A Brief History of Playoffs in American Soccer

(video of this podcast available to stream here: https://youtu.be/CLnQsDmgvgU) We’re back! After a short break, Justin and Maria are back in studio to discuss all things from the world of football (the soccer kind). This week is all about the great American tradition of “playoffs.” We discuss the various formats used throughout history, from the pre-MLS era to recent changes influenced by star players like David Beckham and Lionel Messi. Is the playoff format still relevant? Has it ever been?Justin and Maria also spend some time on the recent branding changes made by the Chicago Red Stars, and what that means for fans of the team.Shownotes:Introduction (1:00-4:00)Red Stars Rebrand (4:00-8:00)The History of Playoffs in Soccer (8:00-11:00)Early days of playoffs:American Soccer League playoffs in the 1920sUnique and sometimes convoluted formatsNASL and the Soccer Bowl:The creation of the Soccer Bowl as a way to increase interest in soccerThe impact of the NASL's multiple conferences on playoff structureThe 1981 Soccer Bowl and its significanceThe Evolution of MLS Playoffs (15:03 - 30:00)Early MLS playoffs:Best-of-three series formatNeutral site finalsThe impact of international breaks on the playoff scheduleThe Beckham era and playoff changes:Introduction of the wild card roundHome-and-away series formatThe 2019-2020 format:Single-elimination formatIncreased excitement and momentumThe 2023 format:Changes influenced by Lionel Messi's arrivalNew playoff structure with wild card rounds and different game formatsPotential drawbacks of the new formatThe Problems with the Current MLS Playoffs (30:14 - 33:17)Frequent format changes make it confusing for fans.The current best-of-three series with spread-out games disrupts momentum.International breaks further disrupt the flow of the playoffs.The emphasis on wild card teams to allow for more games by stars like Messi can lead to undeserving teams advancing.The long gaps between games, especially for teams that win early, can lead to rust.The current format does not sufficiently value the regular season.Possible Solutions (33:17 - 37:02)Switch to a single-elimination tournament with a smaller playing field.Emphasize the Supporters' Shield as the regular season trophy and create an inter-conference playoff.Adopt an international calendar where the season runs through spring and fall.Eliminate playoffs altogether and determine the champion based solely on the regular season.Playoffs Around the World (37:02 - 38:19)In some countries, playoffs have high stakes, like a single-game promotion decider with significant financial implications.The UEFA Champions League is a separate playoff-style tournament with its own excitement.Opinions (38:19 - 40:03)Does the current format effectively determine the best team?What’s  the impact of focusing on star players like Messi on the overall quality of the playoffs?What’s the problem when the current format is trying to fit an American sports structure to a sport with a different established format.Additional Notes (00:40:03 - 00:41:37)Keywords:MLS playoffs, soccer playoffs, playoff format, MLS, soccer, soccer bowl, NASL, Major League Soccer, David Beckham, Lionel Messi, international breaks, regular season, postseason, single-elimination, home-and-away series, aggregate score, wild card round.