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- Keller believes MLS fans would adapt to a schedule shift
- Gomez believes that it will be easier to bring in quality players
- Both analysts supported a potential schedule shift
Amid rumors MLS might align its schedule with Europe, Kasey Keller pushed back on Don Garber’s concerns about fan resistance. The former USMNT goalkeeper argued the commissioner may be overstating the backlash and cited a past consulting firm recommendation to hold the MLS Cup Final in the summer to avoid clashing with other major U.S. sports.n
“I think he’s [Don Garber] kind of overestimating kind of the impact of this,” Keller said on the Futbol Americas podcast. “I think the majority of soccer fans know when the seasons are supposed to be, and MLS has always kind of done their own thing and kind of said ‘No, we’re going to do our own thing.’ So I don’t think that’s going to be a big issue. Clearly, the Scandinavians are known to have a little bit of break in the winter, when it’s the coldest…So, I think that has been shown in multiple other leagues.
Keller dived more into the findings that consulting firms have suggested to MLS.
“Also, MLS hired a consulting firm years ago and looked at when was the time that MLS could most impact In the American sport scene. And it basically told them, ‘you need to have your finals In the summer, in June’. ‘You need to be there when you have very limited competition with the other sports in America,” Keller explained. “Right now, you’re hosting your finals, in probably the most congested time in American sports… Where if they had the MLS playoffs in May and June, their competition would be the beginning to the middle of Major League Baseball.”
Keller mentioned the league has learned from initially ignoring the study and is better positioned to act on those findings.
“The impact would be huge, but they decided to ignore the consulting firm and just say, ‘nope, we’re going to continue to do it anyway’. Well, I love the fact that Don [Garber] has realized and that MLS and the owners of realized that a shift is there,” Keller said. “So, I love that the conversation is happening, because I think it can be a major help to U.S soccer to get aligned with the rest of the leagues.”
Former U.S. international Herculez Gomez also shared his perspective on the potential calendar shift, highlighting several key benefits, with a particular focus on how synchronising with international transfer windows would enhance the league’s player movement capabilities.
“This is what the rest of the world does,” Gomez explained. “You want to line yourself with the international transfer windows, why? Because it’s easier to do player movement, it’s easier to sell players, it’s easier to bring in quality players, you can help your brand here within the متحد States and Canada. It’s being a participant in the global game, the transfers. MLS wants to shed the retirement league image.”
He added, “Well, you’ve got to start producing talent, you gotta start buying talent, producing talent and selling talent, and doing so, you have to align yourself with the international window, that is one. No. 2 is quite frankly what Kasey has been saying. You can talk about visibility; times have changed. You’re no longer on a linear network; you’re no longer on networks that have massive properties, you’re on a streaming service that allows you to have programming whenever you want.”
He also rejected concerns about weather challenges during the winter months, insisting solutions exist and that climate shouldn’t be a factor in the decision-making process.
“Now, there are leagues around the world that in the winter, take a pause. The U.S. is no different, will be no different, climate shouldn’t be a factor the same way. Climate isn’t a factor when you play in the summertime here… They can find ways around it, but the most important thing here is to align yourself with the world to be a maximum participant in the transfer market.”
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Both analysts advocacy for schedule alignment represents a growing sentiment among American soccer figures that MLS must further integrate into the global soccer ecosystem.
MLS executives will continue evaluating potential schedule modifications as they prepare for the massive opportunity presented by the 2026 FIFA كأس العالم.
