2014 Tentative MLS Realignent?

[Jntg4]

With the new New York City team entering likely in 2014, or 2015 since no date has been announced, (FWIW, 2013 will be the first year in a long time in which MLS has not had an expansion team), the MLS will have to realign. I see two possibilities.

The simple way:
Houston Dynamo move to Western Conference. New York Cosmos enfranchised in Eastern Conference.
Eastern Conference
Chicago Fire
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
Montreal Impact
New England Revolution
New York Cosmos
New York Red Bulls
Philadelphia Union
Sporting Kansas City
Toronto FC
Western Conference
C.D. Chivas USA
Colorado Rapids
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo
Los Angeles Galaxy
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Playoff format remains the same. Eastern Conference schedule format adopted in Western Conference.

The more complex but maybe better way:
Eastern Conference realigned into Atlantic and Central divisions. Houston Dynamo moved to Western Conference. New York Cosmos enfranchised in Eastern Conference. Western Conference realigned into Northwestern and Southwestern divisions.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
D.C. United
New England Revolution
New York Red Bulls
New York Cosmos
Philadelphia Union
Central Division
Chicago Fire
Columbus Crew
Montreal Impact
Sporting Kansas City
Toronto FC
Western Conference
Northwestern Division
Colorado Rapids
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
Seattle Sounders FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Southwestern Division
C.D. Chivas USA
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo
Los Angeles Galaxy
San Jose Earthquakes
Playoff format revised. Top three teams in each division qualify, seeded 1 through 3. Seeds 2 and 3 play in Division Semi-final game. Winner plays seed 1 in aggregate Division Finals Series. Division Finals winners play the other Division Finals winner from its conference in Conference Championship game. Winners of Conference Championships play in MLS Cup game. Schedule format revised. Teams play other 4 teams from division 4 times (16 total). Play 5 teams from other division in conference 2 times (10 total). Play teams in other conference once (10 games). Schedule expanded from 34 to 36 games.

About 1st plan: Quite simple, not much else to say. Texas Rivalry recreated.
About 2nd plan: Not completely geographic in Western Conference. Was originally doing Mountain and Pacific divisions, but had trouble preserving the Cascadia Rivalry. Texas rivalry recreated. Eastern Canadian teams kept together. New York and Los Anegeles teams face off more frequently.

Any other suggestions?

 

[whitesoxman77]

Suggestions? No. But I do like the 2nd plan, that division is very, VERY winnable.

 

[Jntg4]

Suggestions? No. But I do like the 2nd plan, that division is very, VERY winnable.

Well, it is two years into the future and SKC is a force to reckon with. But Toronto, Columbus, and Montreal could also be good by then. I mean look at Vancouver, they went from worst in MLS to a playoff team this year, just their second season in the league.

Though I agree that the bigger market teams tend to be in the Atlantic or the West in this scenario. And int thatplayoff format, 60% of the division would be making the playoffs, so getting in wouldn't be excruciatingly difficult.

 

[tonyni]

The divisional setup you suggest is an interesting thought, but I'm not sure whether there's a purpose when it's basically the same layout as just the conferences. It may become more of a necessity if there are issues in obtaining a balanced schedule that isn't too drawn out.

I'd say that under your divisional setup, I want to say D.C. should be swapped with Montreal, but then you're seperating Montreal and Toronto (I hate seeing the Fire separated from DC and NE). Montreal just seems kind of awkward where it's at because of it's location. It's not close to anything.

 

[Jntg4]

The divisional setup you suggest is an interesting thought, but I'm not sure whether there's a purpose when it's basically the same layout as just the conferences. It may become more of a necessity if there are issues in obtaining a balanced schedule that isn't too drawn out.

I'd say that under your divisional setup, I want to say D.C. should be swapped with Montreal, but then you're seperating Montreal and Toronto (I hate seeing the Fire separated from DC and NE). Montreal just seems kind of awkward where it's at because of it's location. It's not close to anything.

True, I failed to preserve the CHI-DC and CHI-NE rivalry, though they'd still get to play twice. I was having trouble finding a geographic way to preserve it. Though flipping DC and MTL is a possibility.

Ya, I guess it is kinda pointless, but with how big the conferences are getting the American-sports-fan side of me screams to divide it, so I gave it a shot. Though of course 10 isn't too much relative to the other top world leagues with no division of teams at all.