MLS considering spring, fall seasons, new playoff format

I believe his editor cropped the story some. Other changes MLS is considering:

1. MLS is considering changing it's name to the American Premier League.

2. All team nicknames except for DC United will be dropped. Clubs will only be referred to as Chicago F.C, AC Dallas, Inter New York, CF San Jose, Real Los Angeles, Dyanamo Colorado, VFL New England and Racing Kansas City.

He's full of it. Given that MLS matches can't draw flies is there is the least little bit of weather, holding matches before March and into November means stadia not being available, NFL and College Football running us of TV, etc.

If this does happen, I will come to this thread and eat crow though.

Sachin

 

WOW!!! That is extremely interesting. I like some of it and don't like some of it.

Taking off June and July??? That would suck! I've always thought that they should take off maybe three weeks in June or July from the MLS season and devote it to U.S. Open Cup and whatever international thing is going on. That would mean that teams wouldn't have their full strength for U.S. Open Cup, but it tests depth and that's good. This three week thing would be very good for years with World Cups, U.S. Cups, and Copa Americas as well. That way, the teams can focus on the Open Cup and not have to continually go back and forth between league and cup in that period even though they'd be without some stars. But the two season thing really sucks bad. I never knew that about the Mexican league. I thought they just did it like Europe and went through winter. But taking off two months of summer would absolutly kill attendance. Many young people rely on parents to get them to games and many times, parents can't do that on weekends that aren't in the summer.

I really like the making it into one table deal so that the schedule is even. Then the Supporter's Shield would have a much larger significance. I'm not sure how they can do this though. That would have to be a 36 match schedule. Then add other tournaments in there and its as ridiculously jam packed as Europe. The difference is that European teams have much larger squads to deal with larger numbers of matches. They could also do an 18 match schedule, but I'm sure MLS wants more games than that. So they would have to do some sort of a draw. It would be something like playing six teams four times and then drawing the other three to play twice. This would work and because of the draw, there couldn't be as many complaints about one conference being much weaker and unbalanced schedules because there are no conferences. Although this would make some teams have better draws, but there is very little else you can do with 10 teams in one table.

The new playoff format is a must and everyone knows it. The best solution are home and home series and then the final is just one game. 8 teams pretty much allows everyone in but there are not too many other ways to do it. They could consider having the tops two teams only play a semifinal. Like have the #1 team play the winner of the #3 vs. #6 and then have the #2 team play the winner of #4 vs. #5.

With the changes in the table, the season would have to be stretched out. One thing that may improve the regular season is bonuses. Give each player $300 for a win and $100 for a tie. Give them each $1,000 for the Supporter's Shield and $1,000 for the MLS Cup. These may be stupid numbers for bonuses but I have nothing to base it on because I truly don't know what kind of money MLS has. Also, I think that MLS should give a large bonus to the team that gets the attendance crown. Maybe they could spend this money on some sort of promotion or add something to their stadium or whatever. I think bonuses would be great incentive even if they're not large.

 

About the bonuses though, they should find a way to give more money to the players who take part in the game than the players on the bench. This way players want to get in and earn that extra bit of money. It could increase competition and make many of those boring regular season games, that much more interesting.

 

Would the Mexican league format work in the MLS?

When the Mexican league went from its traditional year long season (September thru June) to the short seasons.. i was a bit skeptical. But I think it has worked out for the best. It has even leveled the playing field without penalizing the big clubs.

The only drawback was the the quailty of play dimished somewhat. Playing with the same gruop of guys throughout a year allowed for teams to build chemsitry. The first 2-3 short seasons, teams didnt have that much time to come together as a team. Every 6 months, new coaches and players were added on to teams making it harder for teams to come together as a team. But the players were finally getting adapted to it..

 

I'm also have mixed feeling on this. I like the idea of a single table, reducing the playoffs teams to 4 with home and home matches with a single final game.

I'm neutral on the League's Name change. On second thought I'm leaning somewhat against.

The split season is a terrible idea. We are finally getting folks to think in terms of a "soccer season" and "soccer saturday". It would be a confusing message after all the efforts MLS has spent in trying to establish its season and brand.

 

I like the Single Table format. I like the idea, of making it a home & home Playoff with Goal Aggragate, But I don't want to seperate seasons.

We are not the Mexican league, nor should we even consider having two seperate seasons. One exciting season is enough for me. Besides I liked this new format this season. There is alot of parity and excitment as well as heartbreak(I'm still feeling sick after this past saturday).

The only thing that has to be solved is the ammount of matches in the schedule. Will there be 28 or more. Also how to schedule friendly matches for each individual club.

Well other than that. That's all I can think of.

 

Pretty much the only thing I like in there is the single table.

The spring/fall concept is a bad idea, it'll be too difficult for fans to understand. Instead of a 2-game aggregate, I would opt for a 3-game aggregate or a 3 game series with no draws (all games go to overtime and/or PKs).

 

Well if they are going with a single table format.

It looks like a total of 34 matches to be played facing each club 4 times. Twice at home & twice on the road.

Start the season in the middle of March or the beginning of March. That would be cool I think. Yes there will be some midweek games on the schedule. Heck schedule one on Wednesday and one on Saturday or Sunday. It would be cool actually to have a Sunday afternoon once in a while.

So one week it could be Wednesday then Saturday, or Wednesday then Sunday. Some clubs can alternate on their schedules, or something like that. It can still leave room for US Open Cup & CONCACAF Champions Cup.

 

Leave everything the way it is

8 teams is fine, think long term when MLS has 20 teams. The current playoffs are the best mix of profit and fairness for seeding and competition. They will continue to be the best combination.

I'm not in favor of anything that rewards ties to a higher degree. I'm also not for much of anything that erases what little tradition this league has.

Going to "world common" soccer names will just perpetuate mainstream media bias, ignorance, and the cycle of continuous change in search of the miracle quick fix. Very bad decision!!!

This board might be familiar with Real, AC, Racing, Dynamo and the like, but I assure you the average mug in the walk up crowd does not have a clue what those names mean. Remember, all of us are already at the games.

 

You have a bonus fetish.

 

Re: Leave everything the way it is

1 pt. for Sachin!

 

rdl

The only drawback was the the quailty of play dimished somewhat.

I disagree. To me the quality of play increased which caused problems for the bigger Clubs. Since the start of the split Championships none of the traditional powerhouses dominated and new clubs began to make their mark. Toluca and Pachuca are good examples.

In the old MFL single table long season (with play offs) there would be many boring games. Most clubs would play for the tie since finishing in first place did not guarantee the Championship.

In the short season, every game becomes a must win as two or three loses could mean not qualifying to the play offs. Another good thing about this format is that foreign players have less time to suck. Before they would stink up the place the whole year. Now if they cant produce by the end of the first tourney they are out the door.

 

I have a better idea. We have 8 tourneys that last one month each. That way every team has a good chance to become champions.

 

Re: rdl

I disagree. To me the quality of play increased which caused problems for the bigger Clubs. Since the start of the split Championships none of the traditional powerhouses dominated and new clubs began to make their mark. Toluca and Pachuca are good examples.

It has increased, but how long did it take for the player to adpat to it? The first 2-3 seasons after they implemented the Verano/Invierno seasons.. the quality decreased. The players were not used to playing alot more games in shorter periods of time, and the fact that teams were not together for significant periods of time to come together as a team only resulted in a decrease of quality. Is it a coincidence that no team has been able to repeat? The quality has been restored because the players are use to the physical demands that these shorter season require.. but it took time for the player in the Mexican league to get use to it.

Look at club America this year.. They have the same lineup as they did last season with a couple new acquisitions...but for the most part... the bulk of that team is still very much intact.

In the old MFL single table long season (with play offs) there would be many boring games. Most clubs would play for the tie since finishing in first place did not guarantee the Championship.

Granted, there were teams that did not have the resources to go up against the tradtional power house teams over a longer period of time.. but even the bottom table teams still played well and played together as a team.

In the short season, every game becomes a must win as two or three loses could mean not qualifying to the play offs. Another good thing about this format is that foreign players have less time to suck. Before they would stink up the place the whole year. Now if they cant produce by the end of the first tourney they are out the door.

clubs from Europe and South America have an extra incentive... UEFA Cup, Champions League, Copa Libertadores, Super Copa..

Unfortunately, our area does not have that extra incentive...so I guess the clubs incentive was to finish higher to get a bigger piece of the pie. Televisa and TV Azteca pay good amount of cash to those teams that do well on the tube. How is it that that Toluca started to become a powerhouse in the 90s? You really dont think Lebrija spent all his money on the team did you. No.. he invested on what he had to and expected his club to do well and get prime real estate on the tube. Even in the US, they get prime Real Estate on the tube. I dont agree with you about teams playing for the tie...not going for the 3 points and losing percentage on the relegation table is not in the best interest of the club.

Every game counts.. but i dont agree with the new rule that allows the top 2 finishers of each gruop to qualify directly into th playoffs. Look at Group 1 and Group 2.. its war. and then look at gruop 3 and group 4... they are lollygagging... if they end up in the playoffs... it will just dilute the competition. I think we had it good with the reclassificatian (repechaje) games at the end of the regular season.

 

I don't know if anybody noticed but the Cup is on the 20th of October.

 

Who doesn't?

Sachin

 

???

Why does MLS HQ constantly experiment? I'm not a Euro-snob and I don't think EVERYTHING they do across the pond is perfect but... stick with what works, what's been proven, and what American's are familiar with.

The playoff system should NEVER have been first to five to begin with, so props on promising to fix that. Now, however, we have another soccer "fix" (examples: shootout, clock counting down...). MLS HQ is going to create TWO mini-seasons with TWO championships?! WTF?! I don't care what the MFL does! A single table format is great.

Note to MLS HQ: Do all the bobblehead brat nights you want, just please stop being "inventive" when it comes to the actual game.

 

What do you guys think of the two five minute over times? I think they can make the game real exciting sometimes, but then the other half of me doesn't like it. It seems a little unfair when a team does so well for 90 min. and the cruelly loses in overtime.

 

What I and a lot of fans object to is the need to "Euro-nize" MLS. At the end of the day, MLS is going to be an American sports league. It will find success appealing to Americans, not ersatz Eurotrash, or the Soccer newbies who think all things EPL are golden. The EPL is turning into a junk league. We do not want MLS to be the US version of EPL.

Also, you can take the one table idea and can it right now. It ain't gona happen. As more teams come into MLS, the division set-up will make more and more sense.
If we had one table, this season, most of the teams from the big cities in the East would have been out of the playoffs a long time ago.

Instead we have the biggest crowds of the season coming out to see sub-500 teams battle for the last playoff spots in 2 divisions. Only jackass Eurotrash wannabees would throw away that advantage.

 

That's a very good point. When I was thinking of a single table setting, I was focusing more on balancing a schedule because I would like to see The Supporter's Shield gain more importance, but a guess the only way it will is over time.

 

Dynamo Colorado? Dude, it has to be Rapid Colorado. This way they can keep their current uniforms (sorry, "kits") just by using a magic marker over the "s."

Seriously, though: I miss something? Since when does Jamie Trecker have any credibility?

 

Even Satan can quote scripture for his own purpose.

I remain stunned that everytime MLS talks about switching playoff formats, they fail to consider NFL-style knockouts. Advantages?

1. Shorter playoffs = 2 less Wednesday games.
2. Traditionally, playoff games have had poor attendance. Fewer games = less money lost.
3. Easy to explain, since it copies the NFL.
4. No weekday games.
5. More scheduling certainty...no "if necessary" game 3s.
6. Rewards regular season excellence...it's better to have 100% of 1 game at home than 67% of 3 games.