MLS Announces New Playoff Format for 2019

[moogoo]

Yes. Can you imagine the uproar and teasing, laughter, etc. when NYCFC play MLS Cup somewhere that's not in NYC?

would really suck to not play our games at YS..

yes, it's just how it is. but it sucks for sure. home field advantage is not just about having your supporters, but also playing on a field you're familiar with. even for playoff games, I"m not sure how many fans will actually head to a location outside of NYC. I don't have a car, so unless the club provides bus service or something, it would take some arranging on my part to get there.

All this talk has got me thinking how it's possible that NYC does not have a single soccer specific stadium that holds more than a few thousand. That's just really sad.

 

[mgarbowski]

On MetLife...I can understand NYCFC hosting a match here say for example we play a friendly against Barcelona or Real Madrid where the match could sell 80,000 tickets and its the only applicable venue in the metro area to host the match.

What if the option for a playoff game is MetLife (80k and NJ) or Hartford (5.5k and CT)?

And are there other options I'm missing? Columbia and St. John's are in the city but too small. You almost need to go far, like Hartford, to cut the crowd and possibly accommodate people who want to go.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Hartford holds 38,000 or so, but it is outside the NY Metro area, so you have to do bus rides for supporters.

The Yale Bowl in New Haven holds 61,000 plus. It is on the fringe of the NY Metro area, with the town accessible on Metro North, but the stadium fairly removed from the station. It's also an old stadium, with wooden bleachers. It has also been announced that they may have installed artificial turf in the off season.

 

[adam]

Yeah but he included Hartford. And I can see excluding RBA as a very, very special case, but I think the team has to look at MetLife at least. It has a lot of flaws, but I'm not sure they are worse than Hartford.

ETA: Both Hartford and MetLife are in different states. MetLife is much closer, and can hold more than 5,500. It will also be expensive, and look pathetically empty.

On MetLife...I can understand NYCFC hosting a match here say for example we play a friendly against Barcelona or Real Madrid where the match could sell 80,000 tickets and its the only applicable venue in the metro area to host the match. You have to think to yourself, how big of a soccer specific stadium in New York City (proper) would cause FIFA to think about hosting a World Cup Final there vs. MetLife? 20K, no. 30K, no. 40K, no. 50K, no. 60K, maybe... That's the gauge for playing a match in MetLife vs. another venue.

On Red Bull Arena...I'd rather play the match away, or forfeit, than play a "home" game here.

MetLife is guaranteed to be booked Sunday (Jets/Giants). It would force a Saturday match with all the football hashmarks and NFL logo showing. If Jets/Giants would even allow it.

 

[mgarbowski]

Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Hartford holds 38,000 or so, but it is outside the NY Metro area, so you have to do bus rides for supporters.

The Yale Bowl in New Haven holds 61,000 plus. It is on the fringe of the NY Metro area, with the town accessible on Metro North, but the stadium fairly removed from the station. It's also an old stadium, with wooden bleachers. It has also been announced that they may have installed artificial turf in the off season.

I totally spaced on the fact there are 2 soccer stadiums in Hartford. I was looking at Dillon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dillon_Stadium

 

[Ulrich]

Helpful research and thank you.
Putting aside the extremely strongly-held preference of almost all NYCFC fans, do you consider both MetLife and RBA to be completely out of consideration as possible sites? I know RBA would be especially mortifying. But if all other options are impossible, then the possible, however unlikely ....

There is something ironically appealing to hosting a playoff match at RBA and selling it out (there would be a definite bump/spike in attendance for the playoffs at a real stadium even if at RBA with the recent nearby Jersey stench).

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t ever want our stadium built across the River, but if we’re made nomads because of MLB postseason, I’d rather go to RBA than Hartford.

 

[adam]

There is something ironically appealing to hosting a playoff match at RBA and selling it out (there would be a definite bump/spike in attendance for the playoffs at a real stadium even if at RBA with the recent nearby Jersey stench).

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t ever want our stadium built across the River, but if we’re made nomads because of MLB postseason, I’d rather go to RBA than Hartford.

It would have to sting for NJRB supporters if we did take it over and wrapped the whole thing in blue (most the seats are blue already) It can say NY is Blue all around the front of the upper bowl. Maybe hang a huge NYCFC banner over the Redbull sign in the front. Cover the seats that make the RB logo with cushions. Make it feel like we just took a castle in GOT.

EDIT: They don't need even make a sign. That ridiculous giant jersey from the season 1 reveal must be sitting in storage somewhere

 

[mgarbowski]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1165993734854586368

 

[LionNYC]

The playoff schedule has been released and it's absolutely shit.

Decision Day: Sunday, October 6
Round 1: Saturday/Sunday, October 19-20
Conference Semis: Wednesday/Thursday, October 23-24
Conference Finals: Tuesday/Wednesday, October 29-30
MLS Cup: Sunday, November 10 3 PM ET

We're likely playing all our potential playoff games at Citi Field.

Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket

ROUND 1 WEST OCT. 20 - 8:30 PM ET 4 Minnesota 1 5 LA Galaxy 2 Recap & Highlights OCT. 19 - 10:00 PM ET 3 Salt Lake 2

www.mlssoccer.com

 

[MumonA]

I'm cross-referencing the MLB playoff and MLS playoff schedule here:

View attachment 9385 View attachment 9386

Looks like AL Divisional games 1 = 10/4, 2 = 10/5, 3 = 10/7.
Decision Day is 10/6. No way we get to play that at home if Yanks make the playoffs.

MLS Round 1 is Sunday 10/20
AL Championship games 5 = 10/17, 6 = 10/19, 7 =10/20
If Yankees make that round, no way they let us play at YS for our 1st playoff game

MLS Round 2 is Sunday 10/27
World Series Games 3 = 10/25, 4 = 10/26. 5 = 10/27, 6 = 10/29
If Yanks make the WS, no way they let us play at YS for the 2nd round of the playoffs.

MLS Round 3 (conf final) is Sunday 11/3
World Series Game 7 (if necessary) is Wed 10/30.
I feel like even that would be a close call, considering all the extra stuff they do to the field for a WS game.

Sadly, it looks like if the Yanks make a run we wouldn't get to play a playoff game at YS till the MLS Cup final. So much for those Season Ticket Playoff value. They Probably sell in order of when you signed up to matches at Citi (and that's IF the Mets don't make the playoffs).

...

Decision Day WILL be played away this season.
If the Yankees have a long playoff run, we're playing our playoff matches at Citi.
If both the Yankees and the Mets have long playoff runs, we're SOL and should be huge black eye for this organization.

ETA. Looks like MLS officially announced. And playoffs start Saturday 10/19. Doesn’t change anything above. Same problems, same MLB playoff dates.

Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket

ROUND 1 WEST OCT. 20 - 8:30 PM ET 4 Minnesota 1 5 LA Galaxy 2 Recap & Highlights OCT. 19 - 10:00 PM ET 3 Salt Lake 2

www.mlssoccer.com

Well, that wasn't what I expected for the second and third round of the playoffs. Conference Semis and Finals scheduled midweek. Doesn't fundamentally change adam's analysis, only that NYCFC is even less likely to have a home match during that stretch.

 

[Kjbert]

Mets May still make the playoffs. What a shitshow

 

[mgarbowski]

The playoff schedule has been released and it's absolutely shit.

Decision Day: Sunday, October 6
Round 1: Saturday/Sunday, October 19-20
Conference Semis: Wednesday/Thursday, October 23-24
Conference Finals: Tuesday/Wednesday, October 29-30
MLS Cup: Sunday, November 10 3 PM ET

We're likely playing all our potential playoff games at Citi Field.

Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket

ROUND 1 WEST OCT. 20 - 8:30 PM ET 4 Minnesota 1 5 LA Galaxy 2 Recap & Highlights OCT. 19 - 10:00 PM ET 3 Salt Lake 2

www.mlssoccer.com

Odd choices. Avoiding football competition and stadium conflicts for SEA, NER and ATL?

 

[Gotham Gator]

So, I entered procrastination mode at work and took a closer look at this.

The weekends in play are as follows.

• First Round MLS Playoffs (Oct 19-20) and very end of AL/NL Championship Series
• Second Round MLS Playoffs (Oct 26-27) and middle of World Series

The MLS Conference Championship is least 3 days after Game 7 of a World Series and MLS Cup is a week later.

First Round MLS Playoffs
The MLB Divisional Series end no later than Oct 10. By experience, we know that if the Yankees make the ALCS, they will move the NYCFC game that weekend whether or not they would be hosting games on or near the given MLS playoff date. The ALDS will end no later than Oct 10, so we would know at least 9 days in advance if there is a conflict.

The Mets are 2 games out of a Wild Card game. For there to be a conflict at Citi Field, the Mets would need to make the playoffs, win the Wild Card game and then win the divisional series. If the Mets do all that, they will not be hosting any playoff or World Series games within 3 days of the MLS playoff game because the Mets will not have home field advantage in either series. Whether the Mets will be willing to host NYCFC in between the ALCS and World Series is anyone's guess (the Yankees would not).

The third choice is Hartford. UConn hosts a football game on 10/19. It's not clear whether that would allow an MLS Playoff game on 10/20. Yale, incidentally, does not host a football game on 10/19, so the Yale Bowl in New Haven would be available.

It is worth noting that if we finish first in the East, we will not be playing a game on this date in any event.

Second Round MLS Playoffs
If the Yankees make the World Series, we will not be playing this game in Yankee Stadium. We will know whether they make the World Series no later than one week in advance.

If the Mets make the World Series, we will not be playing this game in CitiField.

The stadium in Hartford will be available that day. The stadium in New Haven will not.

Updating the above for the moronic playoff schedule that was just announced.

The weekends in play are as follows.

• First Round MLS Playoffs (Sat-Sun, Oct 19-20) and very end of AL/NL Championship Series
• Second Round MLS Playoffs (Wed-Thur, Oct 23-24) and the World Series
• MLS Conference Championship (Tue-Wed, Oct 29-30) and the end of the World Series

The MLS Cup is more than a week after the end of the World Series.

First Round MLS Playoffs
The MLB Divisional Series end no later than Oct 10. By experience, we know that if the Yankees make the ALCS, they will move the NYCFC game that weekend whether or not they would be hosting games on or near the given MLS playoff date. The ALDS will end no later than Oct 10, so we would know at least 9 days in advance if there is a conflict.

The Mets are 3 games out of a Wild Card game. For there to be a conflict at Citi Field, the Mets would need to make the playoffs, win the Wild Card game and then win the divisional series. If the Mets do all that, they will not be hosting any playoff or World Series games within 3 days of the MLS playoff game because the Mets will not have home field advantage in either series. Whether the Mets will be willing to host NYCFC in between the ALCS and World Series is anyone's guess (the Yankees would not).

The third choice is Hartford. UConn hosts a football game on Saturday. It's not clear whether that would allow an MLS Playoff game on Sunday. Yale, incidentally, does not host a football game on Saturday, so the Yale Bowl in New Haven would be available both days (although Yale just installed artificial turf). Columbia hosts a game on Saturday, but its turf stadium at the northern end of Manhattan (17,000 seats) would be available on Sunday.

It is worth noting that if we finish first in the East, we will not be playing a game in this round in any event.

Second Round MLS Playoffs
If the Yankees make the World Series, we will not be playing this game in Yankee Stadium. We won't know whether they make the World Series until fairly close to the playoff game - anywhere from 3 days to 8 days. The lower end might not be enough time to shift the venue, so it's possible the pull the trigger to move the venue before the ALCS is over.

If the Mets make the World Series, we will not be playing this game in CitiField; with the same analysis that applies to the Yankees above. It is worth noting that these dates conflict with the first four games of the World Series, so it doesn't matter whether either team is home or away.

Because this game is mid-week, the stadiums for UConn, Yale and Columbia would all be available.

MLS Conference Championships
If the Yankees make the World Series, it is possible for us to host a game on Wednesday, Oct 30 if the Yankees do not have home field advantage. The last game for the "visiting" team is Oct 27, which is 3 days before the playoff game. Of course, this would not leave any cushion in the event of a rain or other delay.

The same analysis holds for the Mets and Citi Field.

Because this game is mid-week, the stadiums for UConn, Yale and Columbia would all be available.

It is also possible that MLS would agree to push this playoff game by a day or two in order to wait for a stadium to become available. The league has done this in the past - Seattle is one example.

 

[adam]

One thing this does is make that bye for 1st place even more valuable. Now the 1st seed will not only be hosting a one off match at home, but the visiting team will be on short rest. Moreover, if they win, they will then be hosting a team on their 3rd match in 10-11 days.

I'm really confused why MLS didn't use the weekends, are they that afraid of the NFL cutting into their ratings?

 

[mgarbowski]

I'm really confused why MLS didn't use the weekends, are they that afraid of the NFL cutting into their ratings?

I think college football is the bigger issue, and not so much for competition as for bandwidth. Fox probably has no open space on Saturdays, even including FoxMain, FS1 and FS2. ESPN might have some availability, given the additional channels they have, but even that's uncertain and you're probably talking Ocho-level reach into homes and bars that might not carry every last ESPN station.

 

[ZYanksRule]

One thing this does is make that bye for 1st place even more valuable. Now the 1st seed will not only be hosting a one off match at home, but the visiting team will be on short rest. Moreover, if they win, they will then be hosting a team on their 3rd match in 10-11 days.

I'm really confused why MLS didn't use the weekends, are they that afraid of the NFL cutting into their ratings?
View attachment 10183

I think this is probably a main reason they scheduled the conf. semifinals for Wednesday/Thursday, to give the 1-seed a greater advantage. I'm sure TV issues with foootball are a main issue, too, though they always seemed to work around that in the past.

Another reason they probably scheduled it for weekdays was because of Atlanta and Seattle. This allows both teams to host. There was no chance of us being able to host whether it's on Wednesday or Saturday, so no use in trying to schedule around MLB playoffs. Though it seems crazy to me that the conference finals are on the dates of Games 6 and 7 of the World Series.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I have to imagine that this abject stupidity is because of football weekends. Saturday being the real issue because ESPN and FoxSports are wall-to-wall with games. On Sundays, ESPN has a single game and the FoxSports networks don't show NFL at all.

The first round, they deal with this by playing two Saturday games on Univision and four Sunday games on ESPN & FoxSports.

The second round only has four games, but I guess they didn't want to do another big Sunday of MLS playoff action. Too bad. I suppose one issue might have been potential conflicts with NFL home games in the 3 markets where they share a venue. But to me, it seems better to work around a potential conflict than moving two whole rounds of games to weeknights.

The third round is only two games, so it should have been easy to do a Sunday.

 

[LionNYC]

Why not have all the matches on Friday nights? No college football. No NFL. Probably enough time to change the fields over.

 

[Schwallacus]

Why not have all the matches on Friday nights? No college football. No NFL. Probably enough time to change the fields over.

Too many people won't give up their Friday evening/night plans just to watch MLS. Big night that people enjoy either spending with friends going out (or staying in with friends) or would rather spend some time with their families/kids after the work week is over. Obviously not everyone works a 8-4/9-5, but a vast majority of people do. Sundays tend to be better off for viewership in that most people probably stay in on a Sunday or are near a TV and on a couch (their own or a friend's).

TLDR:
Friday = rage
Sunday = relax

 

[Shwafta]

absolutely not. I can't go to any friday night games.