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Playoff format changes next year


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#1
999duo

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https://theathletic....327/2018/11/19/

Summary for those of you without subscription:
-Condensed Regular season next year: Still Starts in March, will end first week of October. At least two more weekday games per team.
-7 Teams from each conference to make playoffs. So only conference winner get bye. This is apparently in anticipation of the leagues goal of 28 teams.
-Playoff Format will be single game rounds. No two leg matches.
-MLS Cup to be held before international break.
-Season could potentially begin in February in future years to mitigate condensed schedule/avoid giving non-playoff teams too much time off.
-Author hints (in follow up on Reddit) that cap on charter flights might be lifted in future years.

#2
SatansHockey

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I hope we don't get fucked on away goals this year and the format changes next year.

I do love that they are going to single elimination and getting rid of the stupid away goals rule though.

Season starting in February is going to be interesting. I can see that being really bad for attendance in a lot of places with the cold weather though they could try to have more teams in the south and out west host more during that month. Or maybe have 1pm games so it won't be as bad.

I don't mind the cold at all, just don't see us having good attendance when it's freezing cold out in February for an early regular season game.

#3
999duo

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I hope we don't get fucked on away goals this year and the format changes next year.

I do love that they are going to single elimination and getting rid of the stupid away goals rule though.

Season starting in February is going to be interesting. I can see that being really bad for attendance in a lot of places with the cold weather though they could try to have more teams in the south and out west host more during that month. Or maybe have 1pm games so it won't be as bad.

I don't mind the cold at all, just don't see us having good attendance when it's freezing cold out in February for an early regular season game.

Author kind of implied that teams in warmer locales would be expected to host in Feb (Miami, Orlando, Nashville, LAs, Texas teams, etc.).



#4
SatansHockey

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Author kind of implied that teams in warmer locales would be expected to host in Feb (Miami, Orlando, Nashville, LAs, Texas teams, etc.).


Makes sense, the one thing I don't like is more weekday games. I personally don't mind them but it's clear that other people do because attendance is never great for them here.

#5
JBigjake54

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I don't like ... more weekday games.


If two more weekday games shorten the season by a month, that seems a reasonable trade off.
I just want games against our Eastern rivals scheduled on weekends! Road trips on weeknights create logistical nightmares for travelling fans.

We are good enough to beat the best teams, and bad enough to lose to the worst teams. 


#6
Brian.MLS

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Makes sense, the one thing I don't like is more weekday games. I personally don't mind them but it's clear that other people do because attendance is never great for them here.


Currently teams are playing about 4 weekday games. Good news is that this structure would mean 2 weekend games will be moved to 2 weekday games total. Figure one at home, one on the road, so not a drastic change for attendance totals. More concerned about wear and tear on players, especially with the CCL and USOC.
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#7
Metrohoboken

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https://theathletic....327/2018/11/19/

Summary for those of you without subscription:
-Condensed Regular season next year: Still Starts in March, will end first week of October. At least two more weekday games per team.
-7 Teams from each conference to make playoffs. So only conference winner get bye. This is apparently in anticipation of the leagues goal of 28 teams.
-Playoff Format will be single game rounds. No two leg matches.
-MLS Cup to be held before international break.
-Season could potentially begin in February in future years to mitigate condensed schedule/avoid giving non-playoff teams too much time off.
-Author hints (in follow up on Reddit) that cap on charter flights might be lifted in future years.

HOORAY!


Bradley Wright-Phillips "I prefer it at Red Bull Arena, but it was OK. I could imagine it being good for a baseball crowd.


#8
Metrohoboken

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Currently teams are playing about 4 weekday games. Good news is that this structure would mean 2 weekend games will be moved to 2 weekday games total. Figure one at home, one on the road, so not a drastic change for attendance totals. More concerned about wear and tear on players, especially with the CCL and USOC.

more opportunity to dip into the USL side?


Bradley Wright-Phillips "I prefer it at Red Bull Arena, but it was OK. I could imagine it being good for a baseball crowd.


#9
Brian.MLS

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more opportunity to dip into the USL side?


Depending on the schedule, I can see reverting back to deprioritizing the USOC and giving the kids time there.

I still feel that teams with a USL owned club should be given more roster flexibility for their MLS teams (in particular MLS eligible player spots) but that's another topic all together.
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#10
uptownbull

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Increased schedule density favors deep teams that can develop their own talent, so that benefits us.

 

I like the one game playoff format - but conference finals should be two legs, b.c theoretically they feature an interesting matchup. Metro-Atlanta in a one game playoff would be crazy intense, but the tactics that come out over two game are also fun. 


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#11
ESCfanatic279

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What if a MLS team wins CCL in 2019. With the MLS cup being in mid November and the potential CCL winning team being eliminated from the MLS playoffs in October. That leads to just over 2 months of off time to prepare for a club world cup competition. That is rediculously long lay off time and will gurantee an MLS* teams early departure from the tournament. I think MLS is getting closer and closer with the quality of Liga MX and with Chivas being out of the Mexican playoffs this year. I think there is a substantial chance of MLS team winning the CCL in 2019.



#12
regulator

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thank god - single game elimination and getting rid of that absurd break in the middle of the playoffs - sign me up!!



#13
Metrohoboken

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What if a MLS team wins CCL in 2019. With the MLS cup being in mid November and the potential CCL winning team being eliminated from the MLS playoffs in October. That leads to just over 2 months of off time to prepare for a club world cup competition. That is rediculously long lay off time and will gurantee an MLS* teams early departure from the tournament. I think MLS is getting closer and closer with the quality of Liga MX and with Chivas being out of the Mexican playoffs this year. I think there is a substantial chance of MLS team winning the CCL in 2019.

cross that bridge when we come to it. The revised playoff schedule is way better. 


Bradley Wright-Phillips "I prefer it at Red Bull Arena, but it was OK. I could imagine it being good for a baseball crowd.


#14
999duo

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What if a MLS team wins CCL in 2019. With the MLS cup being in mid November and the potential CCL winning team being eliminated from the MLS playoffs in October. That leads to just over 2 months of off time to prepare for a club world cup competition. That is rediculously long lay off time and will gurantee an MLS* teams early departure from the tournament. I think MLS is getting closer and closer with the quality of Liga MX and with Chivas being out of the Mexican playoffs this year. I think there is a substantial chance of MLS team winning the CCL in 2019.

It's better than the current format where MLS Cup and the club world cup are played at the same time!



#15
ESCfanatic279

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I disagree. The club world cup starts a week after the MLS Cup. That's plenty of time to travel for team representing CONCACAF to travel. Even if the team representing CONCACAF the newly reigning MLS Cup Champion. Plus FIFA has not announced where the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup is to be played. Maybe Florida or Texas can host the tournament. It would be popular here in the States. Does anybody know if US Soccer or CONCACAF has made a bid to host.






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