Based on my own thoughts and many of those who contributed to the '03 playoffs thread, here is my desire and predictions for the MLS domestic season eight years from now: MLS is now a 16-team coast-to-coast entity. Teams are divided into four geographical divisions of four teams each. The league starts in mid-March and lasts until the weekend before Thanksgiving, with a five-week break for international play in June and July. Each team plays divisional opponents four times (two home, two away) and all others two times (one home, one away). Only the four divisional champions make the playoffs, making for a seriously intense regular season. The playoff teams are seeded based on point totals. One plays four and two plays three in a two-game-total-goal series. The two winners play in a one-game-winner-take-all for the MLS Cup at a neutral site. The top two seeds qualify for the following year's Copa Liberatores and FC Champions Cup. Seeds three and four still qualify for the FCCC. Here's how it might look in eight years: East Division 1. New England 2. DC 3. Metrostars (now playing in Queens) 4. Rochester Mideast Division 1. Detroit 2. Columbus 3. Cleveland 4. Chicago Midwest Division 1. Kansas City 2. Dallas 3. Houston 4. Colorado West Division 1. Los Angeles 2. San Jose 3. Seattle 4. Portland Playoffs (aggregate scores) Detroit 4; New England 2 Los Angeles 5; Kansas City 3 MLS Cup Final Detroit 2; Los Angeles 1 Detroit Arsenal wins their first MLS title. Far-fetched or realistic?
you know I'm trying to think of an answer to your question and I can't think of anything that would be suitable. Let me answer with a question: Can you tell the winning numbers for the California Lottery for this coming Wednesday?
THere's got to be more playoffs. Also, I think MLS will be moving away from the division/conference alignment. That is the pervading mood around here isn't it?
Actually, I think that they are going to stick with the divisions or conferences due to the fact the country is too large to establish a home and away single table schedule. Too much travel. And a five week layoff is too long. This is definitely more fantasy. But I would take it just from the stand point that Detroit would have a team.
Why would Detroit be called Arsenal? Outside of GM-GLDS I don't think there are a lot of defense industries there.
I believe that by calling the team "Detroit Arsenal" he was referring to the oft mentioned naming of the city of Detroit as the "Arsenal of Democracy" during WWII. However it is my personal feeling that this gives the club a "wannabe" attitude with relation to the more famous North London club, instead of something unique and decidely Detroit-esque.
is there a 1-800 number we can reach you at during the day? Should we ask for Lady Boniqua or Miss Tricia?
I'm still stumped by the claims that the US is too large for a single table. Say MLS does get 16 teams. That's two against each team for a total of 30 games. Well, all MLS teams already play at least two against each team with no trouble traveling. How will adding six more teams in between the two coasts really make that too big? I have never understood this. If L.A. can play New England home and away in the regular season now, why can't they later? Please explain the logic behind this.
Several responses: 1. Arsenal was suggested by a friend. Yes, the name has already been used, but then again so was D.C.'s which everyone seems to like. 2. The reason behind the divisional format was not so much economic, but instead to reduce fatigue with more short flights to divisional opponents and less long flights across the country. A flight from Detroit to Chicago is easier on the body and less costly than a flight from Detroit to LA. People argue that the EPL is a 20-team league with 19 home-and-home matches per opponent, but the longest distance a club travels is a three-hour bus ride; much easier on the body than a four-hour flight. Other countries have set up similar arrangements with divisions like Mexico and are successful at it. I was originally an advocate of single-table no-playoff formats, but I now see the pro-media and economic advantages of having a playoff setup leading to one marguee championship game.
I can't see into the future, but I can almost guarantee that the yet-to-exist Detroit MLS team will win a title before the Lions do!!!!
Heres Mine... This is my view...but by 2007 not for 2010 16 Teams 30 Games, Home/Away April-October Season, 30 Weeks Top Half of table qualifies for MLS Cup (8teams) Single Elimination MLS Cup In November Two Games on TV each Saturday (4:30pm PST and 7pm PST) Change when US Open Cup is held... Possible Trophies: MLS League Champion (April-October) Team with most points in regular season MLS Cup (November) Top 8 Teams in tournament US Open Cup (April-May) All 16 teams in tournament F.C. Champions League (March-September) 3 Entrees (League, MLS Cup, USOC) Heres the 16 Teams: DC United Los Angeles Chicago Kansas City San Jose Dallas Columbus Colorado New England MetroStars Seattle Oklahoma City Houston Philadelphia Rochester Minnesota
When FDR made this speech about the Lend Lease Act in March 1941, he said: "America must become the great arsenal of democracy," not Detroit. The Detroit Dynamo is a name that has been suggested here before. I like the sound of that one. As for only 4 of 16 teams making the post season, that's obscene. MLS Cup should ALWAYS be an 8 team tournament, until the league has more than 20 teams, which is a very long way off.
Well what? I can't resist: MLS 2020 - 24 teams, 40 games (4 against division opponents, 2 conference, and 1 inter-conference) Eastern Conference Liberty Division New England Patriots (SC) New York Emperors Rochester Lancers Philadelphia Atoms Atlantic Division Baltimore Rockets DC United "the Eagles" Charlotte Hornets Atlanta Chiefs Southern Division Tampa Bay Rowdies Ft. Lauderdale Strikers Hammers of Nashville Kentucky Rifles Western Conference Great Lakes Division Columbus Stingers Chicago Fire Detroit Grand-Americans Minnesota North Stars Heartland Division Spirits of St. Louis Kansas City Monarchs Dallas Diablos Houston Apollos Pacific Division Colorado Rapids Los Angeles Aztecs San Jose Earthquakes Seattle Sounders Eight Team playoff: Six division winners and two wildcards Quarter- and Semi-final rounds consisting of three games, first to six points series One game, winner-take-all, MLS Championship Match for the Philip Anschutz Cup
Mexico has groups (aka divisions), but they still play a balanced home-away schedule against all teams in the league. Thus, the whole group thing is pretty much meaningless except as a really poor pretense for playoffs. - Paul
HalfMan, first off, I think Khansingh was making more of a joke about everyone else posting expansion ideas by picking a bunch of old NASL teams (ie. Philadelphia Atoms, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Atlanta Chiefs, Rochester Lancers). Which in my opinion is saying not to expand to quick or else MLS will end up in the same trouble as the NASL did. Second of all, Nashville is in Tennessee, not Kentucky.
They must have really fast buses in England if you can get from Newcastle to Southampton in 3 hours. Maybe they just drive on the right, where no one else is, so they don't have to deal with the traffic. Tom
hell, you can't get from providence to NYC in 3 hours. well, maybe you could, if it weren't for that damn 100-mile long traffic jam known as Connecticut.