The start times are 8pm because soccer games are shorter. It's the end time they are looking at. Big investment in and ratings for the 10pm nightly sportscasts, they want games in every sport feeding directly into those every night.
I wouldn’t care if it didn’t link to injuries and competitiveness. Show me another MLS team that will have played two home league winter night games by April 1. SKC are also in CCL and their home games in March are at 2pm. The Fire have every game at 12 noon. Because they aren’t owned by TV networks, and want their players healthy.
I noticed only one other stupid cold weather night game in March, the Rapids play at 7pm local at home on March 17. Guess who owns the Rapids? Stan Kroenke, who also owns the local sports cable network and the Avalanche. Guess who plays at 1pm local on March 17? The Avalanche...