Semi-MLS related: Russia League moves to Fall/Spring Season

[the-reds]

This isn't specifically MLS related, however, the Russian League is very similar to North America in terms of climate.

MOSCOW, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Russian soccer will fall in line with the European season from 2012 after adopting a format running from August to May with a mid-winter break, the country's football association (RFU) announced on Monday.

http://football.uk.reuters.com/leagu.../LDE68C1J8.php

This may be a solution for MLS respecting FIFA dates... mind you, Russia doesn't have the same challenges as North America in the way of competition (seasonally) with NFL and NBA...

[TOBOR !]

You forgot NHL - BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ! etc.

[prizby]

so russian league is gonna have a lot of mid-winter "classics"

[rocker]

A three month break in the middle of the season? Shit. That'd be way too long for my liking (if I were Russian). That's like a whole new season starting. You'd have no continuity between the two halves of the season. What would players do during that break? They'd be contracted to the team but would need a whole new training camp before the second half.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

I'm happy with the current spring-to-fall schedule. If MLS cut out unnecessary bye weeks and mid-season friendlies and scheduled a few more weekday games here and there, the league could accommodate the FIFA calendar.

[jaahuuu]

So Russia will have a 12-week break in the middle of winter and a 6-week break in the middle of summer.

MLS has a 17-week break in the middle of winter and this season a 2-week break in the middle of summer.

The only difference is when team records get set back to 0-0-0. Am I missing anything?

[Canary Canuck]

To me it's just too bizarre for your mid-season winter break to be way longer than your off-season break. I've always found that so bizarre about the Danish league where one season ends and a new one begins shortly after. Meanwhile the season breaks for what seems like an eternity in the winter.

As for this supposedly helping Russian teams in UEFA, I don't buy that at all. Better to be in mid-season form than pre-season form when trying to qualify for the group stages. Many in Scotland have suggested switching to a summer season for this very reason.

[Chewy Unikronik]

What's the obsession with changing our schedule? Leave the bloody thing as it is.

Schedule more weekday games in places where people will actually go watch, in order to accommodate the FIFA breaks.

STOP trying to be like every other league on the OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE.

I sure as hell do not want to go to BMO during the winter, nor do I care for extended breaks.