Major League Soccer's proposed schedule change has sparked a heated debate about its potential impact on match day experiences. The argument suggests that adopting a fall-to-spring calendar will lead to an increase in snowy and icy fixtures, making games less enjoyable for fans.
However, a closer examination of recent North American soccer history reveals that the instances of snowy or icy matches were often a result of scheduling constraints rather than a direct consequence of the current schedule. For instance, many of the frigid Concacaf World Cup qualifying games in Edmonton and St. Paul were played during extremely compact international windows with limited matchday options.
Similarly, Kansas City and Miami's Concacaf tie was squeezed into a tight timeframe to meet the deadline for the next round. Ottawa and Cavalry's game on Sunday falls into this category as well, being part of a rare national TV window that made postponement less feasible.
The proposed 2025 schedule change would indeed shift some winter fixtures to December or February, but it's essential to consider that these dates have already been used for league games in the past. In fact, the 2016 and 2017 MLS Cup finals were played in chilly Toronto conditions.
Moreover, shuffling schedules is not a new phenomenon in MLS. Severe summer weather has led to numerous postponements, including Austin FC's match against LAFC and Houston Dynamo's game against LA Galaxy in 2025 alone.
While winter weather systems may be slower-developing than their summer counterparts, they can still be anticipated with adequate planning. Additionally, the proposed single-table format with divisions could provide more flexibility for scheduling creative matches that minimize colder markets' home fixtures during December and February.
Furthermore, embracing more daytime kickoffs in the early and late months of the season could make games more appealing to fans attending in person, regardless of the weather conditions.
Finally, reimagining Leagues Cup as a winter tournament played exclusively in warmer MLS markets could alleviate fixture congestion and make rescheduling occasional winter postponements easier. By considering these mitigating factors, MLS can strike a balance between flexibility and fairness for its players, staff, and fans.
However, a closer examination of recent North American soccer history reveals that the instances of snowy or icy matches were often a result of scheduling constraints rather than a direct consequence of the current schedule. For instance, many of the frigid Concacaf World Cup qualifying games in Edmonton and St. Paul were played during extremely compact international windows with limited matchday options.
Similarly, Kansas City and Miami's Concacaf tie was squeezed into a tight timeframe to meet the deadline for the next round. Ottawa and Cavalry's game on Sunday falls into this category as well, being part of a rare national TV window that made postponement less feasible.
The proposed 2025 schedule change would indeed shift some winter fixtures to December or February, but it's essential to consider that these dates have already been used for league games in the past. In fact, the 2016 and 2017 MLS Cup finals were played in chilly Toronto conditions.
Moreover, shuffling schedules is not a new phenomenon in MLS. Severe summer weather has led to numerous postponements, including Austin FC's match against LAFC and Houston Dynamo's game against LA Galaxy in 2025 alone.
While winter weather systems may be slower-developing than their summer counterparts, they can still be anticipated with adequate planning. Additionally, the proposed single-table format with divisions could provide more flexibility for scheduling creative matches that minimize colder markets' home fixtures during December and February.
Furthermore, embracing more daytime kickoffs in the early and late months of the season could make games more appealing to fans attending in person, regardless of the weather conditions.
Finally, reimagining Leagues Cup as a winter tournament played exclusively in warmer MLS markets could alleviate fixture congestion and make rescheduling occasional winter postponements easier. By considering these mitigating factors, MLS can strike a balance between flexibility and fairness for its players, staff, and fans.
! I mean, we all love our soccer matches, but let's face it - winter weather can be a real bummer in North America 
. But instead of letting that get us down, MLS should use this as an opportunity to shake things up and make the game more interesting for fans.
. It's all about finding creative solutions to old problems. And let's not forget, shuffling schedules isn't new to MLS - summer weather has been causing headaches too 
! So, this change might just bring some much-needed excitement back to the pitch.
. It's all about striking a balance between flexibility and fairness - that sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me 
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. I think we should change it up, but also... maybe not? 
I mean, the argument that winter fixtures will be less fun in snowy conditions is fair, but then again, who doesn't love a good snow-day soccer game 
️? On the other hand, I totally get why we need to rework the schedule – it's all about player safety and stuff... but what if shuffling dates makes it harder for fans to make plans around games 
? I guess we just have to see how it plays out 
. Like, remember those crazy Concacaf World Cup qualifiers in Edmonton and St Paul? Those were tough conditions too, but they still got played.
. But if we shufflin' schedules around, can't we also get more daytime kickoffs in December and Feb? That would be awesome for fans who wanna come out and cheer in person 
. It might even help reduce fixture congestion and make it easier to reschedule snowed-out games 
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. But let's be real, our grandpas' soccer games in Edmonton were always played in the snow too... like 20 years ago 
. Scheduling just hasn't changed that much, you know? We got leagues cup now and all those teams are still playing on tight windows, no worries about weather.
. It's like, schedule flexibility is key here! Single-table format and more daytime kickoffs? Boom, now that's something I'd pay to see 
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️. Warmer markets, better scheduling... win-win. We just need to chill (get it?) about the weather and get on with it 
. And yeah, December or Feb dates have been used before for league games in Toronto - it wasn't a disaster! 
! Just imagine sipping hot chocolate during a Feb match instead of braving snow 
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️ I mean, what if we prioritize the winter fixtures schedule over fan convenience? Or maybe we should just focus on shuffling dates for the sake of shuffling dates 
It's all so confusing! 
think the proposed schedule change is more about flexibility and fairness for all parties involved rather than just making games less enjoyable due to snow and ice lol 
. We should just stick with what we got and stop trying to fix something that ain't broke 