Unlike most soccer leagues around the world that determine their champion as the one with the most points among all teams during the regular season, Major League Soccer employs a system that is similar to the ones used by it’s counterparts in the North American Sports Leagues (namely MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL).
Teams that finish in the top six spots of the Eastern and Western Conferences have to navigate through a play-off tournament to eventually be crowned the MLS Cup Champion, which is the highest honour bestowed upon an MLS club.
But teams that finish top of the pile in the regular season irrespective of the conference are not simply ignored, unlike in the past.