MLS considering March start

[Canary Canuck]

Here's Ivan Gadzidis saying that MLS is considering starting next season in early or mid March which would require cold weather teams to start the season on the road.

http://web.mlsnet.com/media/player/mp_tpl.jsp?w=mms%3A//a1503.v115042.c11504.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/11504/v0001/mlbmls.download.akamai.com/11504/2008/shows/mls/101708_mls_ivan_gazidis.wmv&w_id=26938&catCode=shows&type=v_free&_mp=1

[Cashcleaner]

^ Or simply require to have Adidas make Cold-Weather kits. I don't think it will matter by 2010-2011 anyway. Won't we be playing a shorted season by then anyways (play each team home and away)?

[Toronto Ruffrider]

^ Or simply require to have Adidas make Cold-Weather kits. I don't think it will matter by 2010-2011 anyway. Won't we be playing a shorted season by then anyways (play each team home and away)?

By then won't there be 16-18 teams in MLS? In a proper league setup, that would translate into a schedule of 30-34 games.

[twistedchinaman]

17 x 2 = 34.

Unless they do it like the NHL and do it 2 games each for teams in your own conference and 1 each against the rest?

That way, it would be (8 x 2) + 9 = 25, which probably would be too few games.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

Toronto could esily start in in in late or late march waht Bullshit to think otherwise..
if you dress warm in those early days it should not be a problem, for the players maybe .

[Cambridge_Red]

We still had snow back in March. Like lots of snow.

[Roogsy]

Bring on Becky and LA!

[Shakes McQueen]

Or it would just require TFC to play while the bubble is still over the stadium...

- Scott

[Toronto Ruffrider]

18 x 2 = 36.


Are we playing against ourselves, too?:p

[Roogsy]

Twice!

[twistedchinaman]

Are we playing against ourselves, too?:p

Yeah, not only that, but they're free games too! :D

[Canary Canuck]

As long as it shortens the off-season I'm all for it.

[nascarguy]

We still had snow back in March. Like lots of snow.
yeah forget thowing streamers let thow snowballs

[Cashcleaner]

Are we playing against ourselves, too?:p

I didn't want to be the one who said it. :D

[Fort York Redcoat]

March? i hope so. i just dread fairweather fans. i mean they sell Toronto parkas, right?

[Ossington Mental Youth]

at very very least they recognize that almost half the season will be fucked cuz of the wcq, so they do realize that they need to work with that schedule as opposed to against it

[Fort York Redcoat]

how much they work with the international dates is to be seen. hope springs eternal.

[London]

Or it would just require TFC to play while the bubble is still over the stadium...

- Scott

if they made the dome clear, it would be just like super-checks tabletop hockey!!!

[Ossington Mental Youth]

how much they work with the international dates is to be seen. hope springs eternal.

HAHAHAA
yep.
fingers crossed

[Blizzard]

Toronto could esily start in in in late or late march waht Bullshit to think otherwise..
if you dress warm in those early days it should not be a problem, for the players maybe .

Agreed. Remember April 2, 1979!

(damn, can't find a picture)

[Batman]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8f/ExhibitionStadium.jpg/275px-ExhibitionStadium.jpg

[Mark in Ottawa]

When we had a Triple A baseball team here in Ottawa they always started the season with a long road trip. And still we ended up with cancelled games early in the seasons due to frozen field condidtions and at least one ice storm that I can remember.

[RedRum]

I'd love to open with the first 3 or 4 games on the road. No way we would have had over 2000 for Columbus if we were playing at home the week before or the week after.

Plus I think it's an advantage to get a few road games in to start, before other teams gel and get used to their confines - home field advantage becomes greater.

[Toronto_Bhoy]

Is the BMO Field heated?

[scooter]

sounds like maybe mls is going to address international commitments - its only smart considering all the other leagues are in hiatus

[Shakes McQueen]

if they made the dome clear, it would be just like super-checks tabletop hockey!!!

I like this idea.

Or we could string them all up to metal poles, and play foosball.

- Scott

[Blizzard]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8f/ExhibitionStadium.jpg/275px-ExhibitionStadium.jpg

Same stadium, same conditions, different sport.
I'll find that darned picture somewhere! :)

B

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

Same stadium, same conditions, different sport.
I'll find that darned picture somewhere! :)

B


your look for the Blizzard Ft Lauderdale strikers game in the Blizzard, right?? i have it in a blizzard match program...:drinking: to soccer in the snow!!

[Mrs. Workie]

If this is to make the schedule more accommodating to FIFA dates, I'd be all for it

[billyfly]

The Toques handed out on Sat must be part of the bigger plan!

[Blizzard]

your look for the Blizzard Ft Lauderdale strikers game in the Blizzard, right?? i have it in a blizzard match program...:drinking: to soccer in the snow!!

LOL. Ya that's it. That was a cold day. Peter Lorimer scored once and hit the bar once. He had a monster shot.

Yes, a great picture. I probably used to have that program. :(

[james]

starting in March is fine with me. They could always play the first few games away so they dont play at home till April. And there still might be some snow in April but who cares. Alot of countries have to play some of there games in snow like in Russia or Poland or Ukraine.

Shakhtor vs Dinamo



http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/russian_football_winter_5-1.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/Russiasupporters.jpghttp://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/Russia.jpg

Manchester City 1986 vs Walsall - Blizzard
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/ManchesterCitysnow.jpg

Boro vs Man United ( i think this was few years ago)

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/BoroSnow.jpg

[james]

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/Snow.jpg
Before a Champion League match

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

LOL. Ya that's it. That was a cold day. Peter Lorimer scored once and hit the bar once. He had a monster shot.

Yes, a great picture. I probably used to have that program. :(


still got quite a few , my favorite was the friendly against then european Champion Nottm forest....come on TFC give us programs!!!

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

LOL. Ya that's it. That was a cold day. Peter Lorimer scored once and hit the bar once. He had a monster shot.

Yes, a great picture. I probably used to have that program. :(


heres a picture against ft lauderdale....enjoy

[Canary Canuck]

Then there's the Canada game in Estonia when the fans had to shovel the pitch before the game and at halftime.

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

we started in MARCH this year...:)...have you already forgotten the biggest road trip in MLS history? :)

[rocker]

the only scary thing about games at BMO in snowy months is that people may go flying when they step on icy, metal stands... and I'm not sure what would happen if they started putting salt on those things. Would they rust out over time??
The upper deck west side can be scary enough on the best of days with your footing.. imagine snow and ice on it.

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

the only scary thing about games at BMO in snowy months is that people may go flying when they step on icy, metal stands... and I'm not sure what would happen if they started putting salt on those things. Would they rust out over time??
The upper deck west side can be scary enough on the best of days with your footing.. imagine snow and ice on it.

ever been to RWS in december?? :):drinking:


it'll be ok!:D

[rocker]

what's RWS?

EDIT: oh wait, you mean Ralph Wilson Stadium...
I thought it was all concrete? does the Upper Deck have metal floors not concrete?

[Stouffville_RPB]

if they build it (the schedule) we will come

[Blizzard]

heres a picture against ft lauderdale....enjoy

Beauty! Thanks.

db

[Blizzard]

still got quite a few , my favorite was the friendly against then european Champion Nottm forest....come on TFC give us programs!!!

Somehow I didn't get to that game although I did see Notts Forrest come to town a couple of years later and we won that one on a goal from Canadian defender Victor Kodelja! :)

Global showed it live which, unfortunately, killed the live gate. The first time they were here there was something like 25k at the game. Second time, 8k! Not good. :mad:

[Fort York Redcoat]

Then there's the Canada game in Estonia when the fans had to shovel the pitch before the game and at halftime.

You gotta love the CSA. Go abroad because of weather in Canada to ESTONIA. That game looked like fun but didn't do much to gel the National team lumping it up all night.

[james]

we started in MARCH this year...:)...have you already forgotten the biggest road trip in MLS history? :)

ya but it was what March 29th??? so it was right at the end. Im guessing they thinking about starting at the beginning of March.