The MLS announced some changes that will take place this year. This “Game First” initiative is suppose to improve the quality, authenticity, and excitement of on field action. Here are a couple of the interesting ones:
The MLS now has a full time scout in South Amercian and they have started a world-wide player database and video library to use for scouting purposes. More talent coming from South America can’t be bad, right?
Now teams will be led onto the field by the referees, just like you are used to seeing in European games, and will enter to a recently recorded MLS theme song. I really hope it is something closer to the Champions League theme song than some Toby Keith Ford truck man crap. Actually it will be because it was recorded by a full orchestra in the Czech Republic.
The Supporters Shield winner gets a Champions League birth along with the MLS Cup Champions. This actually went into effect last year, giving DC a chance this year. I wonder what happens when the Supporters Shield winner also takes the MLS Cup, then who goes? Would the MLS Cup runners up go, or the US Open Cup champions?
The league has hired full time referees for the first time.
The top 4 teams overall will qualify for SuperLiga, an 8 team tournament between MLS and Mexican clubs.
The top 2 teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs, then the next 4 teams overall in the league will get wild card playoff positions. Initially I thought they had dropped the number of playoff teams to 6 with the top team in each conference with the addition of the 4 wild cards. I think that would have been a better solution. We don’t need over half the league making it to the playoff, and with 6 teams, each division winner could could have a well earned bye round in the playoffs.
Overall I think all of the changes made will be good for the league and I like them all. This adds a little bit more anticipation to the season and to the future of MLS in general. I can’t wait till Saturday!
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