A Brief History of Playoffs in American Soccer
We’re back! After a short break, Justin and Maria are back in studio to discuss all things from the world of football (the soccer kind). This week is all about the great American tradition of “playoffs.” We discuss the various formats used throughout history, from the pre-MLS era to recent changes influenced by star players like David Beckham and Lionel Messi. Is the playoff format still relevant? Has it ever been?
Justin and Maria also spend some time on the recent branding changes made by the Chicago Red Stars, and what that means for fans of the team.
Shownotes:
Introduction (1:00-4:00)
Red Stars Rebrand (4:00-8:00)
The History of Playoffs in Soccer (8:00-11:00)
Early days of playoffs:
American Soccer League playoffs in the 1920s
Unique and sometimes convoluted formats
NASL and the Soccer Bowl:
The creation of the Soccer Bowl as a way to increase interest in soccer
The impact of the NASL's multiple conferences on playoff structure
The 1981 Soccer Bowl and its significance
The Evolution of MLS Playoffs (15:03 - 30:00)
Early MLS playoffs:
Best-of-three series format
Neutral site finals
The impact of international breaks on the playoff schedule
The Beckham era and playoff changes:
Introduction of the wild card round
Home-and-away series format
The 2019-2020 format:
Single-elimination format
Increased excitement and momentum
The 2023 format:
Changes influenced by Lionel Messi's arrival
New playoff structure with wild card rounds and different game formats
Potential drawbacks of the new format
The Problems with the Current MLS Playoffs (30:14 - 33:17)
Frequent format changes make it confusing for fans.
The current best-of-three series with spread-out games disrupts momentum.
International breaks further disrupt the flow of the playoffs.
The emphasis on wild card teams to allow for more games by stars like Messi can lead to undeserving teams advancing.
The long gaps between games, especially for teams that win early, can lead to rust.
The current format does not sufficiently value the regular season.
Possible Solutions (33:17 - 37:02)
Switch to a single-elimination tournament with a smaller playing field.
Emphasize the Supporters' Shield as the regular season trophy and create an inter-conference playoff.
Adopt an international calendar where the season runs through spring and fall.
Eliminate playoffs altogether and determine the champion based solely on the regular season.
Playoffs Around the World (37:02 - 38:19)
In some countries, playoffs have high stakes, like a single-game promotion decider with significant financial implications.
The UEFA Champions League is a separate playoff-style tournament with its own excitement.
Opinions (38:19 - 40:03)
Does the current format effectively determine the best team?
What’s the impact of focusing on star players like Messi on the overall quality of the playoffs?
What’s the problem when the current format is trying to fit an American sports structure to a sport with a different established format.
Additional Notes (00:40:03 - 00:41:37)
Keywords:
MLS playoffs, soccer playoffs, playoff format, MLS, soccer, soccer bowl, NASL, Major League Soccer, David Beckham, Lionel Messi, international breaks, regular season, postseason, single-elimination, home-and-away series, aggregate score, wild card round.