The more I think about it the more this makes the most sense for me. DC kinda gets ********ed but also idgaf because somebody has to, and f DC. This would allow the NE and Midwest divisions to play in the south in February and November, and then flip in July and August, minimizing the amount of crappy home games that each have.
I just saw a rumor they might do some weird divisions. Cascadia and Texas to keep California together and to break up the cold weather markets.
Oops. Forgot to mention. I have no idea how CCC, Leagues Cup, USOC, and the Canadian Championship fit in. The release said USOC/CC will continue to exist. But I think the answer for LC is clearer, keep it right where it is! Late July/early August is a perfect spot for it. Northern cities can host. So hosting can be determined by seeding with no worries. It will balance the competition as MLS clubs in mid-season form currently have a big edge. The format perhaps needs tweaked again. But take a break from league 3 weeks in or so, play the group stage, the sprinkle the KOs in midweek. Thru Aug/Sept. USOC us gonna be tricky. Will USL switch as well? Currently, it is played over 1 calendar year: 4 rounds in March/April with MLS Next, 2 rounds with MLS joining in May, QF in July, SF in Sept, Final Oct. CCC will dominate the Spring calendar as the other competition, but only 1/3rd if the keague participates. But as if now, CCC teams don't play USOC. I'd love for that to change, maybe if LC bites the dust or rosters expand? Or you get a USOC ruoe change? You may have to do something funky like the abbreviated 2027 MLS to shift it over. But I'd hope USOC could eventually straddle. Play the early rounds late Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec. Later rounds in April. Final in late May/early June mayble after MLS Cup. I'd utilize the Sept/Oct/Nov/March FIFA windows. If MLS is gonna observe them, use them for early-ish USOC rounds. I have no earthly idea how the schedule of the lower leagues fit. Or if they do. My hope is: MLS regular: mid July to mid December Leagues Cup: same as now ---Late July/Aug: 1 week for Group ---Rest of Aug: 3 dates for QF, SF, Final/3rd MLS regular: Mid Feb to April CCC: 5 dates: Feb to late May/June. Same as now. -----get the SF done before MLS playoffs. -----the Final can come after, early June MLS playoffs: May USOC: needs 8/9 matchdays. I'd do the lion's share in the July/Dec part. The first two rounds never include MLS teams, and 3rd round hasn't since cutting participation to 16 MLS teams. I am a USOC guy, so here is my schedule, with full MLS participation. Rounds 1 & 2: No MLS, July/August (LC) Round 3: Some MLS, September window Round 32: Rest of MLS, Oct. window Round 16: November window QF: December, pre-break SF: March window (assuming CCC doesn't play in that window). Otherwise March. Final: either April or push back to after MLS Cup & CCC. Or, depending on the teams, you can do it in May. But again, I have no idea how lower league schedules fit in. Or if they do.
That is also good. I wanted to keep SJ/LA together, but that one makes a lot of sense. Only real difference is SJ & Rockies with Cascadia and SoCal With Texas. Restvis the same. Yours is likely better. But it IS MLS. They will likely do something screwy. And I'd mention, one way to make up for ticket revenue lost is to throw a couple more games in there. And collect some expansion fees. 4 divisions of 8 is 32. 2xdiv (14) + everyone else once (24) = 38. EPL plays 38. Or you can just play half of one of the other divisions to keep it at 34. I don't think it happens immediately, but the thought has occurred.
I imagine it will be close to this I could also see: move SJ to the SW Move Houston to SE DC gets moved to NE Toronto gets moved to Midwest move Minni (or StL) to the NW But what you have probably makes more sense. Which, of course, means that's not what it will be
Hell no. We lose all homefield advantage going up to play in Cleveland. We aren't the Cleveland Crew and we certainly aren't the Brook Park Crew. I'd rather freeze my ass off while the Nordecke is rocking than drive to the Cleveland area for anything. Exhibition game? Maybe even a non MLS competition, but not MLS games.
I do like 6 team divisions and playing everyone at least once. And if MLS goes to 32 teams, they could keep it similar as @TrueCrew mentions above (four 8 team divisions and a total of 38 games). The thing about the current Supporters Shield, is that the Eastern and Western conference teams schedules are inherently different. The team with the most points, could be benefiting from playing in the weaker conference. Now, the change in calendar, I am not a fan of.
If it was my call: Crewsmas for the home opener, the way it's always been. Chili Cook-off at the first game of the new year. It may depend on how long the winter break between home games is. If it's just long enough, it may make sense to keep Crewsmas as the first home game of the calendar year.
Put Columbus vs Celtic in Cleveland. Would anyone complain if 30k people showed up in green and white to give the guys experience playing in an away environment while the FO makes boatloads of cash selling $300 tickets? Do people complain if a "meaningless" friendly between the USMNT and Mexico is in Dallas or LA? It'd be a very similar situation, would it not? Hell, where the hell are Walt and.. was it BobbyBhoy1995 or something like that? Those two might be quite happy.
Get them to take over gazdags contract and throw in a cleveland friendly, and I call that fair compensation
It would have to draw better than the last time Celtic played in Cleveland (for those who don't know, Milan pulled out at the last second to play the Supercoppa at Giants Stadium and were replaced by Boca Juniors, leading Cleveland's sizable Italian population - the vast majority of ticket buyers - to demand - and get - refunds)
Either way, anyone who complains about a friendly involving the Crew and whoever in Cleveland might be close to being out of their minds. I just picked Celtic because of the Wilfried Nancy rumors.
Isn’t it Penn State, who claim that they are “unrivaled?” Do they have a second consistent B1G opponent other than Ohio State? (Since Ohio State chose Penn St and TTUN.)
Penn State dropped out of having any protected games when the Big Ten redid schedules after adding the West Coast teams. They're the only team of the 18 without a protected rivalry and they don't play Ohio State again until 2028.
Back in the days of 11 teams, their two protected opponents were Ohio State and Michigan State. In fact, I believe they regularly played MSU during the final week of the season, although that might have been due to availability issues and not necessarily pure rivarly reasons. I *think* it was this: OSU-Mich Indiana-Purdue Illinois-Northwestern Minnesota-Wisconsin PSU-MSU Iowa-?? (Is this when they played Nebraska?)
It was for the stupid "Land-Grant Trophy". That's because they were the first two Land Grant Colleges. The conference wanted to give PSU a rivalry and a trophy game.... Rutgers has been the other one at the end of the season, given that they are one of the closest teams. And I think you are correct about Nebraska-Iowa,
So, wait. Are there no longer two longer two protected opponents?? Is Ohio State’s just TTUN? If we have two , who’s the other??
I'll have to loom it up. There were "reasons". Not sure what they were. This is what was said at the time,,,, https://www.readingeagle.com/2023/0...ate-will-not-have-protected-rival-in-2024-25/
Also See https://onwardstate.com/2023/06/09/...enn-state-football-have-a-protected-opponent/ Personally, I'm kind meh about having a protected rivalry. Were Pitt in the B1G, that might be different, but it's been a while since that was a rivalry. It's really only one for us older alums.