There is always much debate about who the real champion is in MLS. That said what do you think the method should be? 1. Single Table - most points wins 2. Playoff Style System 3. Combination of the two with most points winning the league and a Cup style tourney thats played along side the regular season. (Yes I know about the Open Cup)
This is an argument that is tough because I think region specific details come into play. Look - the US is possibly the richest country when it comes to quality and quantity of sport. All our sports have a playoff system - except college football but even they want one - ha ha - It would be tough to sell our game to the average fan without it. Also, with the size of our country - it might be best to do a playoff. Single table is great and as a supporter of the EPL i can see its strong poitns but i can also see its weak points. Look at Scotland (Sorry Woodside) Every year - CELTIC or Rangers - america would be bored with that - we love parity
Yea im in with playoffs. And it seems like the MLS is trying to do a little of both(the supporters shield winner gets a concacaf champions spot).Maybe they can also get some sort of cash bonus for winning the supporters shield. The reg season should def get something but I love the fact the a low seed can make a deep run into the playoffs.Like was said before it def gets old that the same teams win the league over and over again in Europe(I know they have cups as well). So i'll go with playoffs home and away,supporters shield concacaf spot.
I think that's common in many leagues throughout the world. Where a couple of teams end up dominating the league. I also believe that the focus here in the US is different in that we are always looking for a winner, instead of HOW something is played. Hence why the average American doesn't understand how a tie or a 1-0 game is at all interesting. Another factor is relegation. We dont have relegation here so giving up towards the end of the season really isn't a concern here. In other countries when there is a true relegation fear, it energizes the fans to support their team to keep it in the top division. There are also other factors that I haven't listed like: Local derbys Regional Derbys Domestic Cup standings All these other factors keep the game interesting even while your team is sitting mid table and with out chances of winning the League this year. Going back to MLS, I think that they should do away with the MLS CUP FINAL as a replica of the Super Bowl but rather convert it into a home and away series. It's more traditional and brings the proceeds of those two final games to the teams and allows the fans to actually see their team. Imagine how Houston would have rocked if they had won in Houston?
yeah for the most part..but you do get the 80's Aberdeen..or Hearts every now and then..but most leagues its 2-6 teams...EPL...Man U ..Arsenal...Liverpool...and the last 5 years Chelsea...other then that..who else will win the league ? I would love a single table..but you'll never get that over here
I see the positive side of promo/rele but it will never work here,atleast not now. The sport has to become alot more popular before that can even be considered. Also there is no precedent for that it any of our sports.Thats like the AAA Yankee Clippers making it up to the MLB. The league should follow in the footsteps of the NFL.....or the NFL Empire I should say. Even when a team is doing bad they still get great crowds at the stadiums. I know what you are saying about teams trying harder if they have a chance to be relegated but over here teams that are doing bad at the end of the season are motivated by the fact that they can be a "spoiler"to a better teams playoff chances.Like how the Mets go smoked in the last series of the season last year. Also it seems that most of the teams that get promo/rele do just as crappy everytime. They take their parachute package to take the plunge,come back up and then go back down again.
i understand why you guys like the playoff system, but it also can reward a really crap team that just did enough to make the playoff and go for an extrodanary run, when a team who wins every game the whole season can lose because of one play, or one call, or one own goal, and there whole season is over. But they were clearly what would be considered the best team in the league. I don't know...i guess i'm just used to the european leagues.
Champion League is decided with a playoff type system. So is Copa Libertadores and the World Cup. I think that a playoff type system foster more "clutch type" players. The only thing that I dont like about the single table is that sometimes you have a winner three or four games before the end of the season.
The thing with the MLS CUP - i like it - im a fan - i actually look forward to the game - I just think they need to move it to a Saturday - for starters - most your games are played on Saturday so stay with it - secondly having it at 1PM in November when the NFL playoff runs start heating up - bad idea - now sure who thought this out - not sure why a 4PM saturday start would be bad! Are you really going to get casual viewers when the NFL is on!
Yea thats def a way to look at it.But I look at the Super Bowl and I look at people who say that the Giants won but the Pats were the better team. I disagree,they lost the big game. You dont deserve to be the champ if you cant finish the job. A championship game puts the spotlight on the two best teams and now they have to play head up,best man wins.Yea a team can get "hot".But talent is talent.If we get 11 BB's we can get as hot as we want but if we play Manchester United they will beat us 50-1(only b/c I will score one goal lol).In this country we like to see the two best slug it out in one final game.
I agree,it should be on a Sat.Its better to go head-to-head against college football instead of the NFL.I would really love a home/away.It would give the fans of both teams the opportunity to pack the house and would make for a real home field advantage.
I'm usually a purist but I think we do have to have some limited playoff system. I do think, however, that the league should be hyping the importance of the Supporter's shield. Make it almost a dual championship, winner of MLS Cup and winner of Supporter's shield.
Agreed supporters shield should be hyped up and have a domestic league cup culminating in the MLS CUP. I know that the Open Cup is there two but I'm sure that there is a way to hype BOTH.
I'm a traditionalist. Play home and home and the best is the winner. As for playoffs, that's what the US Open Cup is for.
i don't mind a playoff system. i like how they tweaked it for last season's playoffs, but i still think they should reduce the number of teams allowed in and give the top two seeds the first round off as a reward for having the two best records.
As far as promo/rele I think its all about the philosophy of a culture.Over here if a team is doing crappy during a season the fans will not show up at games in protest.This shows the owners that they better put a better product on the field or the team wont be supported,which can turn into a HUGE loss of money. I almost feel that promo/rele gives teams a reason to be mediocre b/c they feel they will drop,be the class of the lower league and come back up the next year.In the US you will sit at the bottom of the league until the organization takes the initiative to improve the product.They will either improve the product or the franchise will fold.
i think if you introduce a very limited Pro/relegation system. MLS1 and MLS2.... you can't get relegated beyond being dropped to MLS2. I think that would be a great introduction to american audiences of the concept. That way, owners won't be losing too much money if their team got relegated and maybe take initiative to be in MLS1 and stay there. Just my 2 cents.