be relevant.

    Till someone can explain how putting your prime event in a position to fail year in and year out makes sense the whole rest of the argument for the current schedule is meaningless.

    I don't care when they play (the stupid 2 legged playoff system (and specifically the joke known as the away goal tie-breaker) has made MLS unwatchable for me so it doesn't matter when its on) but the claim you are making in your post is absurd.
     
  4. QuietType

    QuietType Member+

    Jun 6, 2009
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So having MLS Cup final on a Saturday night would solve the problem for you? I agree.

    The regular season is more important to have in the landscape weekly. Having it with all of those other Sports from fall to spring would mean an even smaller amount of time go even to it. If you think otherwise you don't watch/listen/read sports media in America.

    But then again, MLS is "unwatchable" to you, so, bye.
     
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  5. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    I disagree with you so that must mean I don't "watch/listen/read sports media in America."

    That is a very convenient response. How can I even respond? Well done sir, well done.

    And MLS is unwatchable because its ran be idiots that think its okay to have two teams play to a draw for 180 minutes and still allow one to advance in a seeded tournament. Dumb....dumb....dumb....
     
  6. QuietType

    QuietType Member+

    Jun 6, 2009
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why? "Because that's not how Europe does it"

    And if you watch any ESPN or listen to sports talk radio or open any newspaper any time from September to January you'd know it's nonstop NFL and NCAA football with NBA stuck in there and some sprinkling of NHL. Even during the summer it's nonstop MLB and you are lucky to get a few seconds of soccer or an inch of space in the paper. And you want to move MLS to a schedule to compete with the winter sports in America as well as the Euro leagues? Please.

    Just go watch your Euro teams and leave MLS to those who are wanting it to grow.
     
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  7. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    #82 youngorst, Feb 23, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2015
    Where did I even mention Europe in my reasoning? Reading is a pretty damn important skill. I think I explained the reasons quite clearly (and it has NOTHING to do with "how Europe does it")

    Quoting myself for the reading comprehension disadvantaged:

    You are right, all they talk about from September through January is the NFL and NCAA football. Agree 110%. Which is why its utterly nonsensical to put the end of your season and playoffs up against those juggernauts.

    I don't give a damn if they play Fall to Spring, Spring to Winter, Winter to Fall, Summer to Fall, Spring to Fall, or any other combination you care to come up with. But its an utterly stupid decision to play your late season and playoffs head to head with American football.

    You think getting the middle of the regular season up against MLB causing your late part of the regular season and playoffs to be up against American football is the best way to grow the game. I think that having the end of the regular season and playoffs up against American football means your sport will never be relevant.

    Show me one single word I mentioned about "because its how its done in Europe" prior to this post. Hell, the reason I don't watch MLS is because of its stupid adherence to the absurd Europe standard of using the 'away goal' tiebreaker. If I wanted MLS to 'do it the Europe way' why would I make such a statement? I don't give a damn what Europe does or doesn't do.

    The problem is people like you make assumptions about others. I don't watch European soccer at all. I have no interest in watching what some team from London does. I actually would like to have a quality soccer league in America to follow. The problem is MLS forces me to pick between it and NFL/NCAA football and sorry but MLS loses that battle every day. Add to that the employment of the stupidest tiebreaker in sports history (just to be European) during its playoffs and they have completely lost me as a fan.

    I want to be a fan but MLS makes it impossible. Instead of scoffing at ideas from someone like me you should maybe consider that I am someone who'd be interested if the product was worth it. Sadly, its not thanks to dumb decisions by its management.
     
  8. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    How, exactly does it do that?

    Again, how does it do that? I can guarantee you that I've been following NFL/NCAAF when you alma mater might get two games a year on TV, in your own market and follow not only my NCAAF team every weekend as well as the teams I hope lose every weekend so I can run smack at the other NCAAF fans on here who also manage to be MLS fans since the start of the league. And I manage to follow each and every MLS game every weekend on TV, even though my team is 11 hours away and half of the "national broadcasts" of that team are on crappy SD resolution and in a foreign language.

    I guess any and all responses to your whiny posts on the subject should just be "You know buddy, the problem is with you, not with MLS, or the product or the schedule. It's just you".
     
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  9. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    If I have the option of watching football or MLS I am choosing football

    Honestly, the bar in the town where I live that is known as the soccer bar (opens at 6 am for games quite often) didn't even show the MLS Cup last year on any of its dozens of TVs because the NFL regular season makes them far more money.

    Call it whining if you want but if MLS Cup was played on Sunday August 2nd instead of up against the Seahawks in November I'd most likely watch the game. As it stands, there is about a .000000000001% chance I will watch the MLS Cup even if the Sounders were in the game.

    If you can manage to watch 20 hours of sports every Saturday and Sunday good for you. I have other interests beyond watching sports on TV. 7 hours of sports per weekend (Oregon State and Seahawks game) is basically my max and that assumes I don't go to the games (and when they are at home I go more often than not).

    If that is simply me whining so be it but the MLS late season and playoff schedule guarantees MLS is never more than minor league soccer. If that is good enough for you fine. Sorry but anyone that defends going up against football is living in denial.

    Luckily, you guys are getting what you want. Enjoy. At least you get to keep feeling better about yourself by telling others they just don't get it or calling them Eurosnobs. If that is worth it for you, cool.
     
  10. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    And you are welcome to that opinion I guess.

    You think the product and schedule work. Awesome.

    I am curious why your PREFERENCE (and that is all it is) is more valid than other people's PREFERENCE.

    The group think on this board is truly pathetic. Even suggesting that maybe (just maybe) going head to head with football during the peak portion of the season is a questionable choice makes you guys crazy. Its hilarious.

    I don't care when they play (and said that in my first post) yet I've been called everything from a Eurosnob to whiney simply for voicing an opinion different from the group think. Comedy gold.

    MLS is perfect, everything about its schedule and product is flawless. How dare anyone question any of it.
     
  11. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    I suggested this and got mocked for it. You can't put the games on Friday they said, attendance would suffer.

    Basically if you don't buy the "its perfect how it is" mantra of this board you are wrong.

    BTW, totally agree. Put the late season and playoff games on weeknights and the schedule is fine. As long as you insist on playing those games on the weekend its hurting the product.
     
  12. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We don't know that attendance won't suffer yet.
     
  13. QuietType

    QuietType Member+

    Jun 6, 2009
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #88 QuietType, Feb 23, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2015
    Thanks for proving my point that having the MLS regular season overlap the NFL and college football is a bad idea.
    [​IMG]
     
  14. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    #89 youngorst, Feb 23, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2015
    The problem is your premise forces me to assume that having the start of the MLS season overlap football is worse than having the end of the MLS season overlap football.

    The reality is that either schedule has MLS overlapping with football. Its what part of the season you want to overlap that matters. I am not a Fall to Spring guy....I am simply a 'stop playing your playoffs head to head with football' guy.

    The MLS season already overlaps with football. The debate is not about rather it should overlap with football or not overlap with football. The debate is which part of the season (start or finish) should overlap with football.

    In 2015 including playoffs 14 MLS weeks will overlap with football.

    I am arguing the start of the season overlapping would be better than the end of the season overlapping. You apparently refuse to even acknowledge the fact that the MLS season already overlaps with football.
     
  15. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    While you are right, I'd contend that if you can't sell out a playoff game on Friday night (or another weeknight) simply because its being played on a weeknight your league has bigger issues to worry about.

    A side question also must be relevant. Could increased TV ratings (if you can get them) by playing the playoff games on weeknights vs. head to head with the football eventually make up for any losses in attendance?
     
  16. bunge

    bunge BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 24, 2000
    The EPL sucks.
     
  17. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's fine, I guess, though, I don't usually care for watching NCAAF/NFL teams that I have no interest in, so, that's like 95% of the Saturday & Sunday for me. I guess I could be a degenerate gambler or a generic football fan, both of which will watch anything and consume the tapwater from Fox/ESPN just so they can talk about it with the other clones on Monday at work. Or you're a frontrunning bandwagonning gloryhound, which makes your identification as a "sounderfan" apropos

    1) MLS games aren't on at 6:00 AM

    2) Guess what, I pretty much ignored MLS Cup too, because, you know, I'm not a Galaxy Fan or a Revs Fan.

    Whining

    So, you're a Seagulls fan, more than a sounderfan. Ok, now that that's established...

    Meh, I'm about 5, tops. My MLS team and Oklahoma Football - I'm a Steelers fan, but it's hard to cheer for a rapist. You can obviously cheer for some real assclowns if you're a seahawk/sounderfan. And Oregon State? Well, someone has to cheer for them, I guess. Must be for you're hipster cred.

    It is...

    Or our NCAAF/NFL interests rarely overlap with our MLS interests. Luck us!

    I think not being a whiner is pretty much all I need - but being adored by 95% of the Interwebs helps out too.

    So, you can't define how MLS ruins it for you, other than it doesn't cater to your tertiary sporting interest

    I know, right. It's marrying a hot redhead with a perfect rack and a nice ass. AWESOME

    I don't think it's this board that's suggesting it, I think it's the MLSBoG, and it's their money. I'm going to go out on a limb and just say they may have more data on this than your anecdotal views and "preference" about when to schedule the games.

    You remind me of the Libertarians in the Politics forum.

    No one has ever said that. We're just all bored by the same solution that keeps cropping up around here (Fall to Spring Schedule) for a problem that doesn't exist.
     
  18. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fixed Your Post
     
  19. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Do they really anymore? MLS ends before the NFL Playoffs and the NCAAF playoff will be adding 4 more teams within 5 years - it will be ending around January 20th before we know it
     
  20. QuietType

    QuietType Member+

    Jun 6, 2009
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My point was he was arguing for moving MLS to a winter schedule. I was pointing out that he proved my point that it was a bad idea to do so.
     
  21. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I know, like so many whiners before, MLS doesn't cater to his 3rd level fandom.

    Who cares?
     
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  22. QuietType

    QuietType Member+

    Jun 6, 2009
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't really care about his fandom. I do care that he's too thick to understand he proved my very point about a winter schedule by what he said.
     
  23. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    #98 youngorst, Feb 24, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2015
    So rooting for your alma mater is "hipster cred" now?

    Fair enough....

    FYI, I am a Seahawks and Sounders fan because I am from Seattle and grew up going to games. I know, odd....Someone roots for the teams from their hometown. I could see how that is hard to understand.

    As for your not caring about MLS Cup because you're not a fan of either of those teams. While you see for MLS to be a mainstream sport they need to get fans to watch MLS Cup rather their team is in it or not.
     
  24. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    #99 youngorst, Feb 24, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2015
    .

    Because I did no such thing.

    My only argument was that they should find a way to keep their playoffs from going head to head with football.

    Just said its 1 possible solution to the problem of going head to head with football during the playoffs. Never even said its the solution I support. You think holding the playoffs vs. football is preferable to a Fall to Spring schedule. I disagree. Its a reasonable disagreement. Just because you think its better to have the regular season up against MLB at the expense of the playoffs doesn't make it true.

    The truth is we don't know. Maybe having more games following EPL games would help grow the game (the early ratings returns from just that indicate this is very likely). The EPL can make for an excellent lead in for MLS games if they're schedules were more in sync. Not saying it needs to happen but that is a realistic possibility if the same network owned rights to both. And for NBC (if they bought both) that is not an issue since it would not effect their NFL product.

    Frankly I think many of you have become close minded to any such discussion not because it couldn't possibly work but because you think its only being done to appease Eurosnobs. So even if their is a reasonable argument for the change you'll just ignore it.

    Is it a good idea? I honestly do not know but I do think putting the playoffs up against football is a terrible idea so I'm at least willing to explore possible solutions.


    Yep, sure sounds like a guy that is adamant that the schedule needs to be changed.

    Yes, if they insist on playing playoff games on the weekends then its better to overlap with football at the start of the season (Fall to Spring) but if they are willing to move those games to weeknights the current schedule is just fine. And nothing I have posted proves that to be a false argument.

    The playoffs should NOT go head to head with football. Nothing you have said proves they should.
     
  25. youngorst

    youngorst Member

    Jun 26, 2014
    Bend, Oregon
    You are the one posting in a forum labeled 'MLS Commissioner-You be the Don' on the internet.

    Just pointing that out to you.

    Why post on such a thread within such a board if you don't care about ideas to change/improve the league?

    FYI, you know what makes leagues rich? Catering to '3rd level fandom'

    MLB isn't talking about speeding up play and shrinking the strike zone to increase offense in order to maintain its hard core '1st level fan base' they are exploring it to convince those members you'd call '3rd level fans' to watch more games and buy more tickets and merchandise.

    So if MLS truly doesn't care about catering to '3rd level fans' that means MLS really doesn't care about money and I really don't think that is the case but maybe it is.
     

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