El Classico, this Sunday at 4pm on BeIN Sports

[ZooCougar]

True, they do run it a lot like the other Pro leagues here in USA. Just get to the playoffs and then see what happens. I personally would like to see them put more emphasis on the Supporters Shield ( I know they try), but Americans like their playoffs.

Supporters Shield would be a bigger deal if they actually played a balanced schedule. Right now I think everyone plays everyone at least once, and they play everyone in their conference 2-3 times. The argument against the single table schedule is travel, which is sort of valid. Traveling around the US isn't like traveling around any European country.

The problem is that MLS still gets a huge share of their revenue through ticket sales. In most other pro leagues that isn't the case. So the expanded playoffs equal more money for everyone. But I don't see why they couldn't get the same revenue or better by playing more games in the regular season and making the playoffs more selective.

 

[Waquoit]

No worries at all. Like I said, I really just started really following soccer maybe 2-3 seasons ago. I keep trying to give MLS a shot but it's so hard to go from watching European leagues, specifically the Premier League, and then watch MLS.

I hear you. For me, it's not level of play but trying to find a rooting interest that holds me back. the Revs. Having a true favorite team trumps level of play. Why else would one follow college sports?

 

[ZooCougar]

I hear you. For me, it's not level of play but trying to find a rooting interest that holds me back. the Revs. Having a true favorite team trumps level of play. Why else would one follow college sports?

Good point, but one thing that makes a league entertaining is sizing up your team's competition and the level of play between certain teams makes that really hard at times. I used to enjoy watching the other Big East football teams play when they weren't playing UConn.

The biggest remaining challenge for MLS is the TV ratings. Ratings are up this season (although the Chi/Phi National Game set a new low lol). This is still a pro sports league that relies on gate revenues more than anything else which is unusual for a top league in any country. It won't be until the quality of play is improved across the board that more people will tune in to watch the National games when their team isn't playing.

I tried to watch some of the Chicago/Philly game and it was brutal. I lasted ten minutes. Dallas and Seattle should have been the best game of the week but there wasn't a single shot on goal AND Dallas had to play with a man down.

The SKC/NYC game was good for me, but I would think that anyone else without a rooting interest would find that match hard to watch. Lampard was at that game, I wonder what he was thinking watching a game on a field the size of a ping pong table.

BTW, the game to watch this weekend should be Portland and Dallas. Portland is a good team that still hasn't won and Dallas is the best team in the league presently. Game is in Portland. Too bad it's not a national game and most people won't be able to see it.

The national games this week are dogs. SKC-Philly. SKC is good on defense but has trouble scoring. Philly is a bad team. The other game is RSL and San Jose which is a bit better. MLS and the networks need to do a better job at deciding which matches are on national TV.

 

[UCFBfan]

MLS and the networks need to do a better job at deciding which matches are on national TV.

This is very true. I mean, Philly two weeks straight? They weren't even projected to be that good. If you are the MLS and only two of your games are broadcast nationally each week, you need to make sure the product is solid each time. Sure you need to have the lesser teams get a game every now and again but right now, the league needs to put out it's best product nationally.

I just think about how many markets might not get anything BUT the two national games. Putting out Philly/Chi is not gonna cut it.

I keep watching and trying to get engaged but Waquoit is right. Without a rooting interest, it's tough to watch. I can watch college football without a rooting interest and can do the same for EPL. However, the product put out by MLS is not solid enough. Your average soccer fan will have a hard time catching on. Hopefully it continues it's upward trend though.