Here's Plenderleith on the NE game: http://www.matchnight.com/?Page=PLENDERLEITH I love his reference to Terry Vaughn: "Terry 'Even The Most Basic Laws of the Game Elude Me' Vaughn"
Plenderleith is right that the MLS Cup shouldn't be played at a neutral site. Don't know if a home & home series would work as he suggests, but basically he's right.
Well, when every MLS controls it's own stadium, this would certainly be a good option to think about. However, MLS uses the Cup for more than just the final--it's a big media event, with quite a few things going on.
I almost agree. Home and home, with the higher placed team getting the choice of whether or not to play the second leg at home or away.
I used to think that this was the only way to go and that MLS was blowing a big opportunity by having the final at a pre-determined venue. Then I looked at the historical attendance figures, thought about the four MLS cups that I have been to, and thought back to the champions league final I was able to attend in 1996. These factors all tell me that a pre-determined site is not so bad really. Good attendance, some historic and wonderful crowds, lots of ability for the league to market ahead of time. Then I had a revelation: Would we be arguing for a home and home final if the two teams that happened to be in it were KC and Dallas or San Jose? Seriously, wouldn't we be regretting the national embarassment of the league pricing tickets for the final at $5 each and having 12,000 people in an empty stadium? Something to think about at least. Cheers, Tim
Very good point. MLS Cup in LA, DC, Crew stadium are pretty safe bets on a decent crowd and atmosphere. ANywhere else it is a crapshoot that could end up looking quite embarassing for the league. We aren't at that level yet...years down the road it might be a better option.
Unfortunately, with baseball in RFK, chances are MLS won't be scheduling any more finals here for a while. Worse case scenario, the DC government screws around and delays the new BB stadium, and that delays the new SSS, and United gets a couple of extra years of a baseball infield or lousy sod over-top of it.
Baseball finishes over a month before MLS Cup. It's not like the Senators/Nats/whatevers are going to be in the World Series for a while. They could make it work.
Great piece. Yeah, the pitfalls of such a scenario are many, but with more and more teams getting control of their stadiums it's not such an outrageous proposal.
And hell is for heroes (and I'm not talkin' samiches here)! So everyone must set the stage for a United win over the negative footballing whiz. GM