Welcome to the offseason notebook, in which we go over everything that happens in MLS until the regular season returns in March. This is supposed to be published every Tuesday, except when it’s not, which is sometimes.
So, without further ado, here’s what happened:
The new playoff format
Flaws had begun to show themselves in the current structure. The November international break ran right through the two-leg conference matchups, disrupting the flow and making everyone forget everything that already happened. The two-leg format itself was problematic, given the inherent boredom of a first leg. MLS wants more teams in the playoffs and an earlier end to the season.