Why doesn't MLS use the European Calendar? What are the benefits and drawbacks of adopting it?

Soccer 101

TSS

Sports, Soccer

4.9 • 822 Ratings

🗓️ 18 April 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With the news this week that MLS will not be making a move to the European calendar after the 2026 World Cup, Graham and Taylor take a look at the situation, past, present and future. Why did the league adopt its current calendar in the first place? What would be the benefits of moving to a European calendar, and what are the potential drawbacks? How much snow is too much snow? All that and more! WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL! We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.! JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON! Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome everybody to soccer 101. My name is Taylor Rockwell. And this week, we're talking
0:19.8	everyone's favorite soccer topic.
0:22.7	Calenders, right?
0:24.0	Everyone loves them.
0:24.8	Favorite calendars, favorite days of the week, all that good stuff.
0:27.1	No, we are talking about the MLS calendar specifically.
0:29.9	We're recording this in mid-April of 2025.
0:32.4	If you are listening in the future, I hope you are still there to listen to the future. This week, though, MLS Board of Governors made the decision not to move to a European
0:39.8	calendar starting in 2026.
0:41.6	Instead, choosing to essentially table the conversation until a later date.
0:45.5	The move would have seen MLS begin its season in August of 2026 and conclude in May,
0:50.1	likely with a break over the winter because Minnesota and Montreal exist.
0:54.1	But why did they ultimately decide not to move forward with a calendar change?
0:58.0	Why did they decide on their present calendar in the first place?
1:01.4	What would be the benefits and drawbacks to changing?
1:03.2	How prevalent would orange balls be in February games?
1:06.3	All that and much, much more on this episode in which I'm joined as ever by the man who never lets a bit
1:10.9	of cold weather keep him from pies and Stirling Albion. It's Graham Ruffin. Hello, Graham.
1:14.8	Hello, Taylor Rockwell. Yeah, cold weather can't stop you from anything in Scotland. Otherwise,
1:18.6	you just wouldn't leave the house. That's just part of the deal. What is the coldest you have been at a game? Can you remember specifically? Just most weeks, to be honest.
1:29.4	Is this really?
1:30.8	So it's not quite Minnesota, like St. Paul, Minnesota.
	...

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