The Playoff Picture

This new playoff schedule hasn't got the right ring to it to me. Wasn't the wild card round home/away last year? This year the conference semifinal will be won on aggregate goals.

MLS Releases New Playoff Schedule
by Daniel Robertson on Aug 9, 2011 3:30 PM CDT

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So MLS has released their new playoff schedule this afternoon and it is interesting to say the least.

Wild Card Games – hosted by higher seed; single elimination
(Currently Chivas USA at Colorado Rapids and Sporting Kansas City at Real Salt Lake)

Wed., Oct. 26

Thurs., Oct. 27

Conference Semifinals, First Leg – hosted by lower seed
(Currently LA Galaxy at lowest remaining wild card; Columbus Crew at other remaining wild card; FC Dallas at Seattle Sounders; and Philadelphia Union at New York Red Bulls)

Sat., Oct. 29

Sun., Oct. 30

Conference Semifinals, Second Leg –hosted by higher seed; winner by aggregate goals
(Currently lowest wild card at LA Galaxy; other remaining wild card team at Columbus Crew; Seattle Sounders at FC Dallas; and New York Red Bulls at Philadelphia Union)

Wed., Nov. 2

Thurs., Nov. 3

Conference Championships – hosted by higher seed; single elimination

Sat., Nov. 5

Sun., Nov. 6

NOTE: A break occurs here due to FIFA fixtures on Nov. 11 &15.

MLS Cup 2011 – at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.; single-game final

Sun., Nov. 20

I've got a few problems with this setup, jump to see them.

First off, there is an overwhelming advantage to whoever gets the #1 seed of each conference. The idea of just 3 days between the conference semi-final second leg and the conference championship is just absurd. To think that a team will have to give everything they've got in a second leg and then turn around literally the next day and potentially fly more than 1,000 miles away is just ridiculous. This setup may work in smaller countries, but it provides an overwhelming advantage to whoever the #1 seed is...which brings up the next point

Playing in the Western Conference is an enormous disadvantage Playing a balanced schedule is a good start, but how is it possibly fair that under the current setup, Colorado with 37 points would need to win 4 games in 11 days, while New York with 30 points sits at home waiting for their opponent. Also, Columbus with 34 points would need to potentially win just two home games against inferior teams to make MLS Cup while Dallas at 42 points would have to go through Seattle and Los Angeles to get there.

Weekday second legs? While this doesn't really affect teams that don't struggle with attendance, I wonder how potential second legs on weekdays in November will look in Dallas, Columbus and New York will look. Some reward for the second placed team in the Western Conference(and league) to play the third placed team in the Western Conference(and league) on a Wednesday or Thursday.

Quality of play diminished We saw in LA on Saturday how the quality of games can be killed by having to play 3 games in 7 days. Dallas hung with LA in the first half producing a game that was among the highest quality we've seen in MLS this season, however they simply didn't have the legs in the second half. While this is just one regular season game, it is unfair to make teams play a 34 game marathon season only to speed things up further once we get to the playoffs. Potential injuries will make this thing a total crapshoot and we won't see the highest quality play at the end of the season.

How do you feel about this schedule?

Jagle wrote:

I've got a few problems with this setup, jump to see them.

First off, there is an overwhelming advantage to whoever gets the #1 seed of each conference.

Complaining that the playoff structure gives #1 seeds an increased advantage is like complaining that your whiskey is getting you drunk. The entire purpose of altering the playoff system was to decrease the likelihood of a cross-conference finalist like we've had the past three years.

I agree with Parrish. Now it gives teams more inspiration to push for that top spot. I still wish it were a little more straight forward and not based upon teams getting box office receipts, but overall I think it is more fair than what we have had in the past.

If the playoffs were tomorrow...
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So we need to win all our games left and have Real lose theirs to avoid the stupid wildcard games... thanks MLS for screwing with the playoffs!

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Next step Towards MLS Cup

So I am a little confused... Can we pull ahead of Real Salt Lake? I don't know whether I want the extra game in the Wildcard with a berth in the East or whether we would be better coming up against LAG and SSFC in the West.

We can pull ahead of RSL we are tied on points right now. If our results for the weekend are the same they finish 3rd if we get more points we finish 3rd.

Going to the East gives us a better shot at Cup but going to the West gives us a better chance of CCL, because chances are LA or Seattle wins cup

[quote="Going to the East gives us a better shot at Cup but going to the West gives us a better chance of CCL, because chances are LA or Seattle wins cup[/quote]


What do we have to do to be in the CONCACAF next year? Is the only scenario if we don't win the MLS Cup is for San Jose to lose which will place us in the top 3 of the Western Conference?

Say what? We need RSL to win buy 3 less then us or us to win and them to lose to put us in 3rd which has us playing seattle i playing one less game

Yeah RSL is who I meant....don't know whe Saan Jose came from

I know I would much rather us play Seattle home and away than have the scum from Houston come to visit again.

We just need LA to lose or tie them and then we'd play NYRB