February 9, 2024...MLS NEXTPro 2024 Schedule released and my thoughts on Toronto FC II (by Rocket Robin)
graphic from MLS NEXTPro site
Friday February 9, 2024
The MLS NEXT Pro Schedule for the 2024 season came out on Thursday and Toronto FC II was placed in the eight
team Northeast Division as part of the fifteen team Eastern Conference. The other seven teams in the conference
come from the seven team Southeast Division. There is some overlap as each team plays once* against each
team in the other division.
*there are a few exceptions, TFC II being one of them.
Toronto plays each northeastern team home and away and one more time against five of those teams.
All the teams are reserve teams of MLS teams except for the two new teams who are not affiliated with any
team—Carolina Core and Chattanooga FC who are both placed in the Southeast division probably for geographical
reasons. The league's one other try with an indy team didn't work out well with Western New York (ie Rochester)
folding after one year (2022).
Eight teams in the Eastern Conference make the playoffs. The league last year disguised their standings with
all the Eastern Conference teams piled into the same table, the only division concession was to give the first
place team the number 2 seed throughout the conference playoffs.
This year with four teams in each division making the playoffs, no mention of wild card teams, I expect
the divisions will be separated for fans to easily see who is in each division's Top 4. The league features
a gimmicky pick-your-opponent for the playoffs which gives the home team a chance to choose a team they have
a good record against or is injury-riddled as an opponent for post season play.
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So what will the season be like for Toronto FC II?
At the end of the 2023 season, TFC II finished eleventh of of thirteen Eastern Conference teams
with a record of 6 regular time wins, 14 losses, 8 ties, 3 shoot out wins for 29* points. That was 13 points
behind the seventh place Philadelphia Union II team. Seven eastern teams made the playoffs last year (the first
place team was given a first round bye).
*3 points for a regulation time win, 0 points for a regulation time loss, 1 point for a tie, and 1 more point
for a subsequent shoot-out-win (yep, a five round penalty kick contest) making a total of 2 points for that result.
This season with a 28 game season like last year, TFC II play home and away against the seven other Northeast
teams plus an extra home against NYCFC, Philadelphia, and FC Cincinnati and an extra road game against NY Red Bulls
and Columbus. The league has already published that they will be adding teams in Jacksonville, Cleveland,
and Connecticut so it shouldn't be many seasons before there will be no three regular season games per year
between any team.
They play one game each either home or away against the Southeast teams except both home and away against
Chattanooga FC.
Toronto FC II once again will play their home games at York Lions Stadium on the campus of York University.
They share the grounds with York United FC of the Canadian Premier League. The MLS dropped their schedule first
and the CPL followed with York United picking dates that don't conflict with the same days as their MLS rival.
Their is a slight overlap of fan base and it was awkward trying to get to two games on the same day. No conflict
with the GTA media as York gets NO coverage with any of those outlets. The one odd exception is Wednesday June 19th
when both teams are playing at opposite ends of the city at the same time.
I wouldn't say that the CPL locked up all the good dates, TFC II mostly plays on opposite weekends with both
teams avoiding the first two weekends of August when the York University campus accomodates the Canadian Open
tennis tournament.
Night games start at 7:00pm...maybe not the greatest time to get here for Wednesday or Friday games but the stadium
has a feature/city by-law that the stadium lights get automatically switched off at 10:30pm which did cut into a game
last season when the visitors' plane didn't land on time and the game kicked off at 9:00pm and was stopped
at 70 minutes stunning the game day crew.
With the MLS game times now dictated as starting at 7:30pm for Apple TV, their are no double headers with
the MLS Toronto FC. The visiting NEXTPro team isn't usually even in town when the MLS team visits although
that happens on the July 6-7th weekend with the MLS game with visiting Columbus Crew on Saturday night with
their 'II' teams Sunday night. From year's past, whoever isn't played at least 30 minutes in the MLS game could
find their way onto the field for the NEXT Pro game. This doesn't happen as often anymore becaus of scheduling
and player contracts limit the number of players who can cross back and forth between leagues.
A coach's dilemma happens April 19th-20th when both New England Revolution teams are in town but the NEXTPro game
is scheduled for Friday night and the MLS game is Saturday. Which fringe players will be selected to the bigger game?
Sunday night is locked up by the home opener of CPL York United FC vs Forge FC as the league's derby game.
Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
X @RocketRobin01
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