MLS and changing

So its the MLS off-season and I've delayed writing another blog entry. Im over the Revs loss but it is still going to suck until they win it once and for all.

I write tonight about letters I saw in MLS Magazine, a start-up that I subscribed to. Its a good magazine lots of articles and soccer stuff but needs some time to grow into itself and get better with typos and layout.

Anyway they asked people what they wanted changed about MLS and printed them in 2nd article. Most are laughably unfeasible and seek to make MLS too much like a European or Latin American league. To summarize, changing the season time to go from august-may, splitting the season into two halves, or eliminating the playoffs will never happen.

One thing we as American soccer fans must understand is soccer isn't that popular here. Sure there is the hardcore few of us who will always care, and watch, and go to games, but to survive, MLS needs to bring in more people. This fact has led to many huge mistakes. Having shootouts instead of ties is one of these. Having a baseball announcer start cold during the 2006 World Cup was another. MLS execs need to know that they can't just compare something in a soccer game to the World Series and get tons of fans. More likely they just piss off real fans like myself.

There can be a balance however. Garber seems obsessive about keeping conferences. This is boorish and lame. Americans can handle a single table what they can't is ludicrous playoff results. DC United had no business as best record holder playing Chicago in a first round tie this year.
If a single table does come (which I have to guess will have to wait till we get to 16-18 teams) it will dramatically simplify things.
MLS will always have playoffs. It simply has to. Americans could not tolerate have the regular season just ending. It would be worse than the BCS. Europe has UEFA Cups and league cups to have fun with, America has the US open Cup which apparently no one cares about.
A single table would simplify playoffs dramatically.
But until than lets propose a playoff idea within the conference system.
1)Over 50% of teams qualifying is too many. Soccer is a very fickle game and teams that were 7th or 8th in a 13 team league don't deserve the playoffs.
2) Conference winners qualify automatically.
3)the next 4-6 best (if they insist on 8 teams) qualify based on points. Period. All this wild card bracket crap is confusing and useless. Make it simple and logical people will get it.
4) if 6 teams 1st round will be play-in round to conference finals against conference champions.


I think this is logical and feasible. If MLS gets up to 18 teams I think having 8 playoff teams would be fine.
MLS needs to strike a balance between pandering to American's tastes but also staying true to the world's game.
Let's go MLS.