New Playoff Format for 2019

[105]

*Single elimination games
*14 teams make it in total (7 each conference)
*Top team in each conference get a bye
*Regular season starts March 2nd
*Playoffs begin Oct 19th
*Final is on Nov 10th

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/12/13/2019-mls-playoff-structure


Thoughts?

[Red CB Toronto]

*Single elimination games
*14 teams make it in total (7 each conference)
*Top team in each conference get a bye
*Regular season starts March 2nd
*Playoffs begin Oct 19th
*Final is on Nov 10th

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/12/13/2019-mls-playoff-structure


Thoughts?

I like the fact that the November international break will no longer interfere with the post-season. Not sure what I think about the bracket being fixed with no re-seeding. Will mean some more mid week fixtures during the regular season, meaning roster depth and health will be of most importance.

[TFC1154ever]

To many teams make the playoffs. Yes, I know it’s going to be 28 teams very soon, but still. I don’t like one game playoffs too. Gives more of a chance of something stupid happening (ref call, lucky game etc). I do like that it’s over before the November transfer window though. For me, this is a little worse than the previous format.

[Canary10]

Worst kept secret in MLS. Like the fact that we'll be done in November. That makes way more sense. I like nothing else about it. No more ties like the Impact-TFC one that was probably the most entertaining ever. Hate adding another team to an already watered down number of post-season teams.

[DIEHARDTFC]

Not a fan. I appreciated the two match aggregate and giving both clubs a home match in that. This change has an NCAA Final Four feel to it, and while I appreciate that tournament's format, I don't like it for MLS.

[Areathrasher]

Regular season much more important now...

[flambe]

Not a fan. Single games will suck, two legged affairs are always better. They'll be a drop in significant drop in revenue, at least for the weaker teams and MLS as a whole.
There's also the very possible chance that a lower seeded team will not see any home games for the playoff run and final. Hardly seems fair to the fans.

[ag futbol]

Thumbs down. Playoffs in this league should look more like the MLB than NHL/NBA (with only a few elite teams making it).

My suggestion would be 4 teams each conference, 1-game first round, 2-game semi-finals, and 2-game final.

[Oldtimer]

It heavily weights the playoffs in favour of the better teams. It makes the regular season more meaningful. Playoffs earlier. Generally in favour.

[MightyDM]

Worst kept secret in MLS. Like the fact that we'll be done in November. That makes way more sense. I like nothing else about it. No more ties like the Impact-TFC one that was probably the most entertaining ever. Hate adding another team to an already watered down number of post-season teams.

Exactly how I feel.

Id rather they cram games in the regular season and keep the home and home. Its fantastic tension

[tfcfans]

The fixed format also potentially rewards a lower seeded team with a home game in round 2 instead of a higher seeded team ---- It's frankly much better to be a 6 seed than a 5 seed as at least as a 6 you have a 50/50 chance of hosting a game in the second round (if the 7 seed wins) while the 5 seed has a 0% chance of that happening as they automatically play a team who just had a bye and finished in first --- seeds 4/5 automatically get the rested team who finished first, while if 6 and 7 both win, 6 hosts 7 (and both just played!).....I would much rather play the 3 seed on the road in round 1 as a "6", than the 4 seed on the road in round 1 as a "5", and know that my next opponent also just played a game as well (either the 3 or the 7).....I think smart coaches may just have no problem angling their way to 6 instead of 5 if that scenario comes into play on the last weekend....

I also think the possibility for more "odd" (lower seeded) winners is raised in this type format.....

Being done earlier is better, the lack of two-legged affairs is worse; more mid-week regular season games is worse for most people I would imagine too.....

[MightyDM]

Not a fan. Single games will suck, two legged affairs are always better. They'll be a drop in significant drop in revenue, at least for the weaker teams and MLS as a whole.
There's also the very possible chance that a lower seeded team will not see any home games for the playoff run and final. Hardly seems fair to the fans.

Agree with this too.

[ensco]

MLS Cup now a random crapshoot.

Increases value of Supporters Shield.

[James17930]

There are certainly pros and cons to this system. I think overall, though, that the pros win out, and we just have to get used to the cons.

[SoccMan2]

Everybody seems to love the fact that the season will end sooner, meaning that the teams that don’t make the playoffs will have over 4 months of inactivity. Soccer is a world game and in the big leagues in Europe and even in South America players might have maybe 6 weeks off max and then they are back at it , now we are having players do nothing for four month and then think a league like the MLS is going to develop players with players doing nothing for four month? Another reason if I’m a young player that has potential I’m staying away from a league that has its majority of players doing nothing for four months while in Europe and South America are players are playing more and keeping sharp rather than doing nothing for four months.

[Oldtimer]

It's not 4 months, it's a little over three, and there is nothing in the CBA that prevents teams who miss the playoffs from training throughout the playoffs if they choose.

I know our team will welcome a shorter season. It's been too long, resulting in injuries.

[Omar]

I don't mind the shorter season. The weather is a concern for not just the matchgoing fans but the players as well. I don't think the grass pitches used by MLS teams can handle the wintry conditions; if we were to continue on till December, then teams will need to play with artificial pitches or invest in infrastructure to keep pitches in good condition (the latter less likely for most MLS sides).

I am concerned by the single-elimination format. I know that the number of fixtures becomes a concern the more teams they add, but teams are far away from each other. For domestic cups, it's fine, but not for the MLS Cup. You want to see the best of the best go through, and 2 legs allow for that. I guess that's where the unseeded format compensates for the single eliminations.

Also, I wonder what'll happen if an MLS player in the playoffs gets called up for international football. That might create some contention with certain teams. At the moment, TFC have the following players who can potentially get called up to internationals:
- Jozy
- Bradley
- Delgado
- Any potential new signings

Already, two of them are our most important players. Imagine having them go out for the international break just before the playoffs and then get injured.

[ensco]

I hate it.

I understand what they are trying to do, but they should have shortened the regular season. Or done something to make seeding in the playoffs more meaningful.

[OgtheDim]

MLS Cup now a random crapshoot.

.

It always was - this just makes it explicit.


*****

Two game series are a construct that we are used to. Nobody complains about the World Cup post group stage not being 2 game series.

This gives the 1-3 seeded teams a significant advantage - 4 not so much but the slide down has to happen somewhere.

Will make for great TV & spectacle - given the TV contract in the US is coming up in 2020, this is a good move.

[ensco]

It always was - this just makes it explicit.


*****

Two game series are a construct that we are used to. Nobody complains about the World Cup post group stage not being 2 game series.

This gives the 1-3 seeded teams a significant advantage - 4 not so much but the slide down has to happen somewhere.

Will make for great TV & spectacle - given the TV contract in the US is coming up in 2020, this is a good move.

I agree about TV liking it. But I personally don’t like it.

You have no choice with a World Cup. You have too many teams and not enough time.

To play 7 months only to arrange the seeding and qualification for a 14 team knockout tournament is upside down.

They wrecked a good thing, the vast majority of playoff series the last three years were interesting, well played, tense.

Did nobody at the league office consider what Seattle did here in the two Cup finals, when you had a clearly better home team? You watch, a ton of these games are going to be 0-0 and go to penalties. Plus we don’t have close to World Cup caliber refereeing - refs won’t give red cards in knockout games -these games will be hackathons.

Plus it really further rewards teams on plastic, who already have an edge in building up an excellent home record, and now can play most/all knockout playofff games at home.

Ugh. I really hate it.

[Red4ever]

It's shit.

[leafsman]

More games will be decided by penalties now. There will probably be a lot more games like when Seattle beat us without trying to win the game. Go on the road and park the bus and hope to get lucky.

[Canary10]

It always was - this just makes it explicit.


*****

Two game series are a construct that we are used to. Nobody complains about the World Cup post group stage not being 2 game series.

This gives the 1-3 seeded teams a significant advantage - 4 not so much but the slide down has to happen somewhere.

Will make for great TV & spectacle - given the TV contract in the US is coming up in 2020, this is a good move.

This may be an unpopular opinion but I dislike the World Cup. The football is definitely not as fun to watch as club football. The stakes are too high and teams play conservatively as a result. The same will happen with the single game knock-outs in MLS (stakes not being as high though obviously).

[paul-collins]

Worst kept secret in MLS. Like the fact that we'll be done in November. That makes way more sense. I like nothing else about it. No more ties like the Impact-TFC one that was probably the most entertaining ever. Hate adding another team to an already watered down number of post-season teams.


Thumbs down. Playoffs in this league should look more like the MLB than NHL/NBA (with only a few elite teams making it).

My suggestion would be 4 teams each conference, 1-game first round, 2-game semi-finals, and 2-game final.


MLS Cup now a random crapshoot.

Increases value of Supporters Shield.


More games will be decided by penalties now. There will probably be a lot more games like when Seattle beat us without trying to win the game. Go on the road and park the bus and hope to get lucky.

Quoted all of these for truth.

The only thing I value is the earlier finish of the Cup. (League doesn't really shift end date) This prevents the interruption of the international dates playing a factor. I'd rather have two legged series with two games a week, that way depth will be tested.

In current form I will no longer care about the Cup. Shield or bust.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Like almost everybody already said:
I hate everything about this new format, except that the season will end more early.

[Mike_S]

More games will be decided by penalties now. There will probably be a lot more games like when Seattle beat us without trying to win the game. Go on the road and park the bus and hope to get lucky.

This was my first thought as well. One of the main points of having a 2 game series with the away goals rule is to avoid both of these things. Because of this, I doubt we won't hear any grumbling about the format next year as well (although no format could ever make EVERYONE happy, I guess).

I suspect the 2022 Qatar World Cup scheduling had a role here and things may be reviewed again once that is done.

[Chevy]

It always was - this just makes it explicit.


*****

Two game series are a construct that we are used to. Nobody complains about the World Cup post group stage not being 2 game series.

This gives the 1-3 seeded teams a significant advantage - 4 not so much but the slide down has to happen somewhere.

Will make for great TV & spectacle - given the TV contract in the US is coming up in 2020, this is a good move.


You have to remember that the World Cup is essentially a neutral-venue tournament, so it's not exactly apples to apples. Imagine if France had hosted the most recent World Cup, but played all their knockout games in another country. That would be silly.

MLS supporters who have their club qualify in the 5, 6 or 7 seeds may very likely not get a home game, even if they win the MLS cup. Their home support is essentially done at the end of the regular season. Plus you miss the drama of a two-leg series. Awful.

[Richard]

To many teams are making the playoffs right now, it should be cut down to 7 or 8 at most I think.

At this rate they should just have two supporters shield, once for each conference with the number of teams, have a truly balanced schedule, split the league into two, and have the best 3 teams from each conference face off for the grand prize.

[Ultra & Proud]

MLS Cup now a random crapshoot.

Increases value of Supporters Shield.

This is exactly how I see it too.

When the league gets to 32 teams I bet every team is in this cup competition, I bet it starts in August or so, and will be essentially like the FA Cup.

[fergiejr]

The new format seems a bit rushed to me. I won't miss the December MLS cup games, that's for sure, but I will miss the home and away part of the playoffs.

One question though, does the away goal rule still count?

Found this interesting on the TFC site. Has more words to explain the format. https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2018/12/17/major-league-soccer-adopt-new-playoff-structure-2019

Home-Field Advantage for Top Clubs Throughout the Playoffs: Higher-seeded teams will enjoy home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, hosting every match in front of a home crowd. Throughout the years, the MLS postseason has featured some single-elimination matches, and the home team has advanced at a considerably higher rate than two-game playoff series.

Historically, higher seeded teams have advanced or won 67.3 percent of the 49 single-game elimination playoff matches, including MLS Cup matches for which the higher seed earned the right to host.
Through the 78 examples of two-game series throughout the years, the higher seed advanced just 55.1 percent of the time.


Given the above stat, it would appear that the 2nd leg sees the lower seeded team come from behind or take advantage of the away goal rule.

I hope this will encourage more supporters to attend away playoff matches. It's truly a great atmosphere when you invade another team's stadium - nothing compared to our home atmosphere of course.

[DinamoTFC]

I hope this will encourage more supporters to attend away playoff matches. It's truly a great atmosphere when you invade another team's stadium - nothing compared to our home atmosphere of course.

This is the main con of the new format. If you are a higher seed you may not having any away games to attend. No more epic 2016 mtl vs toronto series.

[michaeltfc91]

The switch to playoffs October 19 --> November 10 works for me, but everything else about this is pretty bad. If i was commissioner, this is what I would have done:
1-4 from the East makes the playoffs.... 1-4 from the West makes the playoffs.. So only 8/24 make the playoffs
2 legged Quarter Final (home and home) - Tie breaker is higher seed (not away goals)
2 legged Semi Final (home and home) - Tie breaker is higher seed (not away goals)
1 game MLS Cup as usual, higher seed hosts

[Initial B]

I can live with the format, but it's not my favourite. I would rather have a play-in round, then put 4 teams in two groups have have them play a single round robin at the home of the higher ranked club. Top team in each group at the end of the stage play for MLS Cup. It would only require one more game, which could still fit in-between the international breaks if MLS compresses the playoffs a bit.

As for the longer off-season, it's not that long. MLS Cup finishes mid-November, and Preseason will start by end of January. That's only an 11 week off-season. The EPL starts in Mid-August and ends Mid-May, so it's comparable. And the compressed regular season means they'll probably move the start of the season up to the last weekend of February.

[Ultra & Proud]

This change doesn't really bother me at all because I don't care nearly as much about the MLS Cup as I do the Supporter's Shield. Slowly we're falling in line with how the majority of the world does football and besides, the previous playoff structure was ridiculous. Anything is preferable to 2 months of broken up playoffs.

As for too many teams, yes there are but I am sure that was a necessary concession to get the owners to sign off on potentially losing home playoff fixtures.

[ScarboroughRed]

I'm on the fence for this change. For what it's worth, Liga MX does 8 team playoffs in about 3 weeks. This past Apertura was 19 days long.
2 leg quarter finals, 2 leg semi finals and 2 leg finals. The MLS window for the new playoff format is about 26 days. Would have been possible!


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apertura_2018_Liga_MX_championship_stage (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apertura_2018_Liga_MX_championship_stage)

[Chevy]

To many teams are making the playoffs right now, it should be cut down to 7 or 8 at most I think.

At this rate they should just have two supporters shield, once for each conference with the number of teams, have a truly balanced schedule, split the league into two, and have the best 3 teams from each conference face off for the grand prize.


https://pics.me.me/you-get-a-shield-you-get-a-shield-everyone-getsa-13840044.png

[Richard]

https://pics.me.me/you-get-a-shield-you-get-a-shield-everyone-getsa-13840044.png

Well the shield is already worthless in an unbalanced schedule.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Well the shield is already worthless in an unbalanced schedule.

Yes, totally agree.
And now with these changes they made the MLS cup even more worthless than it was before.

And everyone in North America wonders why this league is considered a Mickey Mouse league in most parts of the world where footy is the king sport.

[Oldtimer]

I don't see anything wrong with a cup. We're North America. We don't have to do everything the same as Europe. We can have our own traditions.

Whether the league gets considered "serious" has more to do with money and getting the best players and coaches (due to money) and not so much on the league format. By that standard MLS' reputation is getting better by the year.

[benito]

I don't see anything wrong with a cup. We're North America. We don't have to do everything the same as Europe. We can have our own traditions.

I agree with this as the leagues drastically vary across the world. There are Apertura/Clausura seasons, state cups, national cups, playoffs and different amount of teams in various leagues. Even in Europe, things vary from country to country, as some countries have multiple cups while others have a single cup.

[105]

I know it's never going to happen, but I'd like to see the league get up 32 teams and then split into MLS1 and MLS2 (16 teams each league). Teams would move between the two leagues through promotion/relegation but the teams in both leagues would still share the same revenues so there's no financial disadvantage.

In both leagues:

Schedule: 30 game, balanced scheduled.
Regular Season: #1 seed gets supporters shield in MLS1, #1 seed in MLS2 advances to MLS1 playoffs.
Playoffs: Top 7 seeded MLS1 teams make the playoffs, #1 seed from MLS2 makes playoffs. Single elimination until there's MLS cup winner.
Pro/Rel: Bottom 4 teams go down, top 4 teams go up

[paul-collins]

Travel will always be a factor for balancing a schedule in North America. We should probably get over that idea.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Leave the Shield the way it is.

Playoffs can do whatever. It's for pussplops fans to decide. Carry on.

P.S. I had a great time at Pussplops final party but wasn't that invested.

[Gazza_55]

I know it's never going to happen, but I'd like to see the league get up 32 teams and then split into MLS1 and MLS2 (16 teams each league). Teams would move between the two leagues through promotion/relegation but the teams in both leagues would still share the same revenues so there's no financial disadvantage.

In both leagues:

Schedule: 30 game, balanced scheduled.
Regular Season: #1 seed gets supporters shield in MLS1, #1 seed in MLS2 advances to MLS1 playoffs.
Playoffs: Top 7 seeded MLS1 teams make the playoffs, #1 seed from MLS2 makes playoffs. Single elimination until there's MLS cup winner.
Pro/Rel: Bottom 4 teams go down, top 4 teams go up

How do you decide what 16 teams you are putting in MLS 2 in the first year. And there's a huge financial disadvantage for teams in MLS2 as they will get killed at the gate.

[KingLedley]

I really like the new playoff format and timing. I like the one match win or go home style with no reseeding. It should mean more losing teams chucking the kitchen sink, extra forwards, or anything at the winning teams during the final 20 minutes of each tie. More exciting cup games. What I don't like is the fact that some home teams have artificial turf which could lead to more injuries for away teams. And the new format does not make it clear about the accumulated yellow card procedures.

[Defoe]

*Single elimination games
*14 teams make it in total (7 each conference)
*Top team in each conference get a bye
*Regular season starts March 2nd
*Playoffs begin Oct 19th
*Final is on Nov 10th

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/12/13/2019-mls-playoff-structure


Thoughts?


Re: scheduling

I would rather the the season be pushed back 10-15 days and the final 10-15 days later. So the season starts March 15th-17th and the playoffs end Nov 23rd-24th. Games in early march so close to February are still to way cold, for CCL as well. Early March is a lot colder then mid-late November.

Also, ALL March games should be played in western or southern states. It is only 1-2 games where road teams start their season off on the road. All cold climate eastern teams (NYCFC, Toronto, Red Bulls, Chicago, Montreal etc) have their first game and potentially 2nd game start on the road. Week 3, Eastern teams have their home openers in the first week of April or March 31.

Toronto

Avg temp February: -3
Avg temp March: + 1


Avg temp November: +5
Avg temp December: -1

[Oldtimer]

I know it's never going to happen

No point dreaming up promotion / relegation alternate universes for MLS. As you yourself said, it's never going to happen. In the discussions I've seen, it's always imagining OTHER cities teams that are in an MLS2. No one volunteers THEIR team to be the victim. People in North America aren't like in England, they don't follow minor league sports.

I could ask anyone who thinks promotion/relegation is a good idea for North America how many of you bothered to watch the Toronto Lynx in USL, even when they had that exciting young player DeRo? We've had these discussions since 2007.It's time to stop spending bandwidth over this.

IT'S ALSO OFF TOPIC.

[Hamilton_Red]

Yes, totally agree.
And now with these changes they made the MLS cup even more worthless than it was before.

And everyone in North America wonders why this league is considered a Mickey Mouse league in most parts of the world where footy is the king sport.

Eh? These changes make it more like the FA Cup. The rest of the world respects the league winners far more than their knock-out cups.

[Jack]

The single knockout suuuuuuuucks.

[Mark TFC]

A new season, a new format FFS.