The new MLS play-off format sucks

By: Brenton | February 24th, 2011

   

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And here’s why:

It rewards mediocrity. 10 teams will make the play-offs in some fashion. This year, with the addition of Vancouver and Portlandia, there will be 18 teams in the league. In most professional North American sports leagues about half the teams make the play-offs. Here are some quick calculations I made:

MLB: 8 of 30 teams – 26.6%
NFL: 12 of 32 teams – 37.5%
NBA: 16 of 30 teams – 53.3%
NHL: 16 of 30 teams – 53.3%
MLS: 10 of 18 teams – 55.5%
CFL: 100%*

* I kid, but it seems like it.

Here are Biff and Baff explaining it to the fans, in glorious Technicolor Silverlight:

In theory, the 10th-placed team in the league could win the Whatever Cup. Last season the 10th-placed team in MLS was Chicago, with a 9W-12L-9D record, and a whopping 37 goals in 30 games. That’s not a team I want to see more of, it’s a team I want to avoid watching.

Additionally, because of the wonky format, it is possible that New York could win the Western Conference and face LA, winners of the Eastern Conference, in the Cup Final. That’s ridiculous.

But what if your team sneaks into the 10th spot, you ask? Well, sure, I would be happy to watch them for another game or two. But would the rest of the league? I’m not sure they would. And if I’m truly living by my Kantian ethics, then I have to acknowledge that it won’t be a good thing for everyone.

Of course in European football all teams play in the national cup, in some cases even amateur teams. But because of the weight put on winning the play-offs in North America (as opposed to winning the league instead of in addition to), it will be a very different situation in MLS this season. And I’m not a fan.

UPDATE: My good friend and ignorant slut Jerry over at the Philadelphia Union page has an interesting counterpoint to my argument.

Category: Information, MLS, Team thoughts, video

   

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Comments  

• Lucas |  February 25th, 2011 at 12:49 am

  
  
  

  There’s a different emphasis in Europe and North America about sports “seasons” as opposed to playoffs. In the NHL, you don’t really want your team winning the Presidents trophy (best season record) because it tends to be a jinx for the playoffs, and it’s all about playoffs. It looks like the MLS is trying to do both: make winning the Golden Jockstrap (Supportive Cup, whatever) for best season record significant, but still making the playoffs a big deal, but I agree, it doesn’t work.

  You have to ask yourself, would you like to see a premier league playoff featuring Newcastle, Stoke City and Blackburn? Probably not.

  

• matt |  February 25th, 2011 at 3:04 am

  
  
  

  i think that the MLS should move to the european or south american formats. i very much prefer having all teams in a single division than having them split, especially if new york can play in the western conference.

  

• Brenton |  February 25th, 2011 at 11:44 am

  
  
  

  To answer your question, Lucas, no, I really wouldn’t. I would find second-division French football before I watched a match between Blackburn and Stoke. (Newcastle have actually been quite exciting this season.)

  

• Brenton |  February 25th, 2011 at 11:45 am

  
  
  

  Matt, totally agree. And with all teams playing identical schedules (1H-1A), there’s no reason to keep the two different conferences. I imagine it may just be a matter of time. That and the fact that MLS like to pretend they’re different than the rest of world football.

  

• Denny |  February 25th, 2011 at 12:38 pm

  
  
  

  Well hey there Brenton, I see you’re new to MLS.

  I kid, but seriously, one day we’ll get there to the 234098 team format, where being in the top 10% actually means something. We’ll just have to add Edmonton, Calgary, and Tacoma as expansions.

  Also, I am totally stealing “Golden Jockstrap”.

  

• Counterpoint: The New MLS Playoff Format DOESN’T Suck - The Offside - Philadelphia Union blog |  February 25th, 2011 at 8:42 pm | Pingback

  
  
  

  [...] the other MLS Offside blogs – as I am wont to do from time to time – and I came across this post from my esteemed colleague Brenton over at the Vancouver Whitecaps Offside blog. He was stating [...]

  

• Lucas |  February 27th, 2011 at 3:30 pm

  
  
  

  Denny, please do. I’d encourage you to share it far and wide, but nobody likes a shared Supportive Cup.

  

• Brenton |  February 27th, 2011 at 6:52 pm

  
  
  

  234,098 seems like too many to me.

  

• Denny |  February 27th, 2011 at 10:06 pm

  
  
  

  Then I see you’ve got my point in my main beef with Garber, it doesn’t how many teams you add to barrel, the way you fish them out is like bobbing for apples blindfolded. The best poo eventually rises to the top.

  What, too many metaphors? Fine.

  Do away with the playoffs. That’s what the USOC is for. If you do that, then you justify the Open Cup. There, two birds with one soccer ball.

  God, I swear being a blogger means an open license to abuse metaphors.

  

• Brenton |  February 28th, 2011 at 1:21 pm

  
  
  

  A North American professional sports league without a season-ending play-off system to milk money from the fans? Unpossible.