The season has been postponed by the COVID-19 outbreak, although there is hope that the league Could be Finished this year
MLS is optimistic that clubs will play a complete season of games despite the present coronavirus pandemic, according to league commissioner Don Garber.
The league was put on hold, in addition to other significant competitions around the world, on account of the COVID-19 outbreak.
However, Garber says that the league will resume as soon as it’s safe, and he’s committed to ensuring all teams play enough games to complete the campaign.
Talking on ESPN, he said: “Once we’re comfortable that we could get our players with three to four weeks of training, we have the advice that we may get audiences back into our stadiums, then we’ll then start the relaunch of our season.
“Our intent is to play as many games as possible.”
Garber, however, did acknowledge that the construction of the MLS season is going to need to be changed and extended to permit the present disruption.
MLS Cup – the championship match, which determines the overall winners of this season – can be held in December as it has in past years, before being transferred to November in 2019.
Garber also said the league was ready for the rearrangement of the Tokyo Olympic Games, which has been postponed by a year until summer 2021 because of coronavirus.
This means the MLS season is going to be interrupted by the Games next year, but Garber said the rearrangement of the Olympics was”not surprising in any way.”
He explained: “Many of the national governing bodies have been putting pressure on the IOC to postpone the games in Japan so I am not surprised in the slightest.”
Garber said he’s in contact with all the MLS clubs throughout the enforced break and called on the franchises to give leadership and set an example to fans during difficult times.
He explained: “It’s an important statement of the ability of game — whether that is soccer or another game — of coming together to have a very very strong and effective voice to make certain that people are staying home, they are staying safe, they are staying clean, and they’re prioritizing the things that actually matter which is social distancing and also linking to their families and linking to their nearest and dearest.”
