Massive Day Of MLS News

Well, just as I thought I was slowing down for a while MLS dropped a gigantic piece of news, a major piece of news, an important piece of news, and a minor piece of news today.  Taking them in that order, because the biggest one impacts all the others:

MLS is moving the season from a spring-to-fall schedule to a fall-to-spring schedule.  Lots to cover here:

• MLS will play the 2026 season as planned, with a gap for the World Cup
• MLS will then play a "sprint season" in the spring of 2027 where every team will play 14 games (just enough to play everyone in your conference once) followed by playoffs and MLS Cup
• They'll then break for the summer and start the new 2027-28 season in late-July/August
• The league will then run from late-July/August through early/mid-December, then take a break until either the first or third weekend of February (avoiding restarting the second weekend due to the Super Bowl)
• The regular season will continue through April, with playoffs and MLS Cup in May

And that will be the schedule going forward.  As part of the announcement MLS stated they still are following the principle of having teams play no more than 3 home or road games in a row but some of the statements from the individual teams after the news are suggesting cold weather teams (like the Rapids) could see their December and February games on the road every year.

Notably, but not surprisingly, Colorado's "statement" was just reposting the MLS announcement with no additional comments.

Those are the facts, as we know them.  My opinion of this is that this is being done incredibly poorly and will likely hurt a lot more than it helps in the short to medium term.

I've said for a while now that I can see how this might be better for the league as a whole (but I have my doubts).  But I'm absolutely sure this is going to crush half a dozen clubs and it will take at least 5 seasons for them to get back to where they are now.  And I don't think anyone who's being honest about the situation would really disagree with that.

Given that the fact that MLS is jamming this through, in less than 2 years, without even the union on-board, has me very nervous.,  Japan is making the same change and they've spent the last 3 years being very open about the change, talking to the teams, players, sponsors, and fans, to get everyone on board and rowing the same way.  They are carving out budget chunks to help the further northern teams to adapt.  They're offering deals to fans who will be impacted.  In other words they know that this will only be successful if everyone is bought in.

Here we get MLS just making a decision and expecting everyone to fall in line.  No effort at all to talk to the fans that will be impacted the most.  Apparently no care for the clubs that have to make major infrastructure investments.  The players haven't even agreed to the move according to reports today.

Given all that, why should I expect this to be a success for the heavily impacted teams?  Why should I think MLS values me as a fan?

I can go on more about this, and likely will in the future.  The scheduling problems alone, especially if they send teams out of market for 3 months at a time, are legion.  But we need to move on to other news for now.

MLS is changing the season format when the schedule changes

MLS will go to a single-table model but there will still be divisions.  The 30 teams will be split into five 6 team divisions based on geography.  Teams will play their 5 division rivals home and away (10 games) and everyone else in the league home or away (24 games) for a total of 34 games.  Division winners would automatically qualify for the playoffs, the other playoff teams would be determined by the single-table.

The division makeups have not been announced yet but the most common suggestions for the Rapids are the Cascadia Cup teams, San Jose, and the Rocky Mountain Cup teams or the RMC teams and the four Californian teams.

This is probably an improvement.  I like the idea of seeing every team every year.  As long as they keep FSL and Colorado together I don't have a strong opinion of who else we're grouped with.

MLS Ends Season Pass, Merges With Apple TV

Starting next season (2026) MLS Season Pass is going away.  Instead of a separate MLS-only subscription MLS games will now be under the Apple TV subscription (until recently Apple TV+ but Apple renamed it to Apple TV).  MLS season ticket holders will get a free Apple TV subscription instead of the MLS Season Pass subscription they have been receiving.

This is a good step, probably driven by the recent Formula 1 deal Apple signed that placed F1 coverage inside the Apple TV subscription instead of a separate F1 Season Pass.  At that point neither MLS or Apple could likely justify having a separate subscription.  This opens MLS up to Apple's reported 45 million subscribers world wide.  And MLS fans get to watch Slow Horses and Ted Lasso.  Win, win.

FIFA and CONCACAF agree that Canadian MLS teams can be considered domestic

This has essentially no impact on the Rapids but will help keep everything on a level playing field.  Up until now the Canadian teams were tied to the CSA's timing and rules around transfer windows and the like.  Now they'll be part of the USSF's rules around those areas.  That makes everything easier for the league.  A note, this does not change the domestic/international status of players.  That's driven by employment law in the the countries.

Well, that's plenty.  More to come as we find out more details of the season timing and structure changes.

MLS Season Pass Goes Live And Another Keeper Rumor

On Wednesday Apple and MLS officially launched MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, the new home of every league game for the next 10 seasons.  To be very clear up front for people who are still confused, the ONLY other place MLS games will be broadcast are simulcasts of the same video feed on FOX (approx 1 game a week).  No games on Altitude.  No games on ESPN.  No games on Univision.  Just on Apple.  But also, no local blackouts either.

Full season ticket holders get a free subscription with their tickets, for everyone else its $99/season ($79 if you already subscribe to AppleTV+).  And to be clear on this point as well, this is a separate subscription from AppleTV+ and you don't need the latter to get the former.  Most season-ticket holders got their sign-up link on Wednesday and report a very easy sign-up process.  I say most because those of us who buy our tickets through Centennial 38 had our codes delayed due to administrative issues but we will have them before the season.

That said, my first look at MLS Season Pass was a good one.  Its easy to fine, being front and center on all versions of the Apple TV platform I've looked at (iPhone, PS4, Xfinity X1, and my LG Smart TV).  You can set your favorite team so the Rapids selections are always listed first.  Even without having the subscription there's a lot that can be watched with just your Apple login.  For the Rapids they have a great 16+ minute team overview narrated by Drew Moor with appearances from Jordan Angeli and Marcelo Balboa among others (including C38's David Wegner).  There's also a 3-4 minute video with Drew Moor finding out the history of C38's Man of the Match Oar presentation.

On Wednesday the Rapids also announced Jordan's Angeli's return home from her time with the Crew to lead most of the Rapids on-screen work with MLS Season Pass.  She will be joined at times by Drew, and 'Celo will contribute during the week.  Balboa is also serving as a Spanish language commentator for MLS and will work various games on the weekend (not necessarily the Rapids match).  It sounds like Jordan will be the lead presenter for any Rapids generated pre/post-game shows as well as sometimes serving as a sideline reporter for the MLS broadcast of matches and sometimes joining Connor Cape and Brian Crookham on the radio call.   Drew Moor will also appear at times on gameday, both the pre/post game shows and on the radio call.  It sounds like he and Jordan will do the heavy lifting putting together features to be available between gamedays as well.

The one name missing, obviously, is Richard Fleming who will be sorely missed.  If we can't have him though, getting Jordan back and teaming her with Drew is a great backup plan.  With the obvious exception of Mr. Fleming you have to go back to Marc Stout to find somebody who has been involved in Rapids broadcasting who's as good as this crew.  I'm looking forward to what they're going to bring us this season.  One the season starts not only with the first team games be there, but so will MLS Next Pro (Rapids 2) games as well as regular updates on MLS Next (academy).

On another subject Colorado has been linked with another international European goalkeeper.  This time its Serbian international Marko Ilic from Belgium side Kortrijk.  Ilic turned 25 yesterday and has made 60+ appearances over the last 2.5 seasons for Kortrijk.  Before that he made 60 appearances in two seasons for Serbian side Vozdovac.  He's also been capped once for the Serbian National Team had has been the regular backup in recent camps.

There was a report that the Rapids submitted a 600,000 Euro offer for him, and there's another report that he's settled with his new team and ready to leave.  Kortrijk is hovering just above the relegation zone and Ilic has been out since November, reportedly due to a finger injury.  Good chance he sees it likely that the team will stick with his backup, especially if they get relegated and need to cut salary, and he sees his chance to move is now,

Its also fairly clear that Colorado really wants to sign a starting-level keeper this window to push Yarbrough.  He's going to be  34 years old and in the last guaranteed year of his contract.  He also played better when Irwin was a real threat to his starting role than last year, when Irwin dropped to third choice behind a young Abe Rodriguez.  Bringing in a starter-level keeper will force Yarbrough to up his game if he wants the team to pick up their option on him for 2024, and if he doesn't Ilic, or whomever we sign, will be able to step in.