MLS 2017 Thread

[Caveat Emperor]

I wasn't going to say anything, because I don't want to be the new to soccer guy questioning everything in the thread, but that is a really bizarre way of doing it.

The goal is usually to avoid PKs -- which are exciting, but reduce the game down to the equivalent of a home run derby and are a pretty crap way of determining which team is "better." There have been a lot of fun suggestions on how to break ties (my favorite was playing an extra time period with the goalkeepers off the pitch), but the away-goal rule has been the go-to for most 2-leg matches around the world.

The problem I have with it in MLS is that it kills the idea of homefield advantage a bit and encourages negative play -- since the lower-seeded team can bunker for the 0-0 draw and set up the scenario where the higher-seeded team loses on draws in the second leg (since a 1-1 or 2-2 result would have the lower-seeded team going through on away goals). The away goal rule kinda works in a CL setup, where there hasn't been a full season of games that should mean something in terms of advantages in the playoffs, but it's bad in MLS.

[BuckeyeRed27]

The MLS has never found a good playoff format.

The best idea I think came from Grant Wahl, where basically you make it a group round like the World Cup and then the Top 2 from each side advance to a knock out. Only the higher seed gets a home game (so if there are 6 teams, the 1 seed gets 6 home games, the road team gets 6 road games, etc).

[M2]

The MLS has never found a good playoff format.

The best idea I think came from Grant Wahl, where basically you make it a group round like the World Cup and then the Top 2 from each side advance to a knock out. Only the higher seed gets a home game (so if there are 6 teams, the 1 seed gets 6 home games, the road team gets 6 road games, etc).

I don't think there is a good format. Playoffs are silly. It's all about who's in form for these few weeks. I don't mind it as an extra cup competition, but, as a fan of a team that's never won a Supporter's Shield or MLS Cup, I'd take the Shield.

[BuckeyeRed27]

I don't think there is a good format. Playoffs are silly. It's all about who's in form for these few weeks. I don't mind it as an extra cup competition, but, as a fan of a team that's never won a Supporter's Shield or MLS Cup, I'd take the Shield.

Well you could make the argument in any sport. The only problem with the Shield in MLS is the unbalanced schedule that is only going to get more unbalanced as more teams come in. It's a nice perk, but you can't have that be the "champion".

[Yachtzee]

So I purchased two tickets to the Nov. 21st game against Toronto FC. Meanwhile, just following the ongoing machinations between PSV and Austin compared to how little is being done by MLS to address the Columbus situation is just making me weary. We now have a representative from PSV outright admit at the Austin City Council meeting that they're basically subverting the expansion process and MLS2ATX tweeting their updates from Columbus, without so much as a peep from MLS HQ. Seriously, Precourt now apparently has someone in the Crew front office running the MLS2ATX account when they should be marketing that big playoff game against TFC. Then I get an email with a link to this article, whose headline seems to troll Crew fans by referencing the "Keep Austin Weird" slogan.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/...playoffs-weird

It's like they're not even trying to hide that they're screwing over Columbus anymore. The whole ordeal just leaves me sick to my stomach. I think Columbus' only hope is that the Crew beat TFC and gets to host the MLS Cup, which in turn creates such bad PR for the league that the other Investor/Operators decide enough is enough and force Precourt and Garber out.

[Redsfaithful]

I don't want to be cynical, but the only hope seems to be someone in Columbus offering to buy the team. It doesn't look like there's anyone willing, and I have the feeling even if there were, Precourt would say it wasn't a serious offer.

[M2]

The Revs hired Brad Friedel to be their new coach, apparently because he knows how to win. How does he know this? They know he knows and we're going to have to trust them on this. Whether he knows how to manage is an open question since he's never done it before.

Best comment I've heard on the subject is someone trying to fix the over/under on how long it takes him to pick up a Southie accent.

[paintmered]

I don't want to be cynical, but the only hope seems to be someone in Columbus offering to buy the team. It doesn't look like there's anyone willing, and I have the feeling even if there were, Precourt would say it wasn't a serious offer.

It seems that Precourt hasn't been successful at landing a temporary stadium in Austin. Supposedly, UT didn't agree to allow the use of their soccer and track facility, which is the facility Precourt wanted. And when it comes to throwing weight and money around in Austin, Precourt isn't going to win that battle.

It's in the best interest for Columbus that this whole thing drags out and blows up in everyone's faces. I'm not yet hopeful, but we're nudging in that direction.

[Redsfaithful]

BrewDog involvement would be a help. First positive sign I've seen in a bit.

[Caveat Emperor]

I don't want to be cynical, but the only hope seems to be someone in Columbus offering to buy the team. It doesn't look like there's anyone willing, and I have the feeling even if there were, Precourt would say it wasn't a serious offer.

And then there’s still the problem of no one showing up to watch games — while I feel for Crew fans a bit, there is a part of this that is on them for not showing up regularly.

[Redsfaithful]

And then there’s still the problem of no one showing up to watch games — while I feel for Crew fans a bit, there is a part of this that is on them for not showing up regularly.

You're kind of buying into MLS lies here.

1. Attendance was decent from 2013-2016 (85% capacity, 16-17k a game).
2. The team was terrible in 2016, which leaked into 2017 attendance.
3. It can't be stated enough how little marketing the team has done under Precourt.

I'm pretty positive decent ownership could make up that missing 15%, even with the existing stadium.

[Yachtzee]

You're kind of buying into MLS lies here.

1. Attendance was decent from 2013-2016 (85% capacity, 16-17k a game).
2. The team was terrible in 2016, which leaked into 2017 attendance.
3. It can't be stated enough how little marketing the team has done under Precourt.

I'm pretty positive decent ownership could make up that missing 15%, even with the existing stadium.

It's pretty amazing how attendance, since they had a particularly bad year in 2011, has been trending up every year until this year. Just last year they were touting a record number of sell outs. But then this year attendance dropped a few thousand. Factors for that could include: 1) Bad year last year hurt season ticket renewals, 2) Slow start to this year (the team didn't take off until adding Santos at the summer transfer window), 3) Precourt cutting the marketing budget and dropping popular promotional nights. Even with all that, attendance appears to have gone right back up when the team got hot at the end of the season. If PSV hadn't announced the Austin business right before the playoffs and had actually put effort into promoting the Crew instead of MLS2ATX, maybe we'd be looking at continued growth in attendance for next season. But it's hard for people to understand how good averaging 17,000+ and trending up for an MLS 1.0 team is when they weren't paying attention when the Fusion, the Mutiny, and Chivas USA were still kicking balls in aggression.

- - - Updated - - -

Brew Dog is all in on #SaveTheCrew. I'm drinking an Elvis Juice as a way of saying thanks.

https://twitter.com/BrewDogJames/sta...02816854151173

[paintmered]

It sounds like today's meeting between Columbus and Precourt/Garber in NYC was DOA.

Precourt has no interest in staying in Columbus, and Ginther has no interest in making a foolish offer that would get Precourt to change his mind. This seems like curtains.

[Redsfaithful]

Yeah, it's difficult to see how the Crew stay at this point.

BrewDog seems like a hail mary. We'll see if they have any juice.

The entire thing is so bizarre. To lay the groundwork over years and then deliberately sabotage attendance this year to make a neat story ... it's terrible. MLS and Precourt are both sleazy as hell.

[Chip R]

http://thecomeback.com/soccer/open-l...medium=twitter