Don Garber Says No to 2011 Single Table Format for MLS

During half-time of the MLS Playoff match between FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber appeared on Fox Soccer Channel for a few minutes to discuss developments in the league.

Two topics of note was whether MLS is considering combining the conferences into one league and what his thoughts were about New York Cosmos becoming the 20th team in Major League Soccer.

First, Garber said that MLS has no intention on combining the conferences into a single table. His reasoning was that he wants to keep rivalries between local teams.

Second, Garber said that he was impressed by what the Cosmos has been doing and that they’ve been doing a good job thus far in their pursuit of becoming a Major League Soccer team.

Based on Garber’s enthusiasm, it looks like the Cosmos deal is practically a given. But as for Garber’s comments about not wanting a single table, I believe his thinking is flawed. There are tons of single table leagues around the world that still manage to maintain local rivalries. Teams such as AC Milan and Inter Milan, Manchester City and Manchester United, HSV Hamburg and St. Pauli, Everton and Liverpool, and so on.

It’s time for Major League Soccer to make changes to the league format and to create a calendar that is more balanced as well as maintaining the local rivalries.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Share your feedback in the comments section below.