Major League Soccer Thread (Or, why doesn't MLS have relegation?)

[Dr T Non-Fan]

Originally Posted by vividox

Ah, okay. I got ya.

Yeah, there have been some really poorly attended finals in the past due to the neutral venue. I think awarding the final to the higher seed is an awesome change for the league.

Name two.

[vividox]

1996 - Foxborough (DC-LA) 34,643
1997 - DC (DC-COL) 57,431
1998 - Rose Bowl (CHI-DC) 51,350
1999 - Foxborough (DC-LA) 44,910
2000 - DC (KC-CHI) 39,159
2001 - Columbus (SJE-LAG) 21,626
2002 - Foxborough (LA-NE) 61,316
2003 - Los Angeles (SJE-CHI) 27,000
2004 - Los Angeles (DC-KC) 25,797
2005 - Dallas (LAG-NE) - 21,193
2006 - Dallas (HOU-NE) - 22,427
2007 - DC (HOU-NE) - 39,859
2008 - Los Angeles (CLB-NYR) - 27,000
2009 - Seattle (RSL-LAG) - 46,011
2010 - Toronto (COL-DAL) - 21,700
2011 - Los Angeles (LAG-HOU) - 30,281

The two attendances at Dallas have to be completely made up. If you watch those games on TV there is no friggin' way there was more than about 15,000 people there.

[vividox]

I do take back the poorly attended neutral final comment, though. Those numbers are pretty good.

[vividox]

Originally Posted by Dr T Non-Fan

Really, this neutral site thing is not a problem.

But giving it to the higher seed is such a big incentive. It makes doing well in the regular season that much more important. Home field advantage in a final is HUGE. And what team doesn't want to win in front of their fans?

[Dr T Non-Fan]

You might be right about the Dallas games. I don't recall watching them. But the ones at "soccer-only" stadia are at 90% of capacity. The others in huge football stadia are surprisingly good, even if they're half-empty (or closing off the top level).

[Dr T Non-Fan]

Originally Posted by vividox

But giving it to the higher seed is such a big incentive. It makes doing well in the regular season that much more important. Home field advantage in a final is HUGE. And what team doesn't want to win in front of their fans?

I'm still hung up on "higher seed." Since each conference will be seeded independently of the other, what will the tie-breaker(s) be, should same level of seed make it to the MLS Cup?

[vividox]

Originally Posted by Dr T Non-Fan

I'm still hung up on "higher seed." Since each conference will be seeded independently of the other, what will the tie-breaker(s) be, should same level of seed make it to the MLS Cup?

Overall record.

That is to say, the standard tiebreakers - points, goal differential, goals for, etc.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

It would be nice if you could attend an MLS Cup. Having it in KC, a neutral site, might be your only hope.




BAM!

[MountainHawk]

Originally Posted by Dr T Non-Fan

I'm still hung up on "higher seed." Since each conference will be seeded independently of the other, what will the tie-breaker(s) be, should same level of seed make it to the MLS Cup?

It's higher "overall seed", which just means the team with more points. If the 3 seed from the West has more points than the East winner, then the 3W would host 1E if that was MLS Cup.

[Car'a'carn]

Originally Posted by Dr T Non-Fan

The others in huge football stadia are surprisingly good, even if they're half-empty (or closing off the top level).

Looks to me they are good when the local team is in the final, not so good otherwise.