Alright, here we go, with the 30 team MLS already concrete, and the idea of more than 50 % make the playoffs, how can we reward teams according to there record during the regular season? Easy, get 10 teams in each conference to qualify for the playoffs: First thing is first the playoff format goes like this, at the end of the regular season 10 teams from each conference will go to the playoffs. However, depending on seeding, will determine Home Field Advantage and potentially how far you can go into the playoffs. Seeding stays permanent throughout playoffs (NO RESEEDING, if you want regular season to be important well then here you go) through to the Final (which on your preference will be two game final Home and away ) my idea behind this is if your team made it to the final then your fans deserve to watch your team at home in a championship game. I emphasize reseeding because my playoff format has two stages, which you will understand why next. First Stage will have the top 9 teams seeded into three groups of 3 teams in each conference, the Conference winners (#1 seeds) will get a bye into the second stage, also all their games will be home field advantage, except the Final (depending on if you'd like the home and home series for the final). Anyways, seeds from regular season #2, #3, #4 become head of the groups, followed by the #5, #6, #7 to follow respectively, now the final seeds #8, #9, #10 get randomly placed into each of the three groups, so there will be sorting for the final seeds. Head of each group get all home games, middle seeded teams into the groups (#5, #6, #7) get one home game (against lower seed and one away game against higher seed) and the lower seeds get all away games. Like I said making regular season count significantly. So essentially the group stage can look like this: At this stage each team will play the other team in their group only once for a total of two games, group winners will advance to the MLS Cup Playoff Round which will consist of COnference Semi-Finals, Conference Finals, and then the MLS Cup FInal (two-game or one game final? Your Choice) I will simulate next round just to have an idea of this thing can look. Here are the East and West Playoff Group Stage standings FINAL East Group Standings FINAL West Group Standings So the winners of each group go into the next stage of playoffs where the #1 seeds who got the bye into this stage are waiting for. Both top #1 seeds play against the lowest-seeded group winner (Regular season Seeding). So here is the playoff MLS Cup picture Bracket: Final Playoff Stage In this stage, the Conference Semi-Final and Conference Final will be played at the higher seeds Stadium, and only one game. now for the MLS Cup Final, I say have them a two-leg playoff, the first game played at lower seed and second game played at higher seed for the Home Field Advantage. I believe the final should be two-legged that way fans of their team that made it to a final can get the support and enjoy their team playing in a championship at home. two-leg playoff with all goal aggregate (no away goal rule) and if the game was to end a tie go straight to penalties. no extra time. Thoughts on this PLay off Structure? I always wanted something different for MLS, and this format rewards teams by regular-season standings. Top Seeds get to the second stage automatically (in each conference) and get a week off since the second stage of the playoff group stage is technically 2 games per team. Higher seeds get home-field advantage throughout playoffs. Let me know what you guys think, Thanks
Well, I've come up with another format very similar to the previous one I posted about a week ago (here is the link for that format here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/suggested-mls-playoff-format.2111446/ ) but this one will involve two groups for each conference in the first playoff stage, with 4 teams each. Rather than the other format with 3 groups of 3 teams for each conference. all be it this is for the future 30 teams in MLS. The format goes like this, teams finishing up in the top 9 places in each conference will advance to Playoffs. Seeding will remain throughout playoffs, and seeding will determine home matches and tie breakers if all other stats are knotted up. There will be no reseeding!! Now, the first seed in each conference gets Playoff Group stage bye. Teams seeded 2-9 will be divided into two East groups and two West Groups, with seeds #2 and #3 at the head of playoff Groups A and Group B respectively. As head of the groups, these teams will get all 3 group stage matches at home since they are the highest seeds. The following highest seeds #4 and #5 will follow seeds #2 and #3 respectively, these seeds will have 2 Home games and 1 away game, against higher seed, through the group stage. Seeds #6 and #7 follow along, having one game at home and 2 away games against the higher seeds. So Far two groups, Group A with seeds #2,4,6 and Group B with seeds #3,5,7. Now for the final two spots, they will be randomized, since these teams will have all away games, no home games, for making it to the playoffs as the two lowest seeds. Playoff Group Stage will look like this: So for the group stage, we stated that top seeds get all home games, last seeds get all away games, and in between get a mixture of home and away games. so for the group stage in order to qualify to the next round (MLS Cup playoffs), you need to win the group to go to next round, and the last qualifying spot will go to the best overall runner up, which will most likely play the number 1 seeds, who got the bye for winning the conference. So the next part I will show is just simulation of how a group stage will end with scores, and Final Season Standings (seeding) will work into play... So the three-teams that qualified in each conference will now go ahead and join the number #1 seeds in the playoff stage, where it will be one-off playoff match at the higher seeds home... However final will be 2 games Home and Away series, that way if your team has made it to the final you will get a championship match at home in front of fans. I just simulated the playoffs Let me know what you guys think on this or the other format I also posted here, Just feel like this format gives the season some density, if you do good during the season or the better you do in your regular season campaign you will get more home matches during the playoffs, which results in better chances to get to the final, the playoffs with this format are a bit longer-lasting, rather than a one-game win or go home playoff, after a long hard-fought season, one simple mistake can cost the season. Winning the conference lets you take that bye week into the playoff stage. Total games that this whole process would entail is from 3 to 7 games. So the minimum games each team get would be 3 games, and teams getting to the final get a total of 7 games. Please let me know your opinions, comments, suggestions, below. Thanks