RE: MLS announces plan to expand to 30
I believe by the time Indy would take the field as a first-division side in MLS, their stadium will be completed.
I think a burning question that has to be answered is the divisional structure. There are clearly some that will work better with other with certain teams.
For example, with Phoenix, San Diego, or Las Vegas as team 30:
Northwest - Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake, Colorado
Pacific - LA Galaxy, LAFC, San Jose, Sacramento, Team 30
Southwest - Dallas, Houston, Austin, Kansas City, Saint Louis
Southeast - Nashville, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, DC
Atlantic - Montreal, New England, NY Red Bulls, NYCFC, Philadelphia
Central - Minnesota, Chicago, Toronto, Cincinnati, Columbus
If you want four divisions instead of six, take Salt Lake and Colorado from the Northwest and put them in the Southwest, then merge the remainder of the Northwest with the Pacific. Toronto and DC would probably move to the Atlantic, then Southeast and Central would merge.
Now try this with Indianapolis or Detroit instead of Phoenix, San Diego, or Las Vegas:
Pacific - Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Jose, Sacramento
Southwest - LA Galaxy, LAFC, Dallas, Houston, Austin
Northwest - Kansas City, Saint Louis, Colorado, Salt Lake, Minnesota
Southeast - Nashville, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, DC
Atlantic - Montreal, New England, NY Red Bulls, NYCFC, Philadelphia
Central - Chicago, Toronto, Cincinnati, Columbus, Team 30
For four divisions you chop the two LA-area teams out of the Southwest, and place them in the Pacific before merging the Southwest and Northwest. DC United and Toronto join the Atlantic, with the Southeast and Central merging.
If you wind up with Charlotte, Raleigh, or Tampa for team 30:
Pacific - Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Jose, Sacramento
Southwest - LA Galaxy, LAFC, Dallas, Houston, Austin
Northwest - Kansas City, Saint Louis, Colorado, Salt Lake, Minnesota
Southeast - Nashville, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Team 30
Atlantic - New England, NY Red Bulls, NYCFC, Philadelphia, DC
Central - Chicago, Toronto, Cincinnati, Columbus, Montreal
Kind of odd putting Montreal and Chicago in the same division, but they at least get Toronto back. For four divisions, you again move both LAs to the Pacific and merge the Southwest and Northwest. Move Toronto and Montreal to the Atlantic, then merge the Central and Southeast.
With 5 or 6 divisions, the schedule can stay at 34 games. With only four divisions, you'll need 36 games - the divisions with 8 teams play 14 in the division (7 x 2) and 22 outside the division (22 x 1), while the divisions with 7 teams play 12 in the division (6 x 2), 24 outside the division (22 teams once, then 1 team twice); the extra games between the 7-team divisions could be arranged to have matchups like Toronto/Vancouver, LA/New York, etc.
I personally think this four-division scenario is the most likely:
Pacific - Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, LA Galaxy, LAFC, San Jose, Sacramento, PHX/SD/LV
West - Dallas, Houston, Austin, Kansas City, Saint Louis, Salt Lake, Colorado, Minnesota
East - Nashville, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus
Atlantic - Montreal, New England, NY Red Bulls, NYCFC, Philadelphia, DC, Toronto
Of course if there are no conferences, just four divisions, both Pacific and West could have eight teams each. The East and Atlantic could be the two seven-team divisions, which makes the travel for the extra cross-division game easier, i.e., New England/Atlanta instead of New England/Portland.
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