Here's how I would set up next years MLS season. We have 10 teams, 2 divisions of 5. Team will play each of the other teams within it's division 4 times, 2 home, 2 away. They play each team from the other division twicw, 1 home, 1 away. That gives us a 26 game season. Teams will play a midweek game every other week. No team should play more than 3 matches in a 14 day period and no less than 2. This gives us a 17 or 18 week regular season. If the league begins play in early April then the regular season will end in mid-August. Then the top 8 teams advance to the playoffs. Playoffs should be single elimination with the higher seed rewarded with home field advantage. Playoff matches played on Saturdays with the MLS Cup Final to be played on Monday, Labor Day.
what about US Open Cup matches?? what about CONCACAF Champion's Cup/League matches? what about any other competitions that mls teams might be in? what about the All-Star game, what about the already scheduled month long break?
1) Get rid of the two divisions. Schedule season like you would, 4 games against some, 2 against other. Just have one table. 2) Get rid of 8 teams in the playoffs, unless you have 1 v 4, 2 v 3, 5 v 8, 6 v 7 (double elimination for seeds 1-4). One game series. 3) Have the Cup Final on Labor Day. That is a splendid idea.
I agree, somehow the Final needs to conclude by Labor Day. The playoffs (which should be the most important and exciting part of the season) should be played at a time (August) when there is little competition in the sports market. That way you can hopefully attract new fans. Eventually, when you've increased your fan base, you can then extend your season ans hopefully the fans will stay with you. Do you remember the NFL championship used to end in December, the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals used to end in April? Over time, they gradually extended their seasons. Sure a short season is not ideal for player development, but for the long term I think it needs to be done to generate more interest.
I do not understand the strange drive to end the season by Labor Day. September attendance is historically much better than August or July! I think MLS HQ agrees realizes this too. They have no intetion off hacking off one of the most lucrative parts of the season. Check it out: BEST MONTHS IN MLS HISTORY Rk MONTH GP TOTAL AVERAGE 1 April 1996 16 470,296 29,394 2 March 1997 6 127,633 21,272 3 March 2002 8 164,723 20,590 4 September 2001 11 210,282 19,117 5 June 1996 30 573,151 19,105 6 September 2002 16 292,889 18,306 7 July 1999 28 507,985 18,142 8 September 2000 15 266,891 17,793
September has been a good month because the final regular season games always draw well. That would happen in August as well. I'm talking about media interest. After Labor Day no one is paying attention. Don't compalin about a lack of TV coverage for the playoffs, it's not going to happen when you're going up against college footbal, NFL and baseball playoffs. Showcase your sport when there is little competition and then eventually extend the season.
You will see such better soccer next year you will not believe it. One, with any luck the refs will not be a problem. Perfect no, but better. Second, soccer improves when game temperature is below 75. A break in summer and more games in October and November will increase the quality of soccer. I pray the fields stay in shape, because in terms of soccer weather, August in Dallas, KC, and DC and Chicago are just not it. The temperature can drop down to 40 and be just fine for soccer. 20 is a little cold, but not many games will have kick-off temperatures in the 20's. Add in Houston, and you have a great autumn venue. It's not the be-all end all, but it will help.
The end it before labor day is a dumb idea. Most people I know love to play soccer in the fall and I love to watch it then as well.
Recent word is that we get a 30 game season next year, with a break (or breaks?) for a couple major competitions and exhibitions with international club teams during the break. I'm not sure where the extra two games come from (double home and away in conference, home and away out of conference, extra home and away with the team ranked the same in the other conference last season, plus two more games) That's 16 home games, same as when we had a 32 game season. Better deal than we've had in years. Add in the open cup, and playoffs for most teams, and you could get to a 20 game ticket package without adding many more friendlies. (Maybe throw a preseason game or two into the package, like Chicago did this year).
Ending the season before fall is uttlerly foolish since. Soccer is a great fall sport. MLS an ESPN2 should utilize a Soccer Friday shift in September. My guess is that the casual fan that MLS is so inamoured of has room to care for soccer as long as it doesn't conflict with that pointy ball game. And we'd get the same coverage at the end of the season and into the postseason--one nationally televised game per week. Dang, why don't I have Garber's job?