Im form the UK, i know there is a similar post to this already, but i was curious how the MLS competition works, the league structure (Eastern and Western conference) means absolutely nothing to me. another thing...do people in america get any coverage of the Nationwide Football League? (the league below the Premiership) i'm a Norwich City fan, and although Norwich have been promoted to the Premiership this season, they've been in the Nationwide Division 1 for 9 years
Well, www.mlsnet.com would be a good start. The teams are split into divisions, sorry, conferences, because that's just typical of how sports leagues are set up in this country. I suppose it was originally done (for baseball, etc) for travel purposes because the USA is much larger than a typical European country. Nowadays, it's still done this way to promote rivalries (and so as not to confuse fans of other American sports who are used to divisions). Teams still play every other team but play teams in their own conference more times. There are some who hope for a single-table format someday. But it's not just the US that does this - Mexico, for example, has groups in their league. Of course, the main difference between MLS (and Mexico) and the European leagues is the playoff system to determine a champion. Currently in MLS, the top four teams from each conference go into the playoffs at the end of the "regular season". This is important to keep the league interesting up until the end because there is not a (lucrative) continental competition to play for as in Europe, and because there's no relegation. But that's a whole 'nother can of worms that I'd rather not open here. Hope that helps.
Oh, and there isn't regular TV coverage of the First Division, but last year, Fox Sports World showed the promotion playoffs.
In MLS the 9th place team (there are 10 teams) can qualify for the playoffs. Then what is the point of the rest of the season? This is why I don't watch MLS, nor do I spend money on tickets for the MetroStars.
People who make claims like this generally would use a whole lot of other excuses not to go to games if that one were unavailable. The purpose of the season is to allow Americans to watch US first division soccer for six months, something they weren't able to do for fifteen years before the founding of MLS. While the playoff structure may be a little silly, no team that has ever finished below 2nd in their conference has won MLS Cup, so people who talk about the playoffs being a total crapshoot aren't really being fair.
I suppose it is possible for the 4th team in one conference to be ranked 9th overall, but that's irrelevant given the conference/playoff structure. We borrow from the NFL in that respect: the first rule is to mind your conference. Look at it this way, two teams are 'relegated' out of the post season playoff. This works for us, and frankly the soccer is good and getting better. Your excuse for ignoring MLS -- you would probably find another is we mended what doesn't need mending -- would be like someone refusing to listen Mahler because his symphonies don't follow classic sonata form -- -- or refusing to watch any basketball team with a white player, because white men can't jump. Your argument, like these, borders on the riduculous.
No. My argument makes perfect sense, and borrowing rules and formats from the NFL is what is ridiculous. I am not saying to look to the league in Brasil for help on this, but come on, at least use other SOCCER leagues as models. Like I said games during the "regular" season are pointless to go watch as nothing is at stake, and the soccer isn't good enough to watch for the hell of it. The quality of play rather frustrating in fact. So shut up about your classical music, and white men can't jump.
Well, if it will make you feel any better, just consider the regular season as the regular season, and the playoffs (since nearly everyone is in it) as the League Cup. There. Wasn't that simple? Just like in "real" soccer leagues.