MLS announces schedule format for 2022 with season ending before the November World Cup.

[Cblake]

The lack of midweek games and fewer matches in international windows should significantly help normalize the 2022 season, this season has been ragged at times. 

 

 

[Gian-Luca]

Surprised that they are moving Nashville rather than Chicago to the west. It is slightly further west than Nashville is and doesn't really have a local rival to play against (Columbus now has Cincinnati), so you might as well pair them up in an old Norris Division rivalry with Minnesota and leave Nashville in the east where they will be a lot closer to Atlanta, Cincinnati and Charlotte than they will be to any team in the West. Who is Nashville's closest divisional rival now.....Dallas?

[ted]

4 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Surprised that they are moving Nashville rather than Chicago to the west. It is slightly further west than Nashville is and doesn't really have a local rival to play against (Columbus now has Cincinnati), so you might as well pair them up in an old Norris Division rivalry with Minnesota and leave Nashville in the east where they will be a lot closer to Atlanta, Cincinnati and Charlotte than they will be to any team in the West. Who is Nashville's closest divisional rival now.....Dallas?

It isn't surprising when you understand the social geography of the US. Chicago, thanks to excellent train and now air links, has always been closely connected to the East coast. For a century or more the two "big cities" were New York and Chicago. Nashville is part of the "The South" but that doesn't work for splitting the league I guess. 

[Cblake]

13 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Surprised that they are moving Nashville rather than Chicago to the west. It is slightly further west than Nashville is and doesn't really have a local rival to play against (Columbus now has Cincinnati), so you might as well pair them up in an old Norris Division rivalry with Minnesota and leave Nashville in the east where they will be a lot closer to Atlanta, Cincinnati and Charlotte than they will be to any team in the West. Who is Nashville's closest divisional rival now.....Dallas?

Another move will have to happen with St. Louis too.