The 2024 MLS season hot off to an interesting start! Both LA teams played entertaining games. LAFC against Seattle, and the Galaxy looked exciting against Messi and Friends. Philly and Chicago played to a 2 all draw while showcasing some of the league's best home grown players. The Champs beat Atlanta at home. DC got a Benteke hat trick to cast aside the Revs. Minnesota picked up a win in Austin, and finally named a head coach this week too! FC Dallas and Charlotte earned home wins. Portland ran out 4-1 winners over Colorado. This week drrd as Florida derby and a Cali Classico! Colorado hosts Nashville in what could be a scoreless snoozefest. RSL hosts LAFC. Portland takes on DC in the Rose City. Vancouver starts their season at home against the new look Charlotte FC. As usual all game times are eastern. National broadcasts & Free games are listed. All games can be viewed using MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Kickoff times can be found here. MLS N&A play by play threads are neutral spaces. Keep all rivalry-esque banter out of these parts. Bullying. personal attacks and/or trolling will not be tolerated. Saturday, March 2 MNU vs CLB 2:09PM RSL vs LAX 2:09PM MIA vs ORL 4:39PM Fox / Free VAN vs CHA 7:39PM Free FCD vs MTL 8:39PM Free CHI vs FCC 8:39PM HOU vs RNY 8:39PM SKC vs PHL 8:39PM Free STL vs NYC 8:39PM COL vs NSH 9:39PM Free SEA vs ATX 10:39PM POR vs DCU 10:39PM SJE vs LAG 10:39PM Sunday, March 3 NER vs TFC 2:09PM
Only 1 of the 13 Saturday games is being held in the Eastern time zone. That's gotta be some kind of record.
I remember when the Apple deal was first announced they said all the Canadian games would have the French option. Even last year Vancouver never had them unless they were playing Montreal (and possibly Toronto). I haven't watched Toronto to see if they ever get the French option.
Yes, only 2 teams played on Matchday 1. I guess it does make sense to call it Matchday 3, otherwise RSL and Miami would have played two games on the same matchday.
Timbers at the top of the league!!!!! yeah. This won’t last long. meanwhile. Looking like 73 and sunny for SKCs home opener. Which I am grateful for.
Your scab referee for #MIAvORL, folks!@TheManeLand @EvanLWeston @alonso_purple @GavinEwbank #InterMiamiCF #OrlandoCity https://t.co/G8VcXXBH4g pic.twitter.com/tsWSlZEIGG— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 2, 2024
Serious question: When USL kicks off soon, who is going to referee their games? Does PRO and the PSRA provide their referees as well? Isn't the PSRA's CBA with PRO and not MLS, USL, etc?
PSRA has a second bargaining unit for the "PRO2" pool of officials who are assigned to NWSL, USL, and MLS Next Pro. Those officials have an active CBA and none of them are accepting MLS assignments during this situation.
I believe they negotiate with the leagues individually as well. USL went into the offseason before the 2023 season threatening to not use PRO Refs due to negotiations breaking down. I don't remember when it got worked out, but they were used by USL last year so a new deal was worked out.
PRO has just changed the assignment for Orlando-Miami. Jaime Herrera will now be in the center and the ref pictured above is no longer on the match.
So, are the afternoon games an effort to stagger the start times to make it easier to watch more games, or is it just an early season "it's too goddamn cold to play night games in certain places" thing?
It looks like we're back to the terrible everything starts at 6:30 local schedule by the end of April with the rare early game on Saturday.
The weather is terrible in Sandy and the ticket gates are not opened yet. Plus there's a new no bags policy to replace the clear bags from seasons past and folks aren't sure if they can bring extra cold weather gear. So it's going to be a mess in the stands if the game is played.
For once its not the Rapids having a Snow Clasico for the home opener. Expected highs in the 60s today.
Hoisting tifo and drumming in the 2nd half. Go Loons! Ps: good away crowd at the bar . Kudos Columbus!
No bags at all? Gonna take a wild guess that zero women were in the room when that policy was created.