I for one don't really mind the current format but with such horrible playoff attendance, it makes the playoffs look like a joke. Perhaps something similar to the earlier days of baseball and we could just have #1 in the East play #1 in the West in the MLS Cup. I don't know but something needs to change ..... 6,000 7,000 for a PLAYOFF game is horrible.
the current playoff system does nothing to help attendance.... things should be much better next year, provided they go to home and home and each leg during a saturday/sunday
Still going to happen. There will be short notice for games and no group sales to help attendence. Make the post-season a true cup tournament with every team involved. Single-elimination over four Saturdays with Wednesday replays for tied matches (a la FA Cup).
Sounds good to me... doesn't seem to be enough interest in "playoff soccer" in Sept. to justify an entire month of dismal attendances... 2 weekends of playoffs followed by MLS Cup may not be particularly fair vs. a first-to-five, but, geez... this should have been a year to celebrate some increases, yet here we are grateful for the fact the Mutts didn't have to host a playoff game at a minor league ballpark in Newark and hopeful that the Galaxy doesn't have to play a 3rd game at CS-Fullerton...
Eh? 2 Wednesday night playoff matchs in LA and both with better than 15k in attendance. What's the problem?
Let's not get this into playoff FORMAT talk, but I think the original point was playoff SCHEDULING. Let's say that all playoff games get played on weekends, would that SOLVE any problem? You would still have to ensure stadium availability (before the season starts), although Fri-Sat-Sun (with an occasional Thur) may provide enough potential matchdates. If the playoffs were on seven consective weekends (again, using the current format), MLS Cup would be on November 9-10. If we allow each round four weeks, (say, to spread the games amongst the weeks, some teams play weeks 1-2-3, some 2-3-4, and some 1-2-4), MLS Cup would be on November 23-24. This year, that still isn't Thanksgiving weekend, although I think most college football teams have completed their seasons. (Would the Open Cup final be on Thanksgiving weekend, then? Maybe even play the LHUSOC on the first week after the regular season, making MLS Cup on Thanksgiving weekend.) Playing MLS Cup on Thanks Weekend is an interesting thought.