With J Hutcherson -- Courtesy of Tuesday's conference all with Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber, we should all be delighted to know that the League puts serious thought into schedule.
Ok, the response was more like 'thanks for asking, but we've got that.' So don't look for a substantive discussion on why the League backed itself up into March Madness and yet another round of World Cup Qualifying.
It's that second part that comes into play on Saturday. For those of you blissfully unaware, the United States plays El Salvador live on ESPN2 at 9pm Eastern. Major League Soccer is running six games that same day, with all but one overlapping at least some of USA - El Salvador.
Here's what has always been the problem. American professional soccer competing with itself for the same group of existing fans. If you want to guarantee you see all of the US Qualifier and you would otherwise spend your Saturday night at an MLS venue near you, it's an issue.
MLS can stress how hard they work at scheduling, but this kind of thing speaks directly against that. They know that the attendance won't drop so significantly that it will lead to uncomfortable questions. They know the US Soccer Federation isn't likely to call them out on crowding the schedule for an international matchday.
All of that is fine. Well, unless you're a fan of club and country that doesn't want to end up having to decide between games.
MLS is in the promotion business. This isn't smart promotion, especially when you share the same marketing arm with the product you've decided to compete against.
There are politer ways to read the latest example of MLS playing through, but this was supposed to have changed for the better. Less games on international matchdays, not this.
I don't doubt Garber's statements concerning the work involved in schedule making. At the same time, this sets up the obvious question. As expected, there's not going to be much of an answer.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
