MLS Flavors of the Week: 2020 Edition

I’ll take vaguely interesting nowadays

 

Thank goodness for the Bundesliga to actually have new games and new data to discuss.

 

they’d have to incur short/medium term losses to make this happen but I could see how they could think about it if they thought it would dramatically increase TV revenues, which are the driving force in sports.

 

Here's some basic numbers from this article: (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/27/maj...t-needs-to-secure-huge-media-deals-first.html)

MLS
TV deal: $90m*
Player Salary: $200m
Loss: $110m

NFL
TV deal: $7b
Player Salary: $6.6b
Profit before other items: $400m

* which is after a sweetheart deal with USSF....

 

ESPN charges very little for their MLS subscription. I'd be more than understanding if they add some COVID19 surcharge and give it to the clubs to pay salaries. With more people staying at home, is it not expected that ESPN would get the eyeballs which usually go to games, along with some extra household members?

 

except for the part where advertising aren’t paying anything for ads right now and their sister businesses are getting crushed (DisneyWorld, Land, etc.)

 

Except for the fact that it's not a MLS Subscription. When you subscribe to ESPN+ you get all of ESPN+ (MLS, their other Soccer properties, Rugby, 30 for 30 etc.). Unlike NBC which charges a premium for each sport on NBC Gold.

Also, those out of market streaming rights were already paid for by ESPN. The advertisements for the TV games were likely already sold prior to the season starting as well.

 

Live Soccer is now listing a difference between ESPN+ and MLS Live. I think that the difference might be that ESPN+ matches can be watched live and MLS Live on replay? I am really not sure. Earlier this season all the MLS games were saying ESPN+ and there was no MLS Live. When you read the fine print it says that MLS Live is broadcast on ESPN+ with certain caveats. It is all confusing. Anyone with more info? Season restarts this weekend according the Live Soccer:

https://www.livesoccertv.com/schedules/2020-06-13/

 

MLS is officially returning on July 8th... starting with a Tournament. Here are the specifics:

https://www.mlssoccer.com/mls-is-back-tournament/tournament-structure

Super geeked!

 

Seltzer has his dream bracket with regional rivals in groups together.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/06/10/my-dream-mls-back-tournament-draw-greg-seltzer

Eh..not for me. They say they will have a revised regular season MLS schedule for the period after the tournament at a later date, so they can adjust it to balance whatever happens in the tournament draw. I'd rather see regional rivalries in the regular season later when everybody is back in form and playing in familiar venues.

 

Thank God I need some soccer to talk about.

 

Feel like matchups in MLS tournament were unwise. Essentially we are getting the main course for an appetizer. The regional rivals are all paired in the group stage which means we will see far too many derby's because I imagine the regular schedule in the fall will involve "travel lite" matchups - i.o.w., more derby's.

The only plus is that each region will be represented in ko rounds.

 

Matchups:

 

I guess it was random selection... how come Group A has so many teams?

 

Maybe they wanted to keep even numbers in the groups

 

26 teams

 

Think "remainder" as in 26 divided by 4 = 6 remainder 2.

 

They stuck with geographical areas. But isn't that whom we will see in the regular season which begins after the tournament? They aren't going to charter jets to fly from Toronto to LAFC so why not have them meet in Orlando so I can get to see a good game? I'll see Toronto v Montreal in Orlando, then 2 times home/away for regular season then in Canadian championship (if it isn't cancelled) then a 5th time in playoffs, perhaps. I'm tired already just thinking about it. I"d rather see Toronto v Dallas or Sporting etc. I think the reason they did what they did was because everybody was pointing out that there could be uneven matchups in Orlando group stage which would determine conference standings outside of face to face meeting inside conference.

 

It was supposed to be random outside of a pre-agreed matchup between Orlando and Miami... but I question whether it was truly above board. In the end, I don't really care if some rivalries were added outside the random to make the tourney more interesting. I just want to watch. I am completely starved for Soccer. The Bundesliga is coming to a close and there are not that many USMNT players/prospects internationally outside of that league.... so the MLS has quickly become a must watch for me... especially since it seems like the quality has really increased over the last couple of years. Players I am geeked to see back in action... I am sure I am missing someone but the list is getting pretty long/intriguing:

Duncan - RB Red Bulls
Sands - CD/CDM NYCFC
Cannon - RB FC Dallas
Pomykal - M FC Dallas
Tessmann - CDM FC Dallas
Servania - M FC Dallas
Ferreira - F FC Dallas
Pepi - F FC Dallas
McKenzie - CD Philly
Aaronson - M Philly
Bassett - M Colorado
Araujo - RB Galaxy (although his manager never plays him :-( )
Hyndman - M Atlanta
Lennon - M Atlanta
Mihailovic - F Chicago
Blackmon - RB LAFC
Busio - M KC

 

On your list I'm interested in Sands, Aaronson and Pomykal.
My sense is that Duncan is a talent but man do we have rb's galore.
It will be interesting to see how far Robbie Robinson will go and if Pepi can do some damage.
I'd add Miles Robinson to your list.
It would be interesting to see Busio in Europe. He kinda doubled for Reyna with the u17's.

 

do we know when FCD’s first game against an elite DP is?

 

Fantastic List Indy11! Thanks for that. I need to bookmark it.... done

 

For SJ don't forget Cade Cowell. He didn't look out of place this year, although the team didn't do very well.

 

I'd add Blackmon and get rid of everyone over 25...