We have two separate single tables. East and West have 16 teams each, single table home/away balanced. Think of East as EPL, West as LaLiga.
Why? Why would you even propose that? It still is DIVIDED with conferences... What is it that you guys like so much from the conference set-up and neglect the single table WITH PLAY-OFFS setup?? WHy? Single table would be easier, and in last years case the first round would have been last years actual final through single table through 1v8, 2v7, etc. setup. Colombus would have played against the red bulls in round 1, and end of story there would be no New York winning the western conference bull..
what about the schedule? unbalanced OK? what's the point of single table without proper balanced schedule? so I guess you prefer single table, unbalanced random schedule? I personally think two table balanced schedule is better than single table unbalanced random schedule. you get single table balanced schedule in each table. you can think of East = EPL, West = LaLiga, MLS Cup playoffs = UEFA Champions League.
Ok how does single table run with an unbalanced schedule?? If you have single table everybody would play everybody home and away, and if there is a team left out they get a bye-week like they did this year in the MLS regular season. i just don't see why people like the conference setup its really meaningless, even at the of the season they put the play-off picture as single table BUT seeding is all wrong due to sonference setup, for exapmle Seattle should have been a higer seed then what they are ni this years MLS play-offs.... Just remember last year red bulls could have been eliminate by the best team in teh first round, but due to conference setup they ended up in the final, a 1 seed ended up vs teh eight seed in teh final?? hmm? very unusual.. single table would place all the teams in their respective positions, and seeded correctly in the play-off bracket..
Sorry, but we need a unified domestic league. At this point its almost certain we will have a single table next year (from what garber has said), do I don't think its an issue. I think for now, we need to choose our best 18-20 markets and stick to them until soccer becomes really popular in the states and we can sustain a decent second division.
So, you want single table with balanced schedule... Single table with balanced schedule can't happen in MLS realistically. It can only work for 16 team or 18 team at most which produce 30 games season or 34 games season. We virtually have 20 teams already counting Montreal. 20 gives 38 games. 38 games + playoffs?? can't happen. Also, we'll probably add a few more teams like NY2, St. Louise, Miami. That's why we need alternate solution.
Next year, we will certainly have balanced schedule, but probably still keep the two conferences. Anyways, I'm not just talking about next year. If we have 20 teams with single table balanced schedule, we get 38 games and then plus playoffs. I don't think MLS will do that. Besides single table balanced schedule and playoffs don't go hand in hand IMO. If we have single table balanced schedule, we basically already have 'champion', playoffs will feel like extra side show.
Yeah I guess your right but if there is 20 teams, then there would be 38 games plus play-offs? yea I see what you mean now, true. but then how about limiting the league to 18 only, because there should only be 18 teams in a league, that would be 34 games + play-offs. But if 20 teams why cant MLS have an whole round on wednesdays? Oh but wait CCL.. so I guess limit to 18 teams, there is a limit of 18 by FIFA, some have 20 teams but they are allowed to by FiFA Well you could have a full round on wednesdays, I mean not all teams play in CCL you know, they can reschedule their games... I dont know it is complicated but bringing single table I think would make everything simpler, maybe even splitting schedules like colombia and argentina Openig tourn and closing tourny...
Here's an idea, shut the hell up until soccer becomes popular enough in the US to support 18 teams before we start talking about 24 or 32.
So is this right assumption that what the single table wanting people actually want single table balanced schedule? Then, you are saying you want 18 teams. But I think Montreal will surely get in to make it 19. We don't want odd number so soon we'll get 20. 38 games plus playoffs is not really a possibility.
I've worked out a schedule before, it does actually fit. It's a tight fit, but soccer can be played in just about all conditions, and with a country as big as ours, the system will never be perfect.
Think about this way, the European continent has basically 4-5 major tables - EPL, LaLiga, Seria A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1. We are going to have 3 major tables in North American continent, 2 from US/Canada, 1 in Mexico. Still I don't want to totally divide the MLS. So, here's my suggestion: - 24 clubs total in top flight MLS. - East and West 2 tables, 12 clubs in each. - Home/Away in table and 1 game against the other table = 34 games. (i.e. LAG visits DCU this year, DCU visits LAG next year) (Regular season top performers in each table = conference champions. Get CCL Berth. It replaces the SS) - 4 top clubs from each table go to MLS Cup playoffs. We'll have very well balanced schedule in each table. I think this is good hybrid system fits US+Canada environment. We get the flavor of balanced schedule single table, yet get legitimate playoff system. Best of both worlds!!!
Why is being exactly like Europe so damn important? Single table is boring. 2/3 of the league has nothing to play for by the end of the summer. This is America. We settle things with playoffs (unless you are a member of the BCS). Deal with it.
Single table doesn't mean no playoffs, blah blah blah. Can we PLEASE sticky that at the top of any discussion involving single-table stuff?
20 team MLS: two regional conferences of 10 teams each. play home and away in your conference. 18 games play other conference teams once. 10 games 28 game season. then playoffs. top 8 teams, seeded irrespective of conference. 22 team MLS: two regional conferences of 11 teams each. play home and away in your conference. 20 games play other conference teams once. 11 games 31 game season (yes, a little weird). then playoffs. top 8 teams, seeded irrespective of conference. 24 team MLS: 3 regional divisions West, Central, East of 8 teams each. play home and away in your conference. 14 games play other division teams once. 16 games 30 game season. then playoffs. top 8 teams, seeded irrespective of division. OR two regional conferences of 12 teams each. play home and away in your conference. 22 games play other conference teams once. 12 games 34 game season. then playoffs. top 8 teams, seeded irrespective of conference.
I just want it to be balanced and make sense. I don't care if there are conferences or not. But lets stop calling it Eastern and Western Conferences when teams from the other conference can cross over into our conference during the playoffs.
You need to eliminate 22 team scenario. With 22 team two conference, when you play 11 the other table game, teams end up getting uneven number of home and away game (6 home 5 away vice versa). Odd number is not good either entirely or in indivisual table. You felt little weird yourself. That's why.
what ever the amount of teams I say single table. Why do we associate ST with promotion/relegation? we can have a single table with the best 8 making it to playoffs, no West 4 belonging to east or NY champions of western division.
So when MLS finishes expanding at 20 teams (all signs point to us going there...look how close Montreal is to getting a team), you're advocating for MLS teams to play a 40 game schedule?? Not to mention teams like ours that have US Open Cup, Concacaf Champions League, and Superliga duty? Come on man, your argument is completely nonsensical. It is silly to have a balanced schedule with a single table and have teams play that many games. EPL teams don't even do that! Conferences must stay.
Your argument is sputtering...HARD, and you know it. So we're going to leave out potential markets like Montreal, New York, and Atlanta just so Lucho can have an 18 team league? Fail. The schedule needs to stay unbalanced...which means, no single table. Dig?
Either way is good with me. I hope there will be enough teams one day that we can have relegation and promotion. The relegation drama can be sometimes more intense than the fight for the championship title.