MASL Meetings End; RNC Playoff Format Announced

The Major Arena Soccer League Annual Meetings concluded in Dallas, Tex. yesterday at the Statler Hotel.

The meetings attended by owners and directors of all 14 MASL teams and many M2 teams were a success focused on the upcoming season and future growth and collaboration of the MASL.

Some of the topics discussed and announced were the playoff format, video review in the upcoming regular season and the weekend’s MASL Pro Player Combine and Draft. Day Two’s meetings kicked off with a tour of the Statler Hotel’s ballroom where players will be drafted on Sunday.

It was also announced that the MASL College Draft will be held in January at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, Penn.

PLAYOFF FORMAT ANNOUNCED

The 2023 Ron Newman Cup Playoff format was announced. The top three teams from each conference will advance to the quarterfinals and be seeded 1-3.

The fourth and fifth seeds from each conference will play head-to-head in a play-in game hosted by the higher-seeded team, unless otherwise agreed on by both teams.

The quarterfinals will once again feature a home-and-home series with the highest-seeded team in each conference playing the winner of the play-in game and the second and third highest-seeded playing each other.

The semifinal round will also be a home-and-home series featuring the winners of the quarterfinals games competing against each other within their conference to determine a Conference Champion.  

A finals round will feature the Eastern Conference Champion squaring off against the Western Conference Champion for the chance to win the coveted Ron Newman Cup Trophy.

If a home-and-home series results in a tie the series will go to a Knockout Game. This matchup will start with a full 15-minute period. If a winner has not emerged by the end of 15 minutes of play the game will move to sudden death overtime in increments of 10 minutes.