MLS Discussion Thread

[ImTellinTim]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

It’s funny because this format was supposed to protect the likes of Miami from losing in the first round.

[ImTellinTim]

MLS Discussion Thread

LA Galaxy simply have too much fire power for Minnesota to keep up. But my lord several Galaxy players were dramatically barrel rolling across the pitch at any kind of contact. What an annoying collection of players they have.

[DrJones]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Herdman "resigned" from Toronto FC. Been all downhill for him since he tried to f*** with Croatia.

[billmatic]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

I've never really cared about MLS, but I would still catch a game every once in a while and at least be generally aware of what was going on. But ever since they moved the entire league behind the apple paywall, the league might as well not exist. I've seen and heard absolutely nothing about it all year except for the fact that Messi's team lost. I just happened to stumble upon the fact that the final is coming up.

I have no idea what their numbers look like but I have to imagine they're struggling to bring in new fans with this setup outside the temporary Messi bump.

[studbucket]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

I've never really cared about MLS, but I would still catch a game every once in a while and at least be generally aware of what was going on. But ever since they moved the entire league behind the apple paywall, the league might as well not exist. I've seen and heard absolutely nothing about it all year except for the fact that Messi's team lost. I just happened to stumble upon the fact that the final is coming up.

I have no idea what their numbers look like but I have to imagine they're struggling to bring in new fans with this setup outside the temporary Messi bump.

I am fully aligned with you. My family and I have been big Seattle Sounders fans and the last two years we've gone from watching 30-40 games per year on local broadcast TV to less than 10 total (across the 2 seasons), and when I do watch it's via some illegal streaming site.

It's really frustrating and I don't think it helped the "average person" watch the games.


On another note, the Sounders got the "group of death" at the Club World Cup, drawing PSG, Atletico Madrid, and Botafogo.

[bhurst99]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

I'd be curious to see what the ratings are like on Apple TV for the MLS.

There's still a few games in Canada that are free on TSN but I really miss watching Toronto FC regularly on free TV. I watched them all the time when they were good and even when they were bad (which is most of their years in the league) I would watch them while channel surfing between sports events. I rarely watched them at all last season because of the Apple pay wall. Not the best way to grow the sport.

[franch1se]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Ok i need a crash course in MLS. Never cared for the league or to watch but now I'm getting a team next season and I want to go all in.

[studbucket]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Ok i need a crash course in MLS. Never cared for the league or to watch but now I'm getting a team next season and I want to go all in.

How much do you know about other soccer leagues? I want to know if I should compare and contrast with those, or use a league like the NFL as a basis for giving you details.

[franch1se]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

How much do you know about other soccer leagues? I want to know if I should compare and contrast with those, or use a league like the NFL as a basis for giving you details.

Pretty much only watch the Premier League in regards to soccer.

[studbucket]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Pretty much only watch the Premier League in regards to soccer.

Quality: MLS is a step down from EPL. Probably better than the Championship, and good MLS teams would probably have a shot against the bottom of the EPL. The top 10-15 players on MLS clubs are quite good, but the salary cap keeps the bottom 15ish players from being great. Depth is where leagues like Liga MX are better than them.

Season: runs Feb-Nov to avoid the freezing weather in Toronto, Minnesota, New York, Montreal, etc. Teams play 34 games in an unbalanced schedule (too many teams to have a balanced schedule).

Other competitions: US Open Cup (like the FA Cup); CONCACAF Champions Champions Cup (like UEFA Champions League); Leagues Cup (a money grab from MLS and Liga MX that has all the clubs take a break in the summer and play a tournament between leagues.


Structure: MLS is a "single entity" so clubs are not truly independent. MLS technically pays transfers fees, not the clubs, though they try to obfuscate that a bit.


Transfers/Economics: Within the league, players can be traded (which is not like most soccer leagues). There is a limited free agency and a college draft. Teams are allowed to sign "Designated Players" (DPs) which only count for a certain amount against the cap (I think it's $1M) but the players can be paid way over that amount. Clubs can have 3 of these players, but there's weirdness when it comes to signing "young DPs" that give you an extra slot if you do things right.

There's also "Allocation Money" (Targeted = TAM and General = GAM) which is MLS funny money that can be used to help with cap management, trading within the league, and buying down contracts.


History/rivalries: We're in what I would call "MLS 3.0" now. 1.0 was the time pre-David Beckham joining the Galaxy and expansion of clubs like Seattle and Portland. 2.0 was from that Beckham + Cascadia expansions up to the expansion and success Atlanta and LAFC, which kicked off MLS 3.0. MLS 2.0 made the league a "real thing" and not just cute. MLS 3.0 is a step toward really being a true developmental league for Europe as well as being a buying league for South America and lower level European leagues.


Seattle - Portland, LA Galaxy vs LAFC, DC vs NY Red Bull, Miami vs Atlanta, and a number of others are some big rivalries.

The winner of the regular season gets the Supporters Shield. The playoffs (true league champ) gets MLS Cup.

The LA Galaxy are the most successful team in league history.

[franch1se]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Quality: MLS is a step down from EPL. Probably better than the Championship, and good MLS teams would probably have a shot against the bottom of the EPL. The top 10-15 players on MLS clubs are quite good, but the salary cap keeps the bottom 15ish players from being great. Depth is where leagues like Liga MX are better than them.

Season: runs Feb-Nov to avoid the freezing weather in Toronto, Minnesota, New York, Montreal, etc. Teams play 34 games in an unbalanced schedule (too many teams to have a balanced schedule).

Other competitions: US Open Cup (like the FA Cup); CONCACAF Champions Champions Cup (like UEFA Champions League); Leagues Cup (a money grab from MLS and Liga MX that has all the clubs take a break in the summer and play a tournament between leagues.


Structure: MLS is a "single entity" so clubs are not truly independent. MLS technically pays transfers fees, not the clubs, though they try to obfuscate that a bit.


Transfers/Economics: Within the league, players can be traded (which is not like most soccer leagues). There is a limited free agency and a college draft. Teams are allowed to sign "Designated Players" (DPs) which only count for a certain amount against the cap (I think it's $1M) but the players can be paid way over that amount. Clubs can have 3 of these players, but there's weirdness when it comes to signing "young DPs" that give you an extra slot if you do things right.

There's also "Allocation Money" (Targeted = TAM and General = GAM) which is MLS funny money that can be used to help with cap management, trading within the league, and buying down contracts.


History/rivalries: We're in what I would call "MLS 3.0" now. 1.0 was the time pre-David Beckham joining the Galaxy and expansion of clubs like Seattle and Portland. 2.0 was from that Beckham + Cascadia expansions up to the expansion and success Atlanta and LAFC, which kicked off MLS 3.0. MLS 2.0 made the league a "real thing" and not just cute. MLS 3.0 is a step toward really being a true developmental league for Europe as well as being a buying league for South America and lower level European leagues.


Seattle - Portland, LA Galaxy vs LAFC, DC vs NY Red Bull, Miami vs Atlanta, and a number of others are some big rivalries.

The winner of the regular season gets the Supporters Shield. The playoffs (true league champ) gets MLS Cup.

The LA Galaxy are the most successful team in league history.

Thanks for the breakdown. Seems it runs like every other American sports leagues in terms of FA, Trades, draft etc and not like other Soccer leagues. Since EAFC was released essentially after the MLS season was just about over, do they update the game when MLS season begins in February? Do we know if SDFC will be patched in or do i need to wait until EAFC 26?

[studbucket]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Thanks for the breakdown. Seems it runs like every other American sports leagues in terms of FA, Trades, draft etc and not like other Soccer leagues. Since EAFC was released essentially after the MLS season was just about over, do they update the game when MLS season begins in February? Do we know if SDFC will be patched in or do i need to wait until EAFC 26?

I believe they usually update the MLS rosters, but you'll probably need to wait for next year's game to play as San Diego.

The single best writer about MLS is Matthew Doyle: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/topic...st-matt-doyle/

If I had to recommend 1 place to start reading.

[Majingir]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

MLS TV studios are being moved to.....WWE HQ. Yes, you heard that right.

I mean if there's anyone who knows a thing or two about faking getting hit or injured it's soccer players.

But for real though, I wonder what this could really mean since the deal is happening because Endeavor who I believe owns IMG has a deal with MLS so they're just moving MLS studios into another one of their assets which is the newly built WWE HQ.

I imagine UFC might wind up in that office tower too at some point. Who knows how big Endeavor wants to be and who else they'll try to acquire if you have WWE, MLS and UFC running offices/tv studios out of the same building.

[franch1se]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

LFGSD!!!

I'm ready to go all in

[franch1se]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

have yourself a day Anders Dreyer