2027 season will be 1/2 a season, ending with playoffs in May. Break for June. Then start the 2027-28 season in Late July. For me, I don't see how this is all that much better weather wise. We trade out June for more November & December games. Nov & December is better than June, but June wasn't that bad. We lose the whole July 4 thingee. Ok. The season will start in late July? So no relief from the worst months. I guess they think that across the league it balances out. More than anything, I think they like this for putting playoffs in May against basketball. I think there is less value in that than they think, but I can't claim any real hard evidence. We will see. The other big thing is "align transfer windows." But I think they have to start in late August for that. The summer transfer window doesn't even open until July 1. Most deals have to wait until almost it closes -- and MLS will like 5 weeks into the season then before you get your roster finalized. So for me ... I don't hate it as mush as I'm just MEH. https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-to-align-calendar-with-top-leagues-around-world
I like the change overall. The MLS playoffs with the long international breaks and then being overshadowed by football have become mostly invisible to folks. I am not sure I watched any of the last two MLS Cup finals (pretty sure I was watching SEC Championship games). The fall is too congested from both a sporting competitiveness (vs. football, baseball playoffs, etc.) and general activity for anyone with schoolage kids. Spring is similar but less congested to me. The big miss to me is not starting this in 2026 after the World Cup. Missed opportunity
It appears to align with what Liga MX has in place. And July 4th can still be a soccer day in our nation. Have your MLS team play a big team from abroad like a Milan, Boca Jrs. or Liverpool in Pre-season action.
I agree I think it will probably be a net positive at least. The thing about this change that drives me up an absolute tree is how people have been complaining that the league is now “going up directly against the NFL and College football” like they live in some reality where MLS ends on Labor Day*! Yea there’s NBA and NHL playoffs but it’s a lot easier battle. NBA is in Conference semi finals and conference finals in May, NHL probably similar. Another Dynamo specific benefit is that there’s less overlap vs the Astros season. In the current format there is 6 to 7 months of overlap with the Astros depending on playoffs. Under the new format it shrinks to 3 to 4 months. That helps a ton with scheduling flexibility and quality of life. They might be able to schedule a full season without Astros conflict games. *just wanted to note that a consulting firm actually recommended this to MLS once.
I’ve stated that I think it is possible the benefit MLS will get from moving playoffs away from NFL is less than they think. Why do I think that is possible? First, I don’t claim to have enough information or expertise to be highly confident on this point - but why let that stop us? I read a report that the Atlanta united/Atlanta Falcons club did an analysis of ticket buyers for both clubs. They found that something like only 5% was the overlap between fan bases. That report reinforced a belief I have that the “general sports fan” is hugely overrated as important to soccer, or even part of the fan base of a succesful club. I think intense soccer fans are the foundation of your fan base, and it is about reaching and activating soccer fans. Folks who don’t care about NFL football. Am I right? I really am not sure. I will tell you this, when I got to an Austin FC game I get the feel everyone are soccer fans. I see people I played with. People I know love the game. Sure there are some general sports fans … but really it feels like 90% soccer people. If you tell me that personal observation is not good data — I absolutely agree.
Going up against the NFL/CFB amongst other sports in the Fall means you will never grow your playoff or championship tournament interest beyond the current hardcores
That is their theory without a doubt. Not sure we will ever know if it is as important as they think. Too many independent variables. The alternative theory is that replacement of TV with streaming deals, social media etc, everything is diminishing the "general sports fan." Fans, like their media and news, are fragmented into segments now. The alternative theory is that there is no sports calendar anymore, and MLS soccer goes up against other soccer -- not against what other sports might be in season.
The focal, go to demographic for ticket sales for pro soccer in our nation is to haul in the intense fans of soccer. Correct. No arguments here Don. However, as I have witnessed it, specifically with teenage and 20 something footballers from all backgrounds here in Houston, they themselves do not watch pro soccer very much. Certainly, downtown at Shell Stadium, these players of soccer do not attend Houston Dynamo home games save a select few matches over several seasons. Perhaps when there is a big CCC match with Houston vs. Tirgres or when Messi or a Son comes to town. Knowing this to be true, MLS clubs must cast a wide net and find new fans to soccer. Folks that did not grow up playing the sport but got bitten with the soccer bug and just love the sport like they love other sports they have followed since young.
That is a great observation. Let me tell you what you would experience if you lived in Austin. Every school day you would see lots of students wearing ATX kits. These kids do watch and follow ATXFC. When you go to Q2 stadium, you will see the young soccer players, and older adult soccer players, and ex-soccer players all gathered to watch their local team. ATX did not widen the net with new soccer fans -- it established itself as relevant to existing intense soccer fans. HDFC has not established and kept that same relevance in Houston. Your pointing out evidence for my point. Seattle, KC, Nashville, Atlanta, Cincy -- all these places your description would not be true. I do not believe Houston is so completely different than these other cities. Why has HDFC not been able to experience the success these other markets have? I'm not sure, but thinking about it I do think marketing in Houston is likely much more expensive than in these smaller markets. Probably takes less money to educate the marketplace. I'm just spitballing with that ....
Off the top of my head, there are three cities in our nation that stand out as terrific outliers as far as fan bases go and their incredible interest in a pro team in town. This being Green Bay Wisconsin with their massive support for the Packers in the NFL. I know for a fact that their waiting list for Season Tickets is so backed up over the generations that literally the only way to get them is someone has to have a Season ticket holder pass away and no one in their family wanted to continue their STH package! So what we see up there is everyone in town, kids, teens adults, everyone is locked into their following of their NFL team. Then the two cities here in Texas that have just one Tier I pro sports team in town. That is what we know of San Antonio and the force of nature that is their Spurs affliction, then Austin. Which Austinites finally got what they had pursued for so many years, a pro team to support. So I would expect that in their neck of the woods, children, teens and adults are all in for Austin FC. They all wear Austin FC gear and all love their team. Shocking I know Don! HA!
Well look. All I can do is share my observations. I live in Austin. I have coached kids soccer here in Austin. I go to a few ATXFC games each year, including of course any Dynamo games up here. That fact and 1.25$ will get you a cup of coffee. Your analysis is not supported by my observations living here weekend and weekout. ATXFC games are not full of general sports fans. You are understating the presence of three other pro-sports teams here in Austin: Longhorn football, Longhorn basketball, Longhorn baseball. Not to mention that both the Rangers and Astros baseball, and Cowboy football, is huge here. The whole thing about Austin being an unoccupied market is quite overblown. Times are changing my friend. Longhorn football is something no Houston team has to compete with -- and is humongous in its footprint.
So I failed epicly in missing an opportunity to make my case stronger that you have misstated the Austin market. OK. I agree.