MLS Releases 2011 Playoff Format: 10 Teams, Four ‘Wild Cards’

It was somewhat inevitable that there were going to be grumblings no matter what playoff format MLS came up with for the 2011 season. If for no other reason, there were always going to be those of us who would rather see single-table than conferences and a few more who would like to see the playoffs eliminated entirely. But MLS seems to think that all criticism is created equal, or at least that’s what comments Nelson Rodriguez, the league’s executive vice president of competition and game operations seems to indicate in comments he made to MLSsoccer.com.

Rodriguez clearly is missing the point of the criticisms. It’s not that this system is imperfect, most reasonable people realize this is inevitable. Rather, it’s how imperfect it is.

With just about three weeks before the start of the 2011 season, MLS has finally released the playoff format. As promised during the MLS Cup, 10 of the league’s 18 teams will make the playoffs, with three from each conference guaranteed berths. The final four spots will be “wild cards” and compete in a play-in round. Beside the play-in round and the number of teams that qualify, everything else remained the same.

The play-in round will pit the No. 1 wild card against the No. 4 wild card and the No. 2 against the No. 3. The higher-seeded wild card will host the one-game playoff. The lowest seed to emerge from the play-in round will then enter whichever bracket has the Supporters’ Shield winner. The conference semifinals will remain a two-game, aggregate goal affair, while the conference finals will continue to be one game hosted by the higher seed and the MLS Cup to be one game at a predetermined location.