So we all know the MLS offseason is too long, coaches and players think so, Juergen Klinsmann thinks so. We also know it would be difficult to lengthen the season later or earlier for the Northern clubs. But the fact is MLS players have too much time in between seasons. Many can get loans/training deals but for a majority of players there's alot of time off, and training isn't playing games. There's also no need for more games during the "regular" season, there's already probably too many given travel/rosters etc. So a "winter cup" would be a group stage tournament in January and February, with some sort of nice payoff for the winners to make it worthwhile. Make it open to US and Canadian clubs. Hold the games at southern sites, grapefruit league style.
If you could get the clubs and players to agree to the additional games, an advantage of this tournament as opposed to the U.S. Open Cup is that it wouldn't be played with MLS regular season games 3 or 4 days before and 3 or 4 days after like in the U.S. Open Cup. If you restricted it to the 16 USA clubs in MLS only, it could have four regions with round-robin groups of four like you wanted followed by knockout National Semifinals and Final at a different site. If you advanced two clubs from each region there could be National Quarterfinals also which would make the tournament like the Israeli Toto Cup. Israel has 16 clubs in each of its top two levels and those levels have separate Toto Cups. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011–12_Toto_Cup_Al describes the Toto Cup for the top level in Israel.
That's the rub. Most other leagues don't have player unions like we do in this country, where time off is a collective bargaining line item. The PU would want to see much more money out of MLS and I don't see how the league would make much if any money off something like this.
So let us summarize: 1) Players work under a CBA; so unless this tournament is going to make money that can be funneled to the players they are not going for it. 2) Coaches will have several issues with this especially since it involves the possibility of injury for essentially a non important set of games. 3) MLS - no upside. They would be better served by taking this entire concept; and moving to an annual spring training Cup. This fits within the CBA, gives the coaches a competitive tourney to evaluate talent, and works within the current cost structure for MLS to extend their brand. * If the USSF is truly concerned, why don't they lengthen their camps?
Isn't this essentially what I proposed? Good question though, why dont MLS sides lengthen their spring training? I suppose the short answer is there isn't enough value in doing so, to do so, though I suppose the Gals and Sounders will be on a different schedule. So why not dangle out some allocation money or player bonuses or a draft pick or something as reward for a spring training competition, give the players more "competitve" games for a longer period. Get some obscenely rich sponsor to toss some pocket change. Package through SUM. Easy peasy.
Well now, but I know you know that MLS and US Soccer are sort of blood brothers, or sisters, or cousins, or whatever, the two have always worked closely together in development, of course the word of a Nats coach (leave the JK out of it, could be anyone) who places such an emphasis on player development will carry weight.
1. It's different because it's part of the spring training system, as opposed to independent from it. 2. If players need more motivation than 'this is a trophy, you can win it' then they're not ready to play at this level and need a pep talk from Herm Edwards. 3. Oh, all we need is some obscenely rich person to put down a tremendous amount of money for a tournament that no one will watch. Great idea! How could I have not realized how simple it is
No, I don't really think it will. MLS Coaches don't care about the guy who's going to take their stars away to play meaningless games against France where they can get hurt.
MLS teams have approximately two months of preseason training. I'm not sure they can go any longer under the CBA.
How about just having the U.S. Open Cup champion play the MLS cup champion a few weeks before the season.
I'm beginning to have serious doubts that Jurgen Klinsmann thinks at all. That said, it would be nice to have a winter competition. Baseball has its regional winter leagues that play in warm-weather areas where guys go to work on things. Might not be a bad idea to have one of those set up in Arizona. I would say Hawaii, but they don't have the infrastructure and it's ridiculously expensive to live there.
They can't stop him from taking their players, true. But Klinsman can't make MLS do anything with its schedule that it doesn't want to do. And rightfully so. MLS doesn't exist to make Klinsman's job easier.
Yes ok, but again the point remains MLS and US Soccer do listen to the opinions of the national team coach (whomever it is), certainly the players seem to be doing so with regard to getting in extra training when MLS is out of season. As for the CBA, it's an obstacle, but its also a contract, it's not like it can't be changed if both sides see value in doing so. if you ratchet back the hyperbole for a second (I know, hard to do on BS), there really aren't that many reasons not to do something like this outside of a change in contracts, which really only amounts to a change in attitude when you get down to it.
Citation needed Or maybe their training because, y'know, performing athletics at an elite level is like, their job or something Contracts cannot be changed. They can be invalidated and a new contract created, which is working out so well for the NBA, right? Right!? Arguments against it 1. CBA 2. No one will watch 3. No one will sponsor 4. No one will broadcast 5. (Becasue of 2-4) There's no money to be made 6. It's an unnecessary tournament OK, so existentially, they're all unnecessary; I guess point 6 is only arguing that since you're the one who wants to change the status quo, the burden of proof lies on you. "We should because we can" doesn't cut it. What are the benefits to MLS teams, MLS players, or the League itself in putting on this Cup?
a) ive no interest in arguing, and b) you drown everything in hyperbole and snark so much that you're no fun, so... ...let me just leave it with this summary. -MLS season is too short. I think so, yes, but so do players and coaches. If you want me to explain this to you further I am afraid that will not happen, it's like trying to explain climate change to a right winger, actual evidence doesn't carry much weight. -Since you can't realistically go into Winter, and the players do need a break sometime, make the break from end of November through Mid January, 6 weeks. Remember also that without a change in the playoff system (or even with, but that is another discussion), most teams and players dont play far past October because of missing or being eliminated from the MLS Cup playoffs. -Mid January to Mid March, 2 months, encompasses the range of time that could be alotted to a pre-season competition of some sort, cup or no cup isn't really important, a grapefruit league style pre season "league" or competition. -If this stretches the agreement in the CBA (a presumption, but a good one to make) then renegotiate that portion of the CBA. If both sides see value it can happen, it happens all the time in other types of contracts. -It wont make money, you're right, but pre-season as it is doesn't either, and you don't do this sort of competition to make money. Frankly the "it wont make money" mantra is mis-used and understood at best anyway, no one really makes money in any sport. Group teams into 3-4 groups, have them play each other once, on the training ground fine, at a stadium somewhere better, if it's covered online, best. 5 or so games per team, perhaps you have a knockout round, perhaps not. Award allocation money to group winners. Invite clubs from outside MLS to participate if the numbers dont match in a given year.
This maybe true but most importantly American soccer fans don't think the season is too long. We are not lining up to see live soccer anytime of year. When the shittiest MLS team regularly sells out like the shittiest NFL teams do, it makes sense create MLS tournaments into winter.
Actually that's not as true as it used to be. For example this is the first time in 3 years the Rapids aren't practicing the week of MLS Cup. That's probably due to the coaching change and the fact they played a packed schedule the last 3 months of the season and need rest. In 2009 though they didn't even make the playoffs and they held team practices every day until after MLS Cup.