Pace of Play Issues?

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As the 2017 MLB season has commencement, intentional walks are now automatic batters to first base (no four pitches). Rules changes in the NBA, MLB, and NHL have tried to increased the pace of play to drive overall game time down.

Does anyone think that MLS has a similar problem? Of course, a referee can give a yellow card to any player that is time wasting (i.e., goalkeepers taking too long on a goal kick, an exiting player being subbed off walking too slow, etc.).

But are there any parts of the game that can be improved to speed up the game? Less player crowding after significant decisions like red cards and penalties, quicker penalties taken by players, etc...
 
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As the 2017 MLB season has commencement, intentional walks are now automatic batters to first base (no four pitches). Rules changes in the NBA, MLB, and NHL have tried to increased the pace of play to drive overall game time down.

Does anyone think that MLS has a similar problem? Of course, a referee can give a yellow card to any player that is time wasting (i.e., goalkeepers taking too long on a goal kick, an exiting player being subbed off walking too slow, etc.).

But are there any parts of the game that can be improved to speed up the game? Less player crowding after significant decisions like red cards and penalties, quicker penalties taken by players, etc...

I disagree with the premise that MLS has a pace of play problem. A regular season MLS game is around a two hour playing experience. This twoish hour experience is what a baseball game was from 1920, when they started tracking, to around the late 40's when it started getting towards two hours twenty in length, and never got any shorter.

I read an academic paper once, that I don't have the resources to search for right now, that said an entertainment event is optimally around two hours. We seem to be hitting that sweet spot right now. The game is fast paced and fun to watch, any rule changes that might lengthen game time should be seriously looked at with the default answer being no. But, from a fan entertainment standpoint, I don't really see the need to try and shorten overall game time.
 
I don't think there are any major issues at the moment, but it remains to be seen when they bring in WAR (Video Assistant Referees)

I always enjoy telling anyone I take to their first soccer game exactly how long the game will last
 
I disagree with the premise that MLS has a pace of play problem. A regular season MLS game is around a two hour playing experience. This twoish hour experience is what a baseball game was from 1920, when they started tracking, to around the late 40's when it started getting towards two hours twenty in length, and never got any shorter.

I read an academic paper once, that I don't have the resources to search for right now, that said an entertainment event is optimally around two hours. We seem to be hitting that sweet spot right now. The game is fast paced and fun to watch, any rule changes that might lengthen game time should be seriously looked at with the default answer being no. But, from a fan entertainment standpoint, I don't really see the need to try and shorten overall game time.
How did baseball go that quickly back then? Wow.

Games now can go 3-4 hours.... which really is too long to be dedicating regularly to a sport. Especially one with so many games.

I'm very nervous about video review. I think it's hurts more than it helps by slowing every sport down that's implemented it. Worse still is that I often times disagree with their opinion on the video reviewed calls so what's the point?

Seems dumb.
 
How did baseball go that quickly back then? Wow.
Batters would get into the batter's box and not leave until the at-bat ended. Both batters and pitchers worked faster. Batters took fewer pitches. The idea of working a count as currently understood is a newish invention of the last 2 decades. There were also fewer strikeouts and walks so most at-bats lasted 2-3 pitches. Fewer commercials between innings. Fewer pitching changes.
 
How did baseball go that quickly back then? Wow.

Games now can go 3-4 hours.... which really is too long to be dedicating regularly to a sport. Especially one with so many games.

I'm very nervous about video review. I think it's hurts more than it helps by slowing every sport down that's implemented it. Worse still is that I often times disagree with their opinion on the video reviewed calls so what's the point?

Seems dumb.

Its easy, just cut the horseshit and play ball. Don't let a pitcher spend 2 minutes figuring out what pitch he wants to throw, back then you had one or two pitches you were good with and threw them.

The guy on deck walk up to the plate after a play is over, knocks some dirt off his shoe and starts batting, no minute of screwing around with gloves then taking five practice swings. Then getting in and out of position three times before the pitcher goes through his rigamarole,

Might also want to consider that coaches very rarely went out to the mound in those days. So no random three minute pauses a couple times a game.

Basically seconds add up, and every action taken in a baseball game, where a ball is not in play, takes on average 50% longer than it did 100 years go.
 
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I'm very nervous about video review. I think it's hurts more than it helps by slowing every sport down that's implemented it. Worse still is that I often times disagree with their opinion on the video reviewed calls so what's the point?

Seems dumb.

Personally, I'm excited for it. I believe MLS' intention is to only use the VAR for game changing events like goals or red cards. A coach can't just request a review for a random foul.

Also, I believe there's going to be a dedicated ref to review the video. Unlike MLB or NFL, the umpire/ref won't have to leave the field and watch the tape themselves. There's already someone monitoring it who can reach a decision much faster.

I'm sure there'll be some tweaking to do after it initially rolls out, but I think it'll be beneficial overall.
 
Pace of play is MLS's strength in this day and age. The fact that the game does not stop in either half is huge - there are no commercials and no breaks in the action. Grab a beer or take a piss at your own risk.

Perhaps the biggest reason I am more of a fan of soccer than any other sport is precisely this reason. After watching a lot of soccer, I can't stand tuning into football or basketball, with the constant breaks and advertisements, and this is from a guy who grew up a huge college football fan.
 
Oh, there is this one guy who thinks the pace of play is getting slowed down. But he's a punk.

Negative Soccer ‘Not a New Tactic’ Against RBNY


Jesse-Marsch-Red-Bulls-Real-Salt-Lake-Match-1-620x400.jpg



By ANTHONY J. MERCED

Jesse Marsch had harsh words for the league and the opposition about the physical nature of play against the New York Red Bulls. This past weekend against Real Salt Lake, five yellow cards were issued against the away side, all in the second half. Never one to stray from addressing the situation, Marsch said:

“This is not a new tactic of playing the Red Bulls. Don’t allow their pressure, foul them when we get on the counter, break up their play when they have the ball, make it hard on their good attacking players. We’ve tried to alert PRO and the league… Oh and, I’m sorry, slow the game down almost obnoxiously. We’ve tried to make that clear to PRO and the league that this is a tactic and that it’s not good for the league.”

* * *

“If you want to watch entertaining football then, when a team gets a foul or a throw in or a goal kick and takes 30 seconds every time, nobody pays money to see that,” Marsch said. “In an entertainment business, nobody pays money to see that. We were reminding the fourth official, reminding the fourth official, trying to get the word out to the first official and even when they started the second half, he didn’t want to do it until the 60th minute.”


http://www.empireofsoccer.com/negative-soccer-not-a-new-tactic-against-rbny-59738/
 
Oh, there is this one guy who thinks the pace of play is getting slowed down. But he's a punk.

Negative Soccer ‘Not a New Tactic’ Against RBNY


Jesse-Marsch-Red-Bulls-Real-Salt-Lake-Match-1-620x400.jpg



By ANTHONY J. MERCED

Jesse Marsch had harsh words for the league and the opposition about the physical nature of play against the New York Red Bulls. This past weekend against Real Salt Lake, five yellow cards were issued against the away side, all in the second half. Never one to stray from addressing the situation, Marsch said:

“This is not a new tactic of playing the Red Bulls. Don’t allow their pressure, foul them when we get on the counter, break up their play when they have the ball, make it hard on their good attacking players. We’ve tried to alert PRO and the league… Oh and, I’m sorry, slow the game down almost obnoxiously. We’ve tried to make that clear to PRO and the league that this is a tactic and that it’s not good for the league.”

* * *

“If you want to watch entertaining football then, when a team gets a foul or a throw in or a goal kick and takes 30 seconds every time, nobody pays money to see that,” Marsch said. “In an entertainment business, nobody pays money to see that. We were reminding the fourth official, reminding the fourth official, trying to get the word out to the first official and even when they started the second half, he didn’t want to do it until the 60th minute.”


http://www.empireofsoccer.com/negative-soccer-not-a-new-tactic-against-rbny-59738/

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As the 2017 MLB season has commencement, intentional walks are now automatic batters to first base (no four pitches). Rules changes in the NBA, MLB, and NHL have tried to increased the pace of play to drive overall game time down.

Does anyone think that MLS has a similar problem? Of course, a referee can give a yellow card to any player that is time wasting (i.e., goalkeepers taking too long on a goal kick, an exiting player being subbed off walking too slow, etc.).

But are there any parts of the game that can be improved to speed up the game? Less player crowding after significant decisions like red cards and penalties, quicker penalties taken by players, etc...
The clock is always running. It's up to the referee to manage situations. Some do it better than others. Unless they begin enforcing current/new rules you cant change much.
After a decision the only player that should be able to get around a ref is the captain (my opinion). When has a ref ever changed his mind because 6 guys are yelling in his ear?
 
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The clock is always running. It's up to the referee to manage situations. Some do it better than others. Unless they behind enforcing current/new rules you can change much.
After a decision the only player that should be able to get around a ref is the captain (my opinion). When has a ref ever changed his mind because 6 guys are yelling in his ear?
Always felt the same way. Give all 6 a yellow immediately. There should be a reason one person wears the armband.
 
Perhaps the biggest reason I am more of a fan of soccer than any other sport is precisely this reason. After watching a lot of soccer, I can't stand tuning into football or basketball, with the constant breaks and advertisements, and this is from a guy who grew up a huge college football fan.
I 100% agree with you there, and growing up only watching soccer I can't stand the constant commercial breaks of other sports... but, I think the lack of them is one reason soccer lags behind other sports here in the US.