2017 Schedule

[LionNYC]

HOME OPENERS!

https://twitter.com/x/status/811606557075132416

2017 MLS Home Openers
Friday, March 3, 2017:

• 9:30 PM ET – Portland Timbers vs. Minnesota United FC (Providence Park)

Saturday, March 4, 2017:

• 2:00 PM ET – Columbus Crew SC vs. Chicago Fire (MAPFRE Stadium)
• 4:00 PM ET – LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas (StubHub Center)
• 4:30 PM ET – Real Salt Lake vs. Toronto FC (Rio Tinto Stadium)
• 6:00 PM ET – Colorado Rapids vs. New England Revolution (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park)
• 7:00 PM ET – D.C. United vs. Sporting Kansas City (RFK Stadium)
• 8:30 PM ET – Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders FC (BBVA Compass Stadium)
• 10:00 PM ET – San Jose Earthquakes vs. Montreal Impact (Avaya Stadium)

Sunday, March 5, 2017:

• 5:00 PM ET – Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC (Orlando City Stadium)
• 7:00 PM ET – Atlanta United vs. New York Red Bulls (Bobby Dodd Stadium)
• 9:30 PM ET – Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Philadelphia Union (BC Place)

Saturday, March 11, 2017:

• 2:00 PM ET – New England Revolution vs. Orlando City SC (Gillette Stadium)
• 2:00 PM ET – Chicago Fire vs. Real Salt Lake (Toyota Park)
• 4:00 PM ET – New York Red Bulls vs. Colorado Rapids (Red Bull Arena)
• 4:30 PM ET – Philadelphia Union vs. Toronto FC (Talen Energy Stadium)
• 7:00 PM ET – Montreal Impact vs. Seattle Sounders FC (Olympic Stadium)
• 9:00 PM ET – Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas (Children’s Mercy Park)

Sunday, March 12, 2017:

• 2:00 PM ET – New York City FC vs. D.C. United (Yankee Stadium)
• 5:00 PM ET – Minnesota United FC vs. Atlanta United (TCF Bank Stadium)

Saturday, March 18, 2017:

• 8:00 PM ET – FC Dallas vs. New England Revolution (Toyota Stadium)

Sunday, March 19, 2017:

• 7:00 PM ET – Seattle Sounders FC vs. New York Red Bulls (CenturyLink Field)

Friday, March 31, 2017:

• 7:30 PM ET – Toronto FC vs. Sporting Kansas City (BMO Field)

 

[Goodfella]

This should be in the Big News thread

 

[mgarbowski]

This should be in the Big News thread

This should be in the Thread Integrity thread.

 

[LionNYC]

One interesting thing regarding the 2017 schedule is that Atlanta is playing Minnesota twice in the regular season, which is odd since they are in different conferences.

 

[mgarbowski]

One interesting thing regarding the 2017 schedule is that Atlanta is playing Minnesota twice in the regular season, which is odd since they are in different conferences.

With 11 teams in each conference you needed one extra IC game to maintain balance and this makes the most sense.

The math: The league plays 374 games this year: 22 teams * 34 games /2 (to avoid counting each game twice). There are 121 IC games if all 11 teams in the East play all 11 teams in the West exactly once. That would leave 253 Intraconference Games. That's 126 for each conference plus one game left over. You could add one extra game to the East or West or do this.

 

[Gotham Gator]

With 11 teams in each conference you needed one extra IC game to maintain balance and this makes the most sense.

The math: The league plays 374 games this year: 22 teams * 34 games /2 (to avoid counting each game twice). There are 121 IC games if all 11 teams in the East play all 11 teams in the West exactly once. That would leave 253 Intraconference Games. That's 126 for each conference plus one game left over. You could add one extra game to the East or West or do this.

 

[mgarbowski]

One other feature of the schedule this year that comes from having an odd number of teams in each conference is that any week in which every team plays must have at least one East/West interconference game. Last year IC games ended on October 1, and the last 2 weeks the league had every team play and East played East and West played West.

This year Portland hosts DC in Week 33, and Houston hosts Chicago on Decision Day in Week 34.

 

[Viewfrom226]

One other feature of the schedule this year that comes from having an odd number of teams in each conference is that any week in which every team plays must have at least one East/West interconference game. Last year IC games ended on October 1, and the last 2 weeks the league had every team play and East played East and West played West.

This year Portland hosts DC in Week 33, and Houston hosts Chicago on Decision Day in Week 34.

I wonder if it is pure coincidence that they picked the two teams that were bottom last year for that final week matchup? Both look better this year, but if last year repeats, that game will do nothing to minimize the final week playoff drama.

 

[LionNYC]

I wonder if it is pure coincidence that they picked the two teams that were bottom last year for that final week matchup? Both look better this year, but if last year repeats, that game will do nothing to minimize the final week playoff drama.

Well since there is a Wooden Spoon award from the Supporter's Council now, at least there will be the chances of a trophy presentation. Maybe they'll put the game on national tv.

 

[mgarbowski]

I wonder if it is pure coincidence that they picked the two teams that were bottom last year for that final week matchup? Both look better this year, but if last year repeats, that game will do nothing to minimize the final week playoff drama.

I figured the same. This being MLS, you're right there's actually a fairly low chance that neither team will be in contention for anything, but there was not better guess available when the schedule had to be set I guess.