MLS has just announced the new system of tiebreakers for the playoffs this season. Although MLS
is trying to encourage "attacking play" as they put it, our very own Nick Fedora (among many
incensed fans) are not liking the system as it seems to make defense all but irrelevant. This will
definitely be a hot topic in the coming days as the playoffs inch closer.
You want your club to get to the playoffs easier? Of course you do but the way to do it is with
goals baby, lots of goals.
Major League Soccer announced a new set of tiebreakers to its playoff format that will be
implemented this season, honoring goals scored as the first tiebreaker when two or more teams are
even on points in the standings.
The final games of the European soccer season unfold this week. The polarizing emotions of
promotion and relegation grip them. Ecstasy prevails as winning teams ascend to the higher
divisions. Desperation plays out at league bottoms as trapdoors open and teams vanish to the lower
class. Television images capture the rawness of fans going up and those going under.
The playoffs and MLS Cup final are being completely revamped in 2012.
Instead of rotating the MLS Cup between different cities, starting in 2012, the MLS Cup final
will be played at the home venue of the participating team with a higher regular-season point
total. No more neutral fields, which is something that the MLS has done since 1996.
As expected the Supporters' Shield winner will host MLS Cup, a welcome and long overdue
change.
But the top five in each conference - Montreal joins the now 10-team Eastern Conference while
the nine-team Western Conference remains the same - will now qualify for the playoffs. The fourth
and fifth place teams will play a single game to determine who advances to play the conference
champion in the two-game aggregate score semifinals, while the second and third place teams faceoff
in the other semi.
Since the league's inception, Major League Soccer has been trying to find the right playoff format,
right meaning one that gave some meaning to the regular season while creating increased fan
interest during the post-season. The latest iteration came yesterday, when the MLS Board of
Governors approved four major changes in the league playoff format: Top five teams in each
conference, no wild-card slots.
Changes were bound to happen when Major League Soccer added a 19th club for the 2012 season.
With an odd number of teams and a desire to reduce some of the travel for some clubs, the balanced
schedule was going to go out the window for a while and changes were going to have to be made to
the format.
That the 2012 Major League Soccer season will be unbalanced comes as little surprise. The
surprise is that MLS' Board of Governors decided to go with the least balance they could thereby
creating enormous strength of schedule differences both for the overall standings and within the
Conference. When MLS Executive Vice-President Nelson Rodriguez says "We have established a fair and
compelling format for the 2012 season," one must wonder what the definition of fair is that he's
using.
The US will be joined in their third round CONCACAF qualifying group by Guatemala, Jamaica and
Antigua & Barbuda. Oh thank goodness. I was worried I'd never see Carlos Ruiz again! The
round-robin system means the US plays home-and-homes with each team between June 1 and
October 16 2012.Â
The MLS Board of Governors are ready to address playoff shortcomings again.
By Dario Camacho - MIAMI, FL (Oct 11, 2011) US Soccer Players -- Here we go again. Deep into the
final weeks of Major League Soccer's regular season, we start to talk about next year. The addition
of the Montreal Impact in 2012 as MLS's 19th team will have one major consequence to every MLS
team. Montreal's debut unbalances the schedule.
Don Garber announced today that Kathy Carter has been named President of SUM. Carter, who most
recently served as Executive Vice President, will manage the day-to day operations of SUM, as well
as lead the strategic planning and vision for increasing commercial revenues for Major League
Soccer, all MLS clubs and all properties represented by SUM.
TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO announced its Team of the Week for week 16 of the 2012 season today,
honoring Richmond Kickers forward Matt Delicâte as Player of the Week after he broke the club's
all-time goal-scoring record with a late finish in the Kickers' 2-0 win against the Dayton Dutch
Lions on Saturday night.
The United Soccer Leagues announced on Monday a merger between the United Soccer Leagues (USL)
and the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). The announcement states that the USL will run the MISL
for the 2011-2012 season.
The League will be led by Chris Economides, senior director of USL's professional leagues.
United Soccer Leagues is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement with the Major Indoor
Soccer League (MISL) and will operate North America's most storied and tradition-rich professional
indoor soccer league beginning with the 2011-12 season.
The MISL represents the top level of professional indoor soccer in North America and currently
consists of seven franchises for 2011-12, with additional announcements expected in the coming
weeks.
USL PRO, the organization that will run D3 soccer in the United States and Caribbean for the
2011 season, announced the playoff format for their fifteen-team league today from their Tampa,
Florida headquarters. Eight of the league's fifteen teams will be eligible for the post-season
playoffs.
USL PRO Postseason Format Unveiled Eight teams to advance following 180-game regular season TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues unveiled the postseason format for the 2011 USL PRO
season today. The format, approved by a vote of the USL PRO Board of Governors, will see eight
clubs advancing to the postseason in 2011.
MISL NEWS RELEASE: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 MISL Announces 2012-13 Season Format Board of Governors
adds games, sets competition dates TAMPA, Fla. – The Major Indoor Soccer League Board of...
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The Boston Breakers added a trio of players on Thursday that signed with the club prior to the
suspension of the 2012 WPS season.
Australian internationals Tameka Butt and Kyah Simon and Longmeadow, Mass. native Bianca
D'Agostino were all added to the Breakers roster in advance of the team's first season in WPSL
Elite League play.
Before I get too far into discussing the decision of WPS to cancel the 2012 season, let me say
that my initial reaction when the news first broke was that I was simply gutted. Gutted for every
fantastic person I've met covering the Independence and women's soccer in general.
There will be no Women's Professional Soccer in 2012. Earlier today, the league's Board of
Governors voted to suspend operations until the 2013 season, with the hope of play resuming
then.
This past October, WPS decided to drop its franchise in South Florida amid constant issues with
former owner Dan Borislow.
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
SUSPENDS PLAY FOR 2012 SEASON
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 30, 2012) – Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
announced today that its Board of Governors has voted to suspend the 2012 season to permit the
League to focus on the resolution of certain pending legal issues and the challenges that now face
the League as a result of its ongoing dispute with a former owner.
The day after U.S. soccer fans celebrated the women's CONCACAF win and their Olympic
qualification comes word that the WPS is on ice for the 2012 season.
Word began to filter out via players and bloggers on social networks like Twitter Monday
morning, and the league officially made the announcement midday.
US Soccer has given Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) until Monday to find a sixth team. You may
recall that the league's Board of Governors recently voted to expel Dan Borislow's Boca Raton-based
magicJack from the league. The relationship between Borislow and WPS has been fairly
roller-coaster-esque from the start.
Chelsea may not be bolting from Stamford Bridge for a new home after all.
The club came up short in its attempt to convince the necessary majority of the Chelsea Pitch
Owners to sell back the stadium land that the club sold to the supporter-spearheaded group, and as
a result, the club can't regain ownership of the entire grounds.
With the news just released today that the WPS has officially terminated the former Washington
Freedom franchise now known as magicJack is their now a glimmer of hope for fans in the D.C. area
that a return of the Freedom may be in the making?
Dan Borislow did respond to the Washington Post about the termination of his team: Read
his response here WPS Press Release:
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 26, 2011) – After careful consideration, the Board of Governors of
Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) voted on Tuesday to terminate the Boca Raton based magicJack
franchise.
Teams to Play 18-game Schedules April through August,
Existing Playoff Format Retained for 2011
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 8, 2010) – Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) today announced the
calendar for its 2011 WPS Season, the league's third year of play featuring the top players from
around the world.
With the MLS standings the way they are, the races for playoff positioning and the league's 10
postseason berths figure to down to the wire. Instead of past seasons, though, when head-to-head
records were used as a tiebreaker, this year's potential standings ties will be determined by the
most prolific attacks.
Four months after it suspended the 2012 season, Women's Professional Soccer announced that it
had ceased operations on Friday.
The league, which began play in 2009, saw a number of teams fold in its three seasons. But after
poor attendance and litigation related to the Dan Borislow/magicJack dispute put the league further
in the red, there appeared little else the league could do to revive itself.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri State women's soccer head coach Rob Brewer announced today the
addition of Drew Fitzgerald to his coaching staff for 2011. Fitzgerald was a volunteer assistant
coach with the team last fall and takes the place of former assistant Josh Ganson.
