MLS Playoffs: Current Playoff System Too Confusing to Succeed

As a longtime supporter of the United States National team, I guess I should feel rather embarrassed that I only recently began watching the MLS. 

Citing a lack of top players and simply the fact that the league was named, "Major League Soccer" instead of "Major League Football," I perceived the MLS to be far too primitive to warrant my attention.

Yet, after hearing that the Seattle Sounders packed over 64,000 fans into CenturyLink Field for the final game of the season (surely more fans than would turn out to watch the Seahawks play football or the Mariners play baseball), I realized that Seattleites' dedication to their team is indicative of the league's growing profile.

In other words, the MLS is officially worth following.

However, as I prepared for the playoffs, I found myself rather confused by the league's attempt to juxtapose the traditional football league format with the general American playoff framework.  Not effectively emulating either system, the current MLS playoff format is rather goofy.

Yet, I'm not mad.  Its obvious that the MLS is trying to maximize appeal to the large population of American sports fans who exclusively follow traditional American sports and international football fans based all over the world. 

While the groups are not necessarily mutually exclusive, favoring one system might alienate a potentially large community of fans.

With this idea in mind, here are five exciting suggestions for improving the league's appeal to the broadest possible audience.

Eliminate Wilcard Berths

A hallmark of essentially all American sports' playoff systems, wildcard berths are essentially a manifestation of the American Dream.

Even when a team produces only mediocre results and fails to win the division, the team can still aspire to defy historical precedence and capture a national title.

In the 32-team NFL, this system works great.  With eight division winners and four wildcard recipients advancing to the playoffs, 12 of the 32 teams advance to the playoffs.  Therefore, even the wildcard participants finish in the top half of the league.

When utilized in the MLS, the wildcard system allows eight automatic qualifiers plus two additional wildcard qualifiers to participate in the playoffs. 

Considering there are only 18 teams, a club can finish with below the league median in points and still have the chance to win the MLS Cup. While designed to produce a more exciting playoff experience, this system ultimately devalues the regular season.

I would recommend that only the top four teams from each conference should qualify for an eight-team playoff.

Eliminate Inconsistencies

Under the current system, a team could enter the playoffs through a one-game wildcard playoff. 

If the team advanced it would then move to a two-legged conference semifinal playoff before moving to a single game conference final hosted by the higher-seeded team. 

Of course, the MLS Cup is a single game played at a neutral location. I must not be the only person who finds this system confusing and inconsistent.

Removing the wildcard games would solve half of the problem and expanding the Conference Championship to a two-legged tie would solve the other half. 

However, expanding the Conference Championship to a one home game and one away game format would probably be rather unpopular as higher seeded teams would no longer maintain exclusive home field advantage.

Nevertheless, expanding to a second two-game time would make the playoffs more logical and compelling.  The higher seeded club would still have the opportunity to play the second leg at home.

Expand the Championship to Two Games

Football tournaments usually feature a single championship game.  However, the Copa Libertadores and the CONCACAF Champions League have proven that a two-legged playoff can be incredibly compelling.

Instead of grinding out a gritty 1-0 victory or buckling down in hope of reaching a penalty-kick shootout, teams would likely need to demonstrate a more balanced approach to emerge victorious. 

Additionally, teams that do not perform as well away from their home stadium (Seattle Sounders) would have an opportunity take an aggregate lead or recoup some of their losses with a home tie.

Perhaps most importantly, fans would be guaranteed the opportunity to watch their team play a championship game at home.

Who would reject that opportunity?

Eliminate the Away Goal Advantage

Counting a goal scored away from home as two goals is easily the most unjust practice in football. 

Let's say Team A and Team B draw 0-0 at Team A's stadium for the first leg of a tie and then the two teams draw 1-1 at Team B's stadium.  Has Team A deservedly earned promotion to the next round despite earning the same results and compiling the same goal differential as Team B?

I don't think so.

By counting both home and away goals equally, the MLS would not only yield more equitable results but would also push more second leg ties into extra time and perhaps penalty-kick shootouts. 

Assuming most fans are inherently interested by contests that progress into extra time, this measure would surely increase viewership.

While I find this idea to be quite progressive, I'm not sure if the MLS could implement such a measure without damaging the league's relationship with FIFA.

Return the Golden Goal

With more second leg contests already advancing to extra time, why not further intensify the excitement by re-introducing the golden goal rule?

With fans already eagerly anticipating extra time, the immediacy of a golden goal would surely help the MLS enhance playoff excitement. 

In a worst-case scenario where both teams bunkered into their own halves and refused to attack, the game would move to an equally dramatic penalty-kick shootout

Surely, I am not the only fan who would prefer this alternative to watching a team advance on away goals.

Once again, the MLS would probably experience fierce opposition from FIFA regarding this change.