Comments on: How The MLS System Works http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/ Soccerlens - Football News You Can Trust Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:26:47 -0800 http://soccerlens.com/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Mitchell http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-103772 Mitchell Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:42:59 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-103772 hey thanks for the great article i enjoyed reading it, im thinking about giving the mls a go next year from england and needed to get the info on how the whole league works. Glad to see that you have got a salary cap already as i feel that this is the way forward for most other leagues. You may need to add more teams to the league if it is goin to keep growing, and also the 4 & 5 months off is much to LONG! need to keep the people interested in the league. hey thanks for the great article i enjoyed reading it, im thinking about giving the mls a go next year from england and needed to get the info on how the whole league works.

Glad to see that you have got a salary cap already as i feel that this is the way forward for most other leagues. You may need to add more teams to the league if it is goin to keep growing, and also the 4 & 5 months off is much to LONG! need to keep the people interested in the league.

]]> By: Box http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-82224 Box Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:55:24 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-82224 as long as MLS continue improving and expanding, and the playing standard improving..i'll be happy. but it'll be good for the league and Americans in general if MLS adding more teams though. say..up to 24 teams or so. this will provide more competitions and more playing times for the players, especially for those who vies for international games. 5 months of off-season is too long for me. 2 or 3 months should be enough for the players. resting too long will cause the players to regain their fitness slowly and i think this is bad for the league during the early part of the season. more live TV shows will be great too. as long as MLS continue improving and expanding, and the playing standard improving..i’ll be happy. but it’ll be good for the league and Americans in general if MLS adding more teams though. say..up to 24 teams or so. this will provide more competitions and more playing times for the players, especially for those who vies for international games. 5 months of off-season is too long for me. 2 or 3 months should be enough for the players. resting too long will cause the players to regain their fitness slowly and i think this is bad for the league during the early part of the season. more live TV shows will be great too.

]]> By: Kim http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-82075 Kim Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:31:03 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-82075 Bless you Liviu! I hadn't realized how much I'd forgotten/never known about the rules concerning international players. On the point about expansion- I'm actually fairly glad that it's been progressing so slowly. It IS frustrating, but it seems that's the way to keep the league from imploding magnificently or simply fizzling out like past leagues in the US. Bless you Liviu! I hadn’t realized how much I’d forgotten/never known about the rules concerning international players.

On the point about expansion- I’m actually fairly glad that it’s been progressing so slowly. It IS frustrating, but it seems that’s the way to keep the league from imploding magnificently or simply fizzling out like past leagues in the US.

]]> By: GoldenChild http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-82003 GoldenChild Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:11:38 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-82003 Robert, Liviu Bird is right on the playoff format. Last year it was the top 2 teams from each conference then the next best 4. For some reason this year it changed to the top 3 teams plus the next best 2. It doesn't really change things. It is pretty unlikely that 6 teams would have come from one conference and 2 from the other one anyway. With this rule change MLS has ensured that won't happen. Robert, Liviu Bird is right on the playoff format. Last year it was the top 2 teams from each conference then the next best 4. For some reason this year it changed to the top 3 teams plus the next best 2.

It doesn’t really change things. It is pretty unlikely that 6 teams would have come from one conference and 2 from the other one anyway. With this rule change MLS has ensured that won’t happen.

]]> By: Pracchia http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-81995 Pracchia Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:56:06 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-81995 What is sad about the MLS is living in Saint Louis, Missouri, it is easier for me to get Series A and Premier league games on the television then MLS. They need to promote more and show more games, then more would be interested in how the league works. AS Roma will beat Real again and tie up with Inter on Sunday. What is sad about the MLS is living in Saint Louis, Missouri, it is easier for me to get Series A and Premier league games on the television then MLS. They need to promote more and show more games, then more would be interested in how the league works.

AS Roma will beat Real again and tie up with Inter on Sunday.

]]> By: Liviu Bird http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-81931 Liviu Bird Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:54:08 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-81931 Robert, this is quoted directly from the MLS website MLS CUP PLAYOFFS FORMAT Who Qualifies: Eight teams qualify for the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs. Playoff berths will be determined by points in the standings upon the completion of the regular season. All 14 teams will have played 30 games. 1. The top three teams in each conference qualify. 2. The two MLS teams with the next most points, regardless of conference, receive "wildcard" berths. Robert, this is quoted directly from the MLS website

MLS CUP PLAYOFFS FORMAT

Who Qualifies: Eight teams qualify for the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs. Playoff berths will be determined by points in the standings upon the completion of the regular season. All 14 teams will have played 30 games.

1. The top three teams in each conference qualify.
2. The two MLS teams with the next most points, regardless of conference, receive “wildcard” berths.

]]> By: ARSENALFC http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-81928 ARSENALFC Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:23:54 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-81928 Yeah Rob's right, going to a DC United exhibition this Saturday, can't wait!! Yeah Rob’s right, going to a DC United exhibition this Saturday, can’t wait!!

]]> By: Robert http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-81925 Robert Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:58:37 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-81925 Correction on the MLS Playof Format - only the TOP 2 teams from each division automatically qualify - then the next best 4 teams qualify after that. Correction on the MLS Playof Format – only the TOP 2 teams from each division automatically qualify – then the next best 4 teams qualify after that.

]]> By: GoldenChild http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-81921 GoldenChild Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:13:36 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-81921 Liviu, great article. It is good to see you spreading the knowledge about the game in the US. A couple of minor factual points: - According the MLS Players Union Beckham was scheduled to make $5.5 million in 2007, plus incentives. - The 4 "extra" games are not assigned at random but are given to regional rivals. For example DC United will play an extra game against NY, New England, Toronto and Chicago since those are the closest teams to DC. I agree that the Supporter's Shield is the award is a credit to the top team during the "regular season" and with the spot in the CONCACAF Champion's League it gives some value to the award. The "playoffs" can really be looked at as an end of season Cup Competition that only allows the 8 best (out of 14, 15 or 16) teams to compete. A very good article and a "must read" for anyone that wants to get up to speed on MLS. Liviu, great article. It is good to see you spreading the knowledge about the game in the US.

A couple of minor factual points:

- According the MLS Players Union Beckham was scheduled to make $5.5 million in 2007, plus incentives.
- The 4 “extra” games are not assigned at random but are given to regional rivals. For example DC United will play an extra game against NY, New England, Toronto and Chicago since those are the closest teams to DC.

I agree that the Supporter’s Shield is the award is a credit to the top team during the “regular season” and with the spot in the CONCACAF Champion’s League it gives some value to the award. The “playoffs” can really be looked at as an end of season Cup Competition that only allows the 8 best (out of 14, 15 or 16) teams to compete.

A very good article and a “must read” for anyone that wants to get up to speed on MLS.

]]> By: Tim http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/comment-page-1/#comment-81919 Tim Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:35:07 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/how-the-mls-system-works/6235/#comment-81919 For Premiership fans, here's another way to think about MLS. The Supporters Shield, mentioned above is the true league championship, as it is based on the combined table after the regular season. The playoffs can be thought of as an abbreviated league cup, all of which takes place after the regular season (it just excludes those teams that wouldn't perform well anyway). Even though the winning team is crowned "Champion", the "Champion" is not always the best team in MLS. What of an "FA-Cup" type competition you ask? Well for that, the US has the US Open Cup, which is open to sides from MLS as well as lower leagues such as the USL. I hope this helps. For Premiership fans, here’s another way to think about MLS. The Supporters Shield, mentioned above is the true league championship, as it is based on the combined table after the regular season. The playoffs can be thought of as an abbreviated league cup, all of which takes place after the regular season (it just excludes those teams that wouldn’t perform well anyway). Even though the winning team is crowned “Champion”, the “Champion” is not always the best team in MLS.

What of an “FA-Cup” type competition you ask? Well for that, the US has the US Open Cup, which is open to sides from MLS as well as lower leagues such as the USL.

I hope this helps.

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