Another new league…sorta

WooHoo!!! The long anticipated CONCACAF Champions League has finally been announced.

I won’t bore  you with the details cuz it’s blogged and published everywhere else.

Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m excited or not about this. Yeah, it’s another opportunity for MLS Clubs to show how competitive they are. Yes, another. Is the SuperLiga still part of the mix? Houston and NE still have the Champions Cup (the old version to play this Spring as well. Another question, which two MLS Clubs get the other two spots? It should be Chivas and DC….but will LA somehow slid into the mix? Will Toronto get a back door in every year?

Why am I so negative? Which Mexican Clubs participate? Will the best two still go to the Copa Libratadoras? Or will this be a second (third?) International Competition for them.

I do like the idea of dumping the rest of the competitions and making this the premier competition for our region, but until my questions are answered, it won’t be. We keep hearing comments about fixture congestion yet we continue to see more matches…though I will say that at least this isn’t some “made to make money” meaningless friendly against some big Euro Club.
Also, what about TV coverage? Will we even get to see the games? I’m thinking this is yet another idea from the CONCACAF Brain-trust which hasn’t been completely thought through.

King for a Day

My blog title is an XTC lyric so why not use one here?

So, we are in the middle of the off-season. There’s plenty going on in MLS and Europe but I thought it would be fun to have a think about what I’d recommend if I were Don Garber about the structure of MLS–hence the “King for a Day” title.

Probably the biggest complaint I hear about MLS is the post season…or at least the format of it. It really doesn’t produce as much incentive as it could to force winning soccer all season long. Just look at my boys (LA) in 2005 for your classic example of this.

Thing is, the playoffs aren’t going away. I don’t care how much the SnobMob speak out for a more “traditional” format. MLS needs some kind of post season.

I’ve done a little thinking and have come up with a structure that, while still not completely worked out makes sense to me. The biggest problem with it is that it’s a little more complicated than what we have now.

Right now, the playoff prize is the MLS Cup. Places in the Champions Cup and SuperLiga are somehow sorted out from there. Why not change things around a bit so that the places in the Champions Cup and SuperLiga are won in the playoffs.

Now, I’m making some assumptions here which may or may not shoot this whole thing down…but hear me out. I’m going to assume that the top four teams will be in the Champions Cup and the next four in the SuperLiga (UEFA Cupish). I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do to have the same teams play in both the Champions Cup and the SuperLiga. If a team does well in both, that would mean–by my rough estimation–12 possible Champions Cup matches and 5 more in the SuperLiga….that is if they make it to the finals in both. So for now, I’m going to assume that teams can only play in one regional competition.

So, first we have the Open Cup winner. They should automatically qualify for the SuperLiga and a chance at the Champions Cup if they fail to finish high enough in the regular season.

The MLS Cup should be played between the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences. They both automatically qualify for the Champions Cup.

The Open Cup winner and the next three best finishing teams in the regular season will play off for the other two Champions Cup spots….losers of the match-ups will go into the SuperLiga.

Then, the next four best finishes will play off for the final two SuperLiga spots.

Yeah, I can see you doing the math there. It would mean that ten teams make the playoffs. However, a team finishing fourth in their conference is playing off for a spot in regional competition, not the MLS Cup.

How would this have looked based on the way things finished in 2007?

MLS Cup DC vs Chivas

Champions Cup Playoff Houston vs NY NE vs Dallas

SuperLiga Playoff Chicago vs Colorado KC vs Columbus

DC and Chivas would be with the winners of the Houston/NY and NE/Dallas series in the Champions Cup. The loser of the Houston/NY and NE/Dallas series and the winners of the Chicago/Colorado and KC/Columbus series make the SuperLiga. The Chicago/Colorado and KC/Columbus series get to try again next season.

Scheduling makes sense as well. The playoff series for spots in the Regional competition could start the weekend after the season finishes (home and home with first leg at lower ranked team) and be finished up the second Saturday. The MLS Cup would then be played the following day on Sunday. As it’s at a neutral site, this gives the fans of each team a chance to organize things (unlike I had to do sorting out a trip to Columbus from LA with less than a week before the 2001 MLS Cup Final)

Of course, this puts Toronto at a disadvantage because they don’t play in the Open Cup…but there’s going to be a problem with any playoff format.

Anyway, I know it’s not perfect but something like this would be a big step in the right direction. Of course, I’d wake up the next day and all my hard work would have been shot down by the money men….but still, ya gotta dream.

Ah, it’s Fall and the postseason complaints have started

Enough already!  I’m sorry, but if I read or hear one more person complain about the MLS Playoff format…well, I don’t know what I’m going to do but I’m tired of it already.

This is Year 12, and for twelve years people have complained about the format and that we have playoffs at all.  Get over it people.

If the owners wanted the top teams to win through to the finals, they would probably just do away with the first round….actually not a bad idea, but it won’t happen.  Besides, everyone loves an upset…remember the Smurf (errr..Quake) comeback a few years ago?  Yeah, I’ve tried to forget, but ya hafta love LA’s playoff run in ’05…ok, maybe that’s only a good example for Galaxy fans.

All the playoff teams get a playoff match at home.  Remember, it’s still about selling tickets.

Personally, I’d prefer the entire playoffs be over two legs like the first round…including the final.  But that’s not gonna happen.  So, I’m happy with what we have.  It works, it ain’t perfect but it’s what we have.  Teams have to plan for it.  It’s always been this way so no one is pulling surprises.

Now, if only the league would be a little more transparent about the qualification process for the Champs Cup and SuperLiga.  

Oh, and while I’m thinking about it, I’ve complained about all the money grabbing friendlys LA are playing.  I’ve used the argument that Man U wouldn’t fly thousands of miles in the middle of the season for a meaningless payday match.  Well, I guess I can’t use that argument any more.

D-Day (MLS Style)

WooHoo!!! MLS season starts today. It’s been a long winter (sure, it’s still snowing here but it is Spring right?) of having to listen to Ipswich matches over the internet. The way Town have been performing, it’s almost a good thing their season is almost over…mid-table obscurity, I guess it could be worse.

With the start of the season comes all the season preview pieces. Everyone is doing it. This season seems different. The media is all over the place…and it’s almost all positive. Beckham, new stadiums, new team in a new country and those new TV deals all seem to have even mainstream hacks taking a closer look at the league/sport. I’ve a feeling there will be a lot of packed stadiums this weekend. My DVR is set and I’m ready to go.

MLS teams still have the same record against Mexican teams on the road. However, both DC and Houston put up great fights this week. Both the matches were exciting and what the Champs Cup needs. I just wish the seasons meshed better and we could something closer to UEFAs Champs League. Oh yeah, there’s the SuperLiga. Um…after the battles we saw this week, do we really need the SuperLiga? Too bad CONCACAF runs the Champs Cup.

Oh Waldo, what have you done? Now, I have to admit, even before this was published, I have been agreeing with most of what Waldo’s been saying of late. Yeah, every soccer fan in the country will agree with your comments about that Radio host. After 15 years of his little “Cloneopolis“, you’d think he’d move on by now. About 10-15 years ago, I used to listen to Rome all the time. I always did disagree with his opinions on soccer. I’m certain it’s all an act, Rome has entirely too many “takes” on soccer to not be actively following the sport. The reason I stopped listening to his show was because it really is too predictable. I’d check out ESPN.com, see what stories were in the news and know what he’d be saying during his show. Anyway, unfortunately, even Waldo’s public apologies (Press Release, call into Rome’s show) don’t seem to be enough right now. He’s not going to be enough. It seems he’s not going to be in the booth for today’s game. Foudy? See what you’d done Waldo. We-the MLS fans-now have to listen to her for 2 hours. Couldn’t they have got Alan Hopkins to replace Waldo? Just had to ask. So, let me get this straight, Waldo insults a host and he’s suspended, Rome insults a sport, those who play and follow it and he’s applauded. Yeah, we’ve still got a long way to go. But, it’s one more way the sport has got some media attention on the eve of the season, any publicity is good publicity…or, at least that’s what they say. Of course, Rome knows how to play the sensational comment card.

Also, in the article about Waldo’s suspension (thankfully it’s only a suspension) there’s this.

ESPN will add a superimposed graphic showing the offside line — like TV football’s virtual first-and-10 line — and replays showing the speed of kicks. Off-air, the radar gun was tested during a recent game and found a Landon Donovan goal reached 92 mph.

ESPN asked to mike refs and goalies but didn’t get the go-ahead for now. But it has the green light to ask permission for in-game talks on the sidelines, including with coaches.

To be honest. I don’t have a problem with the “offside line” or the radar gun as long as they aren’t cutting away from live action for too long. Putting a mike on the ref? I dunno. Maybe it’ll work. However, those in-game interviews always suck. You can always tell the coach just wants to get the interruption over.

Actually, I’m more excited to see the coverage FSC are going to give the Chivas-Toronto match tonight. Pre AND post-game coverage. Now that’s the right direction.

Now, I’m going away (I have a final exam in an hour anyway) and planning to relax and enjoy a could matches today and then tune into Sportscenter tonight to see if the new TV deal will actually get us some MLS highlights on there.

…and it’s still three months until the Spice Crew arrive.

What’s most important?

The other day I asked…

I’ve waited over 11 years so far, how much longer will I need to wait until winning the MLS Cup is more important than making money?

It’s nice to see I’m not the only person asking that question…

Apparently, protecting the integrity of the MLS regular season is beneath the notice of decision makers at AEG and the league office. Unbalancing the league schedule of one of its clubs, the putative “Jewel of MLS“, in fact, appears to be a small price to pay to secure a couple of ticket-window windfalls. One can only wonder whether the possibility of a split-season schedule was ever seriously considered in the league office, because the Galaxy’s schedule would fit almost perfectly into such a format: league, Open Cup, and CONCACAF Cup matches in April-June, July off, then league matches from August until November. Thirteen teams, 12 matches per season, home and away, less fixture congestion, MLS Cup at the end of November between the two champions of each split-season, or playoffs, if you must, between the top four sides.

Urban goes on to ask…

Should the Galaxy fail to make the playoffs, will the blame be laid at coach Frank Yallop’s feet? Will Alexi Lalas be the fall guy for galactic failure?

Or will blame be properly laid at the door of those who placed commercial interests ahead of more mundane considerations like a fair and balanced league schedule?

Great question. LA fans should be demanding more. I thought something was up when the schedule finally came out and every MLS side was going to have a chance to see Beckham. It mean that roughly 2/3rds of their road games would be played in the second half of the season.

I really want the sport in this country and MLS to succeed. However, how are we the fans supposed to take the league seriously when those bringing us the league don’t? More time has been spent promoting individual players than promoting any individual team. Outside of Cobi Jones, no team has any player they had in ‘96. Attendance hasn’t changed much since then. All these games against money-spinning teams and the signing of big names (except Beckham) hasn’t exactly brought in more than single match ticket sales.

I’ve been saying it for going on 12 years now, until the league and the teams focus on putting the best possible team on the pitch that has a sole focus on winning championships both domestically (MLS Cup, Open Cup and maybe Supporters Shield) and internationally (I’m still waiting for an MLS side to knock a Mexican side out of the Champions Cup) they aren’t providing the fans with the best possible product. Give the fans of each MLS town something to be proud of and to want to support rather than providing two hours of entertainment and hoping they’ll come back.

On a related note, I’ve said for some time that I don’t care when the season is played, as long as no matches conflict with International Dates–AKA MLS matches where the big name stars won’t be present. Brucio over at the always great du Nord has what I think is an interesting idea. Move the season up a few weeks. There’s a lot of positives to this idea. MLS teams playing in the Champions Cup will be better prepared. The season would end before the North American Championship of Baseball (not to be confused with the famous “World Series”) Also, any team sharing their stadium with a football team won’t have as many date conflicts. It’s not like all the teams haven’t been in LA or Texas or Florida or something the last few weeks. Open the season at southern locations for a few weeks before teams in the cooler climates have their openers. But I’m sure there’s some explanation why this wouldn’t work.

OK, enough rant. We all know the most important thing is financial survival (profit?) for the teams/league etc. But I’m still entitled to my opinion.

Good luck to Houston and DC tonight.