If nothing else, high marks to the schedule makers at Major League Soccer.
“Decision Day” might primarily be a marketing opportunity, but it’s hard to imagine how it could be much more interesting from a competitive standpoint. As is now custom, MLS will have all teams (save one, thanks to the league’s current 27-team structure) playing in one of two time-slots Sunday afternoon. Of the 13 matches that will be contested, 10 will have some impact on the MLS Cup playoffs and 17 teams are still playing for something. That’s a record, according to MLS.
The simultaneous kickoffs — the Eastern Conference games will kick off at 12:30 PM PT and the Western Conference games will start at 3 PM — mean that as goals are scored, positions will change in the standings in real time.