MLS Realignment

Wow, it's a post about Major League Soccer (holy shit)! Anyways, MLS is expanding once again with David Beckham's franchise Inter Miami CF being slated to enter in 2020. MLS will have 26 teams in their league, an eye-raising total for a league that has only been around since 1993. Anyways, I've created a realignment plan that'll fit with MLS's rapid growth.

Eastern Conference:
Central Divison:

• Atlanta United
• Columbus Crew
• FC Cincinnati
• Inter Miami
• Nashville
• Orlando City

Northeast Division:

• D.C. United
• Montreal Impact
• New England Revolution
• New York City FC
• New York City Red Bulls
• Philadelphia Union
• Toronto FC

Western Conference:
Plains Division:

• Chicago Fire
• Colorado Rapids
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• Minnesota United
• Real Salt Lake
• Sporting Kansas City

Pacific Division:

• Los Angeles Galaxy
• LAFC
• Portland Timbers
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders
• Vancouver Whitecaps

Let's start off with the Northeast Division and the Pacific Division. With the exception of two teams (D.C. United and Real Salt Lake) that could be put in the other division of their respective conference, the choices for the division(s) were obvious. There are six teams in the Pacific Time Zone, thus the Pacific Division is born. The Northeast Division just has six or seven teams in close proximity to each other, making for light travel.

Here's where things get a little tricky. Keep an eye on the Columbus Crew in the future. For now, they're gaining an interstate rival in FC Cincinnati. However, Crew CEO Anthony Precourt has made his intentions clear that he wants to move the team to Austin. If that happens, feel free to swap the relocated Crew for the Chicago Fire, who would go back to the Eastern Conference. As mentioned earlier, you also have D.C. United and Real Salt Lake that could fit in the other division of their respective conference.

But what if MLS were to expand to say, Detroit? If MLS expanded to a city like Sacramento or Las Vegas, the fix would be easy. Just plop Sacramento or Vegas in the Pacific Division and call it a day. But if Detroit (or Pittsburgh) eventually gets a franchise, it would reform the Eastern Conference divisions to create an Atlantic Division comprising of the following teams:

• D.C. United
• Inter Miami
• New England Revolution
• New York City FC
• New York Red Bulls
• Orlando City
• Philadelphia Union

The rest of the teams in the Eastern Conference would form the Central Division. Yes, the division(s) would seem tacky the same way the NHL currently has their Eastern Conference divisions set up. Yes, there would be more travel involved as well. However, would make as much, if not more, sense to place Detroit closer to teams like the Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, Toronto FC, and FC Cincinnati.

Wow, did I seriously have an in-depth blog post about MLS of all things?