Major League Soccer’s Best-of-Three Format Initial Thoughts

The first matches of the 2023 MLS playoffs are officially in the rearview mirror and with their passing, fans have been able to take in the new format, in which the first-round winners are decided in a best-of-three series. What follows are some of my initial reactions to the new format.

Home Field Domination

Throughout the majority of the matches played over the first week of the playoffs, home teams not only secured victories, but often did so in dominating fashion. Sporting Kansas City was the only team to win on the road, upsetting regular-season Western Conference leaders St. Louis City SC, 4-1. Meanwhile, outside of Orlando City’s one-goal victory over Nashville SC, only one other match shared the same margin of victory, the Houston Dynamo’s 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake. For the remainder of the matches, the competition, or lack thereof, supported the notion that regardless of the time of year, road wins are hard to come by in Major League Soccer. Here is to hoping that in the second match of the best of three, the year’s best road team, Orlando City, is able to continue its great road form and close out the series. 

Lack of Drama

With the majority of the matches being decided well before the regulation whistle was even blown, the newest postseason wrinkle (tie games in the first round going directly to penalties) was a no show. The format is similar to this year’s Leagues Cup and not entirely different from a version used in the MLS NEXT Pro division in the regular season. The game mode was teased in the Wild Card round, as Sporting Kansas City advanced after winning a penalty kick shootout 4-2 over the San Jose Earthquakes. The MLS front office is trying to appeal to a broader American sports fan demographic with the move to advance directly to penalties after 90 minutes of match time, but at least throughout the first eight matches of Round 1, the shiny new postseason toy remained tucked away on the shelf.

Absences Magnified by Not Crushing

After a season that officially kicked off at the tail end of February, including a multitude of additional in-season competitions and spanning 34 regular-season matches, it sure does feel like a large ask of players’ bodies and the training staff tables to keep the squad game ready for an additional two matches, compared to previous one-and-done playoff years. Two large injuries already have left an impact on the postseason as FC Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund picked up an injury in the week leading up to the playoffs and subsequently will undergo surgery on his hamstring, and FC Dallas star Alan Velasco exited his team’s first playoff game early with what is now known to be an ACL tear.

Besides losing players to injury, other playoff teams, such as Atlanta United, were without stars due to suspensions carried over from Decision Day. Without Thiago Almada, who missed the opening playoff match due to picking up a red card on Decision Day, Atlanta United appeared lost and only managed one shot on the evening. In previous playoff formats, missing a star player from either injury or suspension in a single-elimination game could spell disaster quickly and be the end of the postseason before it even got started. With the best-of-three format, teams who were subjected to an integral player missing the first match still have time to retool either with depth off the bench or upon the individual’s return. 

Those are some of my instant reactions to this new format. Do I like it? I’m still undecided. If Orlando City advances on the road, then of course it was the greatest format change in the history of sports. If the Lions lose in a shootout after a draw in the third match, then absolutely not, and whoever came up with the idea shall be publicly shamed until the end of time. What are your feelings on the best-of-three format? Let us know in the comments below and, as always, vamos Orlando!