MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
This is fun. Here is how I would go... I would do Phoenix instead of Charlotte though.
Top two in each conference make playoffs:
Metroliner Division
DC United
New England Revs
New York FC
NY Red Bulls
Philadelphia
Fried Green Tomatoes Division
Atlanta
Orlando
Miami
Nashville
Cincinnati
Bratwurst and Beer Division
Columbus
SKC
St. Louis
Chicago
Minnesota
Cowboy Division
Colorado
RSL
Austin
Dallas
Houston
“We Hate Trump” Division
Portland
Seattle
Vancouver
Montreal
Toronto
California Division
Sacramento
San Jose
LAFC
LA Galaxy
[Phoenix]
(Toronto and Montreal are a problem in all these setups btw, nobody will want us in their division....)
Last edited by ensco; 12-03-2019 at 03:28 PM.
"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
I think the "Canadian teams don't draw" idea is a little more muted in a league where attendance has little to do with which team is playing which.
When they go to 2 conferences with 2 divisions, we will be in the East.
Two Conferences with two Divisions each only works in a 28-team league for a 34 game schedule. I'm imagining they're going to go two Conferences of either 3 or 4 divisions each, which is what most Americans are used to.
Last edited by Initial B; 12-05-2019 at 07:52 AM.
If they stop at 30 teams, I see 3 divisions of 10. If they go to 32 teams, I see 4 divisions of 8.
In both instances they could play home/away games against their division and one game against the non-division teams for 38 games in total. 38 games would bring the MLS in line with many euro leagues (Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue1).
30 teams = 18 division games and 20 non-division games
32 teams = 14 division games and 24 non-division games
But this calculation doesn't factor in length of playoffs which could add quite a few games.
Assuming MLS will always have playoffs I don't think they have time to play more than 34 regular season games, and I don't know how they would seed the playoffs with 3 conferences in a way that makes sense.
I'd expect a West and an East conference with each having 3 or 4 divisions depending on the total number of teams
Home opener schedule released - https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/...n-kicks-feb-29
TFC opens at SJE Feb 29 with home opener March 7 - 5 pm vs NYCFC
The early season schedule always has some surprises. You would think the warm climate/domed stadium teams would host the first couple of weeks games. And the early season cold weather matches would be hosted during the day rather than evening.
Auro got some Toronto and Canada tattoos. Guess he wants to be here for years
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5s-Va2hcYc/
They are going to 40 teams, with a game-ified version of pro/rel within the structure. Sort of like the Liguilla. Could be merged into the Liguilla, actually.
Just my 2 cents. I know nothing, but there are still 10 people in 10 cities willing to pay.
When the ducks are quacking, feed them corn.
"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
I am thinking something like this:
40 teams with some sort of apertura/clausura and liguilla system by conference. Two qualifiers from each conference in each liguilla. At the end of the season is the grand tourney with the 8 teams that emerge from the liguillas.
I think they want and will have a super liguilla with top Mexican teams too. But somebody needs to change their calendar to do that.
"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
So the BOG was yesterday and as per usual - the Athletic got some info
https://theathletic.com/1437666/2019....co/U1YVI9NEou
Interesting to note that a guy les Impacts fired as their coach is managing in the Champions League today against the defending champions with at least a chance to go on to the next round.
Some preseason stuff
The @LAGalaxy
will play 2 preseason games at Dignity Health Sports Park as part of @MLS
doubleheaders. On Sat. Feb. 8 the Galaxy will play Toronto FC at 3 p.m.; Chicago-Colorado meet at noon. On Sat. Feb. 22 the Galaxy will play Chicago at 3 p.m. Toronto-Colorado meet at noon
https://twitter.com/kbaxter11/status...82960836517890
Major League Soccer on Tuesday made it official that Charlotte will be the home of the league's 30th and likely last franchise.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-le...d-$325-million
I wonder if the MLS stops at 30. The franchise fees keep rising but they are running out of cities.
That was a bit of a surprise, but maybe the owners (who call the shots) feel that any further expansion, at least in the near future, would be unwise. Long term viability and schedule concerns outweighs short-term expansion fees, and everyone remembers the original NASL. This is the first time Garber has made such a definitive statement, so I'd take it seriously.
I'm glad that after that last one we won't have to worry about losing a player to an expansion side.
So for a 30 team league, what would it look like? 2x in your own conference and 4 from the other conference? That would be awkward.
Last edited by Oldtimer; 12-18-2019 at 10:27 AM.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
I tried to figure out a way to make 30 work, but can’t. The only way for me for this to work is if they go into 6 divisions of 5 teams. 34 game schedule stays. Play everyone in the league once, play your own division twice. Keeps it as balanced as it gets.
North: Toronto, Montreal, New England, NYCFC, Red Bulls
South: Austin, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Charlotte
Southeast: DC United, Philadelphia, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta
Central: St. Louis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Chicago, Minnesota
Northwest: Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, San Jose
Southwest: LAFC, LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Colorado, Kansas City
Top 2 in each division go to the playoffs, plus the next best 4 teams. I’m guessing they will make it like hockey and basketball, where 16 teams make the playoffs (absolute garbage). Keeps playoffs the same length, and it keeps 95% of the rival teams in the same division.
Thoughts?
Edit: Just realized its only 33 games. It’s gotta be 5 divisions of 6 teams. But you get my drift. 3 divisions of 10 teams works as well if the league goes up to 38 game schedule. Keeps it in line with most other leagues in the world, gives each team 2 more home games to get revenue from, and will make the tv deal better as well with more games. They have enough time throughout the year, and enough warm temperature cities during the winter to do this.
Last edited by TFC1154ever; 12-18-2019 at 03:23 PM.
They definitively said they would stop at 24.
i.e. I don't trust the "stopping at 30" talk at all.
The number will be pushed to 32 in the next 5 years.
Last edited by OgtheDim; 12-18-2019 at 09:36 PM.
I modified your divisions based on the discussions going on at Big Soccer:I think what they'll do is play one game against two of three opposite-conference divisions per season on a rotating basis (a la NFL), one game per season against in-conference divisions, and the remaining games in-division for a 34 game season (yes, the in-division games will be uneven). Such an alignment would allow the league to eventually expand to 36 teams without requiring a revision to the format. It was telling that in the Charlotte unveiling speech that Garber mentioned specifically 5 rival clubs and called them the Southeast: DCU, Nashville, Atlanta, Orlando, and Miami. If the end game is 36 clubs, this alignment gives them the time to add teams at their leisure without requiring radical realignments in rivalries or geographical locations.
Last edited by Initial B; 12-19-2019 at 07:49 AM.
I hope it doesn't get to a point a la NHL, where we are playing rivals 6-7 times a season.
I prefer to play a team twice (home/away) and call it a day.
Also - Dividing the league into 2 separate conference is worrisome. I hate not playing other teams in the opposite conference a la MLB style - unless the ultimate goal is to to eventually get to a 2 tier system - so a fake relegation type scenario. So the "Top div" plays for MLS Cup and the "2nd Div" plays for... I dunno "Supporters Cup"
That I wouldn't be oppose to.