Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooleyvol
Obviously, you don't follow the game if you don't make sense of the home/home series and how it works or its reason for being. Stupid = I don't understand.
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That is more than a bit harsh. I have followed soccer, both MLS and European, for several decades and I think the change in the format for the MLS makes complete sense. While I do not dislike the 2-leg format,
per se, in the MLS it has routinely made for awful first leg games. I have paid money for more than one tentatively played 0-0 home games, and do not miss them at all.
I think there are other good reasons for the change:
- Know your market. If the MLS wants to grow, it needs to attract more of the US sports audience. One can be pig-headed and stick to your pride and blame fans for not liking the way you do things, or you can adapt. US fans like to see a playoff decided by wins. The option to go to a 3 game series is a non-starter, so a one game round makes sense and has added a level of excitement to the playoffs that I think it lacked in prior years.
- International break. The MLS playoffs has always had to deal with the fall break, which has made for some very extended and disjointed playoffs, with finals running into December, which is an unpleasant watch, I have been there! This year's playoff nestled nicely between the October and November breaks.