2023 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs
- Thread starter LionNYC
- Start date
I’m not talking about the old norms though. With the leagues cup (that is clearly here to stay) the schedule has changed. That means we have a new norm, like it or not. In the World Cup year the schedule aligned well by starting two weeks earlier. If they’d move the new normal schedule (the one with the leagues cup that is not going anywhere) up another week the league would be able to fit in the playoffs before the November international date if they kept last years playoff format. Yes that’s 3 weeks earlier than previous seasons and yes it’s going to be colder, but it just makes so much more sense logistically. I understand your logic that these new dates go against the older mls start dates, but again they are going to force the leagues cup not matter what so why not find a solution so we don’t have an endless playoffs with meaningless games?
As far as playing with the transfer window opened/closed I’m not sure if you’re referencing 2022 or 2023 when you say “last year”.
2022: Transfer window opened in January and closed May 4th. NYCFC played 8 league games before the transfer window closed. (This does not include champions league or open cup). They only played 9 games before the summer window opened in July. That’s essentially 50/50 of league games with the window open or closed.
2023: Transfer window opens in January and closed April 24th. NYCFC played 9 league games before the window closed. 12 games before the summer transfer window opens. Not as close to 50/50, but it’s not astronomical.
Neither of those years was it 74% of games played with the transfer window closed. The club could still have made moves. Would it be more difficult because other leagues close earlier and would be less willing to sell as they can’t get a replacement? Absolutely, but to say we didn’t have an opportunity to make changes to our roster before the summer is disingenuous. Unless, of course, I’m misunderstanding how the transfer window in mls operates.
if they are going to continue the leagues cup we just have to get used to this new normal. Maybe I’m biased because I don’t mind and even like the cold. Granted I’m not in Minnesota…
Realistically, it’s all about the extra revenue. They’ll never admit it, but it’s why we have the leagues cup, a 9th place wild card and a home/away/home schedule now. American sports are constantly pushing the boundary of games played for a few extra dollars at the expense of the product on the field.
My use of this year/last year was sketchy but I thought I pretty clearly referred to the midseason transfer window and the crappy season reference was a clue to which year.
To clarify, in 2023 NYCFC played 24 games before the midseason window opened because Leagues Cup forced MLS to front load the calendar with games. Under your proposal it would be 25 games over (74%) before the midseason window opened.
Yes, NYCFC might have done more in the early Main transfer window. But they didn't.
You can't just move the MLS summer window earlier because it has to overlap with the European and other windows or there's too much friction in the way of deals. So a frontloaded MLS season means the midseason window cannot be used the way NYCFC tried to use it. That's Lee's fault for not recognizing that, but it's also a dumb way to run a league schedule. Other leagues don't schedule their midseason window to open after 70%+ of the season is over. The standard is right about 50%.
I think this discussion ran it's course; we have different preferences, which is fine, but we won't convince each other to change those. Take the last word if you want it.
I wonder if, at some point, they move the Leagues Cup to weekdays. Schedule it in the same way they schedule Champions League. Group Stage from April-May. Round of 32 in June. Round of 16 in July. Quarterfinals in August. Semifinals and finals in September. Maybe the semis or quarters are on weekends and you move games of involved teams.
Weekday games have never been popular with fans, but maybe by making them special fans will want to go. Plus that way you don't stop the season for a month and you can keep the interest going for longer. Plus that way you're not jamming games in to fit the schedule in.
This would increase fixture congestion for teams, especially those in USOC. So rosters will need to be deeper in order to account for scheduling like this. But if MLS is trying to become one of the top leagues in the world, that is all part of their plan.
Weekday games have never been popular with fans, but maybe by making them special fans will want to go. Plus that way you don't stop the season for a month and you can keep the interest going for longer. Plus that way you're not jamming games in to fit the schedule in.
This would increase fixture congestion for teams, especially those in USOC. So rosters will need to be deeper in order to account for scheduling like this. But if MLS is trying to become one of the top leagues in the world, that is all part of their plan.
I like this idea, but the LigaMX season would be paused or just in its between period.
As we saw by the way every game of this tournament was in the US/Canada, I don't think they particularly care. This is about the American-based audience. In fact, considering how badly MLS wants its teams to perform well in this, I think that would be a feature not a bug.
Assuming the matches stayed in the US, it would be too much travel for the Mexican teams. I'd be shocked if they went for that.
Garber got his Messi moment and satisfied the Apple brass with the Leagues Cup. Who cares about the playoffs, season is a success for MLS HQ.
Anyone as confused as me? Didn't RB just get a red card via two yellows, but they still have 11 playes on the field? And I going crazy?
LMFAO doesn't matter clearly
What a shitty goal to give up at the literal last second
-edit-
well that was disappointing
What a shitty goal to give up at the literal last second
-edit-
well that was disappointing
now FCC are taunting the red bull fans. and they are reacting poorly, as you would expect. bad form by FCC to taunt them though. not very sportsmanlike no matter how stupid and idiotic RB fans are behaving.
MLS just doesn't get it.
I haven't been paying attention to the playoffs at all. Went to MLS website to see what the bracket looks like. Can't find a bracket. Anywhere. Can't even tell who is in the playoffs and who is out. The schedule shows our friendly in the same way it shows playoff matches. Just terrible.
I haven't been paying attention to the playoffs at all. Went to MLS website to see what the bracket looks like. Can't find a bracket. Anywhere. Can't even tell who is in the playoffs and who is out. The schedule shows our friendly in the same way it shows playoff matches. Just terrible.
So, at the very top of the MLS home page in very small type it says
"See the Live 2023 MLS Cup Playoff Bracket-->" and links here
MLS Cup Playoffs | MLSsoccer.com
All the latest on Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup, Concacaf Champions League, U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, and more
www.mlssoccer.com
It's not easy to find.
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It's probably because of tv/branding, but I completely understand the "safety/security" aspect. The U.S. Open Cup game in 2019 where NYCFC won the toss and picked our side of the field which was closed off to Orlando fans for safety/security and their fans decided to run across the stadium and occupy those seats. Orlando City executives complicit in violating safety protocols. One of the scariest days of my life.
I have had absolutely no desire to watch the MLS Cup playoffs so far. Has nothing to do with us -- I used to watch in previous years. I think my main issue is the lack of games on actual TV. When I am choosing between a game on my cable system vs on a streaming platform, it's just so much easier to keep watching my TV and flip between other things than it is to watch a streaming platform and be locked into it.
Really something the league needs to think about here, because having games on a streaming platform is going to be out of sight, out of mind for the vast majority of American sports fans.
Really something the league needs to think about here, because having games on a streaming platform is going to be out of sight, out of mind for the vast majority of American sports fans.
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