Gotta love how MLS & Apple's argument for shifting from the 2019-22 single-elimination playoffs was the need for more "inventory"... like they didn't already balloon the inventory by 77 LEAGUES CUP MATCHES. But Danny, you hit the nail on the head: as long as MLS remains a spring-fall league, our playoffs will always run into FIFA breaks, fitting either between or around them; and working around a break just kills the momentum.

Double elimination is a fantastic format. The greatest end of season playoffs is the Aussie rules finals series', where the top 4 get a "second chance" and the other 4 are win to survive

The second playoff format is already, somewhat kinda, in place in a lot of places. It's called the Page Playoffs. Canadian Premier League actually had a version of it this year if you want to see it in action. Aussie Rules Football does as well if you want to see it in action on a larger and more filled out way. Just double the AFL playoffs for a 16 team MLS playoff. Page Playoffs mainly only have the higher seeded team get double elim, which I think would be better to help speed along the playoffs to end before the international break, but a system like that isn't exactly brand new which means it could work. Your exact version would be new, but the idea wouldn't be.

Why use best of three when you can literally use aggregate?

I would stick to 2 leg aggregate until the final. I wish MLS would reseed teams after each round so that the highest remaining seed would play the lowest remaining seed, giving the regular season even more importance. This is how it's done in the NFL.

DannyT: "Money buys things like new stadiums and [superstar players]." Baseball fans: "LOL, that's cute"

I understand the best of three. MLS used to use aggregate and everybody hated it. Usually by the second leg, they weren’t even contests. They were just formalities. That being said more playoff games and more home games for more teams creates more revenue. I actually really like the best of three. I just wish that the MLS cup final was best of three since that’s, you know, the most important part of the whole playoffs? And the playoffs take forever because they’re kind of was a two week Pause in the playoffs due to an international window. You have to take that into account as well.

another gem...keep up the great work!!!

Single elimination eliminate the conferences makes the regular season matter more and make supporter shield that much more important

Thanks for flexing your head and figuring out better playoff scenarios. I miss home and away with away goals as the tie breaker, I do.

I want them to do it like colombia, seperate into two groups of 4, each plays each other once or twice whichever makes sense, top team of each group face each other in the final (higher regular season seed hosts final)

I love the best of three! I do think it should be the same format all around, maybe that’s why the aggregate 2 games all across the board works well.

My team didn't make the playoffs this year. I would have 100% watched every match of the playoffs as a neutral this year if not for the best of three format. Even some supporters of teams that made it didn't attend all of those best of three matches. Just a flop on every concievable level. I like the double elimination idea.

Double Elimination is great, and prevents meaningless games (which can happen in group stage format)

I think double elimination would be great because it would set up these awesome underdog stories every year. But single elimination still makes the most practice sense to me.

Best of three is overhated lol. If not for the break I’d say do it for at least two rounds.

I propose an unmentioned format. King Of The Hill. Top eight play from each conference. Single elimination. 8vs7, winner plays #6, and up the ladder you go. East winner vs West winner to cap it all.

Not a football expert, more of a casual fan, but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that too many teams qualified for the playoffs.

One thing MLS suffers from is few fans overly carrying about the league compared to *their* team. When my team is out, I'll casually follow (maybe) the playoffs, but for the most part I'm already looking for next season. NFL has NFL fans and has team fans not within the city/region the team plays. With few exceptions, you don't see fans outside the local/regional area in MLS. You don't see someone in LA with a Columbus or someone in Phoenix with an Orlando kit on. People follow their city. If they're looking to follow the sport from afar, there are other leagues to attach themselves to.

You should do a ranking video on the MLS playoff formats. Im sure by this point its been a lot of formats

As a person that watches this league along with other sports leagues, the best of three format was so disappointing that I literally got bored of watching most of these playoff games. Like what you said in this video, single elimination is better because while it might be short, it has more high stakes than the other two formats plus the format makes sense from an American and European standpoint as it is more easy to understand and not so complicated. Also it reduces the amount of fatigue that teams that are playing in so many competitions/games have to deal with.

I really like the best of 3 series but I would make it with only 8 teams, 4 from each conference, or also, I really like your 30 team league table where you face each team once and 3 other regional teams and just have the top 8 make the play offs. Either one of these with a best of 3 series play offs, so if one team wins 2 games they are into the next round, no need for a third game. However, I would have it so the higher seed hosts the first 2 games. Having that advantage from the regular season but also a game 3 that will be an away game for not being able to finish the job at home would make the play offs very interesting. It could be done in a one month window and possibility of many games.

What about a version of the Liga MX Liguilla, they do a home and away series, but for tiebreaker they have the following: 1. The much hated away goals rule 2. If still tied, the higher seed advances I would have 3 rounds of this format after the playing and keep the MLS cup as a single game at either a neutral site or home of the team with the better record. This means the lower seed has to outright beat the higher seed or own the away goals tiebreaker. The regular season counts because you will own the second tie breaker. No overtime or penalty kicks to decide the series

I like the removal of the conferences all together. Just have one table 1-16 make it thru. Then have the world cup style four groups of four with the exact home team rules stated in the video, but instead of two teams making it out just have the best team from each group. So then you go directly to semi-finals (one leg) and then the final.

The absolute best format in my eyes is no playoffs period. Never gained my interest, and once my team is out, I have no reason to watch it.

Keep it easy! Top 8 from each conference make it, single elimination all the way through. Then the regular season means something and you don't have to worry about the international break. I know MLS doesn't want this because of $$, but that's not really my problem as a fan

Single Elimination is the best format, if you want the playoffs to happen quickly. I like the idea of a Best of 3 format for multiple rounds except the Finals, but I also think the days off should be shortened. I didn’t like some teams having 3 weeks off in between playoff games. I think the Best of 3 can be played with 8-10 days

My answer is, and has always been, MLS Cup playoffs that begin in May (yes, during the regular season) and include every team, seeded according to previous-year standings. Single-knockout. Final played the week after the season ends. This elevates the SS as well. Of course, MLS has screwed this all with the Leagues Cup cash grab that compresses the season to the point of no return. Fun fact though: this also would actually REDUCE the number of matchdays required for scheduling!

The World Cup style tournament seems kinda fun

I think like a quarter of the games were nationally broadcasted, I always remembered almost all used to be broadcasted. Not paying extra for the 3 month playoffs

I think this current playoff format is the best, come at me. Is gives the higher seeds significant advantage in the first round, it prevents annoying bunker defense, it doesnt give a higher seed an away first playoff game. Allows lower seeded teams to have a gauranteed home playoff game as opposed to single elimination, its longer so that theres more games, but not too many games if it was aggregate the whole time, or not enough games with single elimination the whole time. I think the biggest problem so far with the playoffs has been the international break coming at the worst time and the refereeing, other than that the playoffs have been pretty great, especially the single elim games.

It's a great idea! I like the World Cup style too. And the eliminate the conferences is a great idea too.

I had an idea awhile back to split the conferences into divisions.

I think best of 3 could be good long term at creating rivalries that aren't just "they're the closest to us geographically". But I also think doing one round of best of three isn't enough. I think 8 teams per conference, first two rounds best of 3, conference finals and mls cup are one-offs hosted by the higher seed could be a really interesting format.

I really like the second format the best. Strikes me as a great compromise between having high-stakes games and number of total games. Another idea I had been tossing in my head was a two-game aggregate system, for every series except the final. Except to make sure that teams get rewarded for regular season performance, have a staggered "ladder" bracket (like bowling). For example, #5/8 and 6/7 play in 1st round, then the winners play against #3 and 4, then those winners play against #1 and 2. Pros: - Format guarantees a similar number of games to the current botched format for Apple. - Really rewards teams for going the distance in the regular season. Imagine if on Decision Day we were not only worrying about which teams cross the #8 seed threshold, but also the #4 and #2 seed thresholds too. - Get rid of some mediocrity: no #9 seeds! Cons: - Still not as entertaining as a single elim format, or even the psuedo-double elim format you proposed. - Concerns about fitting the schedule into the int'l break without reducing regular season games

Or idk, 2-Leg aggregate until finals where Highest Seed gets the second game at home.

2 legs until final. Higher seed chooses home or away leg first. Reseeding every round

Its an unpopular one, but check out the Belgian Pro League and how they do their playoffs. Its very different, but I do not hate the idea. Incentives the regular season plenty but still keeps playoffs relevant enough.

World Cup format can work actually. Divide 8 teams each from 2 conference into 2 groups (A and B for West, C and D for East), with 4 teams each. Group A & C: 1st place team, 4th place team, 5th place team and 8th place team Group B & D: 2nd place team, 3rd place team, 6th place team and 7th place team Teams will play 3 matches, similar to best of 3. Teams in higher ranks host the games. There will be 24 fixed matches total, under current format you have 24 matches maximum + 2 wild card matches. Top 2 teams from each group qualify for conference semi finals. Rest stays the same.

It's good to see that you're not in Crutches Danny. I'm with you on single elimination. What we really need to do is trim that Leagues Cup format to 8 Clubs. That was the most ridiculous crap I've ever seen. If you're eliminated in the first round and meant that you've missed a Month of League Play.

I would drasrically reduce the number of teams that go to the playoffs from 16 into half. So the top 4 teams in each conference will qualify. That will make the entire season really exciting if they are juat fighting for 4 spots in each conference.

Babe wake up, DannyTRadio just posted.

How has MLS not figured out their playoff format after 29 years and getting Messi and it has its fans admitting money and excitement can’t be had at the same time?

That world cup format actually sounds kinda fire.

You should talk about the signings and the most expensive sales of each MLS team.

Best of 3 was fun, better than a lot of people want to admit. The pause in between is not ideal.

I’d like aggregate but as a tiebreaker isn’t using away goals but the team with the better regular season record going through

2-leg format. Take it from a european football fan, the last thing you want is more matches, that could lead to injury/fatigue build up. The last thing you want is your D team playing for the MLS Cup against a stronger opponent.

My ideal playoff format is a 12 team playoff. Best 6 in the West, Best 6 in the East. Then have 4 rounds. The 1 and 2 seeds get a bye. The playoffs is 3 rounds long. Each round with the exception of the Final is a 2-leg playoff. Basically the old NFL playoff system but with a 2 leg playoff for most of it. An 18 team postseason is absurd. A 5 round postseason is absurd.

IMO if I were in charge of MLS I would shrink the playoffs to have 5 teams each conference and have single-elimination the entire way. Makes the regular season more meaningful compared to current playoff format

The playoff format that I would personally most like to see is a little bit of a take on your format. 1. Let’s eliminate conferences and drop two games from the schedule down to 32 games. Also, instead of starting the last saturday of February with a five week preseason, let’s have a four week preseason and start the second to last saturday in February, or the weekend after the Super Bowl. This’ll make the last week of the regular season the last weekend of September, instead of the third weekend of October. This way we have more time to fit ina playoff. 2. Let’s have the top 16 teams make the playoffs and the bottom two teams play a relegation playoff. Let me explain each separately: 2.1. The relegation playoff would be contested by teams finishing 31 and 32 on the MLS table and the USL Championship playoff winner, and the best team from the opposing conference of the USLC winner. The team finishing 32 in MLS plays the USLC winner and the team finishing 31 plays the other USLC team. It’s a two leggged affair with the USL teams hosting the first leg, and the MLS side hosting the second leg. If it is still tied after the second leg, then a thirty minute extra time period is played, and if necessary penalties after that. The winner of each of those two matchups spends the next year in the MLS, and the losing in the USL with the USL salary cap rules. 2.2. The top sixteen finishers in MLS play in a playoff system that is somewhat similar to a World Cup format. There’ll be four groups of four. Team will be drawn into groups based on league positioning. One team from those finishing 1-4 in the table is drawn into each of the groups, one from the group finishing 5-8, one from the group finishing 9-12 and one from the group finishing 13-16 in each group, regardless of location of teams. Home games are allocated in higher seated team hosts, so one team will get three home games, one will get two, one will get one, and the other will get none because they finished 13-16 in the league table. The MLS regular season ends on the last saturday of September, and the group stage draw is done the day after the MLS regular season concludes. From there, teams get until wednesday to prepare. Group stage games are played on a Wednesday-Saturday-Tuesday schedule to get done in a week, with the middle game of the group stage being the first saturday in October. After this group stage, you have your quarterfinals and so on. This is where I think it is safe to implement a two legged format simply because in theory your worse teams and those most likely to have lopsided leg ones are not still alive. The lower seated team hosts leg one. The remaining three rounds, quarterfinals/semifinals/MLS Cup Final are each two legged affairs with he lower seated team hosting leg one. This finishes the MLS cup second leg on the second saturday of November, in time for the international break the third weekend of November when it usually is. I think doing it this way satisfies everybody. There’s more money opportunity, the schedules are balanced, teams get both home field advantage for half the playoffs and traditional soccer format for the other half, it’s entertaining, it allows for upsets…it’s the happy medium IMO. Thoughts?

I'd like to see home & home on aggregate until we reach conference finals, then single game elimination.

I personally stick to single elimination with higher seed home advantage. I don't like best of three because of the reason Danny mentioned. Everything should within 90 minutes. If one strategy don't work, change it on the spot. It shows how the team is adaptable in a situation. If strategy is the main goal then why not paly best of seven with unlimited subs. After all its MLS and its America. We will do whatever we want in sports.

I like the best-of-3 game series, but I think MLS did it backwards... Make the MLS Cup Final a best-of-3 series, the rest of the Playoffs single elimination.

I like the best of 3. I thought some of the series were very exciting to watch. I didn’t like going to best of 3 then back to single elimination. Next season the MLS should just have the top 4 in each conference qualify for the playoffs. The Semi and the Conference Final best of 3, and then the MLS Cup single game.

I want the regular season to matter. So many games are unimportant. Dog days of summer is real in MLS. The only way I would be ok with a playoff is of we used the apertura clausura model for the season so that we didnt have so many fifa window conflicts.

Honestly, I could get behind a world cup format. 2 groups in each conference. 1 group of 1 4 5 8 seeds. 1 group of 2 3 6 7 seeds. Instead of the top two progressing, just do top one. Then, the 2 group winners play in a single elimination conference final. And after that, the conference winners play in the MLS Cup Final.

Once we hit 30 teams the schedule could be changed so that the regular season only has teams playing each other team in their conference. Then take the top 8 from each conference and put them into groups, either just top to bottom by shield standings or 2 east and 2 west, either way mix the conferences somehow. Since we've cut 6 games from the schedule, that might give it enough time to play each group of 4 home-and-away like the UEFA Champions League. Then just take the top 2 from each group and do single elimination from there, seeding using group results/shield standings.

I think it should be single elimination until the finals where the final is a best of 3.

Check this out. Let's do a Mash-up of Belgian and American. East conference and west conference separate into two mini seasons where 1st-7th and 2nd-8th¹ place have their points halved and play each team once. Higher the placement during the regular season the least amount of away games.² in the playoffs the higher positioned team of mini season get home field advantage. If game ends in a 0-0 automatic penalties if game ends in 1-1 draw or higher, home team automatically goes to the final. And the higher placed team of either conference gets MLS cup host. MLS cup will play out normally. ¹Regular season leaders get automatic semifinal placement. (Therefore, the conference with the league leader plays 2nd place all the way through 8th place. And only in said conference does one team qualify.) ²highest place only plays home games, and the lowest place only plays away games.

I want to go hard in the other direction and extend the regular season by four matches so the owners get their extra match day revenues, split the 30 clubs into three conferences to semi-balance the regular season, & reduce the playoffs to the three conference winners + next best club. Single elimination two round top four playoffs. It’ll never happen, but I can dream. Alternatively, I like what the reserve league did and have the top seeds pick their playoff opponent. That would be a fun layer of drama.

Every year they change it Im still stuck on the format when Atlanta last one

I want opinions on this format Round 1 and 2 are single elimination while the semifinals and championship series are a best of 3.

I like the best of 3 format. Those games were absolute bangers. Idk if it was the international break, but the conference simi games were boring as hell

Here's how you fix it, copy what the NHL used to do: top eight from each conference, 1 vs 8, single elimination format. Simple and quick.

Revive the cage from those Nike ads.

Have 1-10 make the playoffs regardless of conference then 11-14 play each other in a 2 series game to determine the last 2 slots to have a 12 team format.

I'm about competition which doesn't fit with maximizing revenue in most cases. Less teams is better. Single elimination is better, but with the an unbalanced schedule and the need for revenue I understand where I'd need to compromise here. So.... Drop the number of playoff teams down to 4 per conference. Then you can do what you want with the playoffs without making them too long. I'd be fine with pool play having two pools of 4 with the top two in each group seeded into semi-final matches. 4 teams pool = 6 games. This would be a total of 12 pool play games plus 3 bracket games (assuming single elimination, but it could be more.) So that's 15+ games. That's probably not enough revenue, so.... Bump it up to 12 total teams making the playoffs with 3 pools of 4 and have 8 teams (3+2+2) move into brackets. That's 3 * 6 = 18 pool play games plus 3 rounds or 7 single elimination games = 25 games minimum. OR stick with 12 teams but have 2 brackets of 5 teams. That's 10 games per bracket or 20 total pool play games plus the 7 single elimination games = 27 total games. I absolutely wouldn't go beyond 12 teams. I hate teams who blow off the first part of the season and then sneak into the playoffs with barely a .500 overall record. This 16+ teams going to the playoffs when there's 3 points (or so) difference between the bottom 4 teams is a joke. None of them deserve to compete against those 8+ points ahead of them.

I think they should have fewer teams (top 4 from each conference) and do the best of 3 series throughout the playoffs. It does two things, 1. it makes the regular season more competitive to be in the top 4. and 2. It allows both teams to have a home game which the owners love because ... money.

Just one and done. People are overthinking this. No one wants aggregate where you lose because the other team scored an away goal. Using the double elimination is alright, I love Aussie rules and they use it. However, no playin games just 8 teams per conference and you’re done in 5 weeks.

i have been saying all along. make the season mean something... top 8 make the playoffs... Group stage after the regular season. 1,2 seeds have three home games, 3,4 seeds have 2 home games, 5,6 seeds get 1 home game and 7,8 seeds are on the road throughout. 1,4,5,8 in Group 1 and 2,3,6,7 in group 2. top two go to the confernece semis. one off at the higher seed all the way to the final.

Like other countries in the world do? No Playoff. A championship and a cup.

If I had my way, i would cut the amount of teams in the playoffs in half to 8 teams. Then do best of three for the first two rounds then a neutral field single game for the championship. I would eliminate the conferences and base it on the best eight teams. I dont have much against aggregate score. My only criticism is it doesnt necessarily give a leading team any incentive to score going into a second leg. More so when they lead by more than one goal. The best of three eliminates that while still making it more than one leg. Otherwise, i would have no issue with a two legged match. Its not enough for me to stop watching of they went back to it. I think the most intriguing one for me is the world cup format. But theres too much potential for too many matches.

Someone tag the Soccer Don

How come people are bitching over Playoff longevity, I thought there was a Heavy demand for MORE MLS content in previous years.

Another thing they should do is get rid of the conferences for the playoffs. I get why they use conferences but the thing is, if you don’t do well enough, you risk playing on the other side of the country with a small amount of away fans. It could also make post leagues cup more exciting

can't wait when they have 12 teams make the playoffs per conference.............I love rewarding mediocrity. 9 teams is ridiculous.

College Baseball format!!!!!

Best MLS channel out there . Hands down

single elimination is the best!

I'd prefer single elimination with 8 teams per conference.

My playoff format: 10 playoff teams, 5 per conference. Yeah, 1/3 of the teams only make the playoffs. You value the regular season AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I can't stand more teams make the playoffs then don't. So what's the formate?? HYBRID!!!! Opening round: 4th vs 5th team= 2 legged playoff, team advances on aggregate goals. Conference semi and conference finals: Best of 3 games. Finals: Single elimination. And one last rule: If it's extra time, it's Golden Goal! It's a damn shame no one does this anymore. Idc who you are there is NOTHING more exciting and intense when you hear "next goal wins!"

imo, it should be knockout the whole way...the supporters' shield is for the team who has been best over long-haul, and the playoff should be for the team that can WIN WHEN IT MATTERS.

I want to keep the best of three because its very American for our Americanized soccer league! I think for it to work out is to lower the number of teams in the playoffs because I agree with you, 18 teams in a playoff game is just as absurd as the NBA's 16 playoff picture! Follow leagues like the NFL or MLB with their play off pictures have 14 or 12 teams which includes the wild-card. Also your losers bracket idea seems such a CRAZY and awesome idea and would make Cinderella runs extremely special. So yeah my dream playoff picture is to have your losers bracket, wild-card, and the best of three.

The best thing they can do is go back to the previous format. 1-7 single elimination was best. You could add an 8th seed if you wanted, but none of this play-in, best of 3 bs. I personally liked the 2 game aggregate, but for casual fans I think one game is best. And MLS should try to get the playoffs on TV if they can. You have Messi and don't even have the playoffs on TV, how are you going to get new fans? Not everybody wants to pay for apple tv. At least have a game of the week on national TV. (ABC, NBC, Fox..)

Americans try to not create the most weird and overcomplicated sports format (IMPOSSIBLE)

I think 9 teams per conference was way too many. Considering the 9 seed in the East (Charlotte) had record of 10-11-13 with a goal difference of -7. The 9 seed in west (San Jose) wasn't much better at 10-10-14 and -4 GD. No way they should be in the playoffs. I like the single elimination tournament. Higher seed hosts.

3 Game, 1st to 4pts. No ET or PKs unless the series is tied after Game 3. That way, if there's a winner in Game 1, the team that lost in Game 1 *has* to play aggressive in Game 2. Because a Draw is as bad as a loss. And if Game 1 is a draw, BOTH teams are under the Sword of Damocles for Game 2. One mistake, and their season could be over. Plus the home team still had the decider at their place. Which the better team should. And Apple gets enough (and imho, better) games. That said, I like the WC style playoff. Better season gets rewarded. Enough games played. Everyone but the 8 gets a home game. As it should be.

Why don’t they just shortened the regular season and start postseason sooner?

Best of 3 was so bad

They should go back to the old format

Just do fucking two legs. We're overthinking it.

Not gonna lie, just go back to the one and done playoff format. It was the best by far. Also lower the number of teams that can qualify. Like lets just get rid of the wildcard game.

I think single elim is kind of garbage. Soccer is way too random of a sport to make the entire playoff single elim. If the cup is supposed to determine the best team, than single elim sabotages that goal.

Just don’t do a play-off at all. A regular season is fine and just as entertaining when it determines the final ranking

If they really want to make the MLS cup a world cup style system, here's how that could work. The main season is only supporters shield. Overall winner and each conference winner get CCL bids. From there, next season has MLS cup as a mid season tournament. Top 8 from each conference play, two game aggregate. At the end, winner of the east plays winner of the West. Winner gets the last CCL bid.

To me the perfect play-off format is in NHL 2 conferences, 4 divisions reach the first 3 of each plus 2 wild card

Shutting down the league for a month for leagues cup doesn’t help.

Just have a single elimination format. It's not that fucking hard.

Just get rid of the playoffs and make the regular season mean something