This is really simple, Why don't MLS follow the format of our next door Mexican league which have a final on two games one home and one visitor and scores are add. it would be better for the fans and for the bottom line $$$$$
MLS has trouble selling tickets on short notice. So, you'll often see that even playoff games are often attended less than regular season matches. If the league switches to the home and away format there would only be one week to sell tickets to the first game in the series and two weeks for the second game. That's not enough time yet. Also, because a lot of teams don't own or control their stadium, it's nearly impossible to schedule games on short notice that late in the season. The Fire need permission from the local NFL Football team to use the stadium and we might not get it on short notice.
Not that the MLS cup is remotely comparable, but I think the MLS honchos view the SuperBowl and Champions League finals as better benchmarks.
Hmmm. At first it seems kind of crazy. And then you think about it and it seems kinda like a pretty good idea. But I don't think it's a possibility until all MLS teams gets their own stadiums since the scheduling at a pointy-ball park that time of year can get dicey. Hockey, baseball and basketball all do the final as a series so it's not that far out of line. Of course it would piss off the people who don't think we should have any playoffs at all to actually expand them.
Got a point with the stadiums situation but it should be the goal of MLS, it have work for years with the MEXICAN league, about the sell of tickets if you have Columbus and Galaxy you could sale tickets for the final: one game in Columbus and one game in L.A.
I like the Super Bowl/Champions League one game final format. I think having a game at a predetermined site will do more for MLS than a game at two places with little time to plan. What if they need a stadium with an NFL tenant that happens to have a game on both weekends of the finals?
Plus, ABC needs to know ahead of time and would not be amenable to switching from Sunday to Saturday b/c the San Diego Chargers have a pointy-ball game. (P.S.: the San Diego thing is just to get ppl riled up. Chill out, have a glass of wine. breathe... Have a birria taco and make swig it down w/ a chilled Gewurtztraminer [?])
In a few years if MLS is much healthier, this question could be of merit. As far as TV scheduling problems. Well if the venues are all MLS by then, a start time of, let's say 4PM regardless of time zone would prevent any problem there. All MLS controlled venues is a long ways away, though.
Lol, please like the Chargers would get any ratings. They suck and they need to leave San Diego. Everyone hates them here.
Re: Re: MLS final better format What is so bad about two games ? , they are doing it in Mexico and make enough cash to have Benhaker, perhaps we could have Gus Hiddihk, soccer is natural game and a two games final just make sense. Lack of brain activite is a great recipe for failure and we can't affort another soccer league failure we own this effort to our kids....How could it be if Landon would not have a league to play i could picture him on walmart driving a forklift and practicing on the back
Re: Re: Re: MLS final better format I don't think it's such a bad idea. However, it has zilch chance of happening due to the current stadium situation. This has nothing to do with brain acitivity and I doubt the MLS is going out of business because they don't adopt your idea. Why don't you check back with us when every MLS team has their own SSS, say in ten years or so?
Re: Re: Re: MLS final better format So let me get this straight, if we follow the lead of a one game final (FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup, World Cup) we have a lack of brain activite (activity!). But if we follow a country that can't even have clean water to drink we are missing this brain activite?!?!?! Look around the world, one game finals are the norm.
Of course if you have a playoff it should be a two-match aggregate. Home-and-home. Each set of fans get to see their guys play for the title! What a novel idea! And you play it in the middle of the week, numbskulls. Prime time. Wednesday nights. That way you don't worry about the NFL or availability of stadiums. This doesn't take a PhD to figure out, gentlemen. And I don't give a flying-**** what ABC or ESPN thinks about it. We pay them, remember? When they begin to pay us, then they can make a special request or two. If they don't like it, take it to Fox Sports World. We might even get to see the Cup ceremony for once.
we have home-and-home finals here in colombia.... and i think it is a great format, because every city can see their team playing in the finals, and support them in a great way (just like baseball).
While I have European beliefs when it comes to running a soccer league. I think a two leg final would not fit in the US under any circumstances.
Re: Re: Re: Re: MLS final better format All those tournaments do not have a regular season leading up to it. The whole point of the regular season in most american sports is to provide home field advantage.
OK, MLS obviously needs more teams for a good playoff system. But as long as we're at 10-12 teams, how about the winner of the Supporter's Shield gets the only bye, and the 6 next best teams go. That means the SS has some meaning, a true advantage in the playoffs. It also means we can cut one more team out of the playoffs so it doesn't feel like everyone goes. It's an awkard situation, but so is MLS. And if we're adding one team next year an odd number in the playoffs isn't a big deal anyway. It'll mean an even number stay home. At least for one year. Remember, MLS is quirky anyway. And of course, a third place game on the same day as the final so we supporters can plan on going to the final a few weeks early because we'll know as soon as our respective teams make the quarter finals that they'll be playing at the location of the final, on the day of the final, even if they're not in the final.
Nice idea. However you need a balanced schedule or the one team out is going to be complaining because KC got to play Dallas a few extra times then a team in the East and would it be a one and done match or two leg. Then would it be a two leg Sunday/Wednesday? Etc. etc. etc.
Re: Re: Re: Re: MLS final better format Coppa Italia, Copa do Brasil, Spanish Supercopa, and the Copa Libertadores all use 2 game finals, and the UEFA Cup did until recently.