Sporting Kansas City joined 21 other clubs in announcing their respective 2017 MLS schedules last week, offering a palpable reminder that the new season is just around the corner.
Considering the unbalanced nature of the MLS schedule — every team plays conference opponents two or three times while facing interconference sides once — not every fixture list looks the same. On paper, some can be more difficult than others.
That brings us to Major League Soccer’s 2017 strength of schedule rankings. MLSsoccer.com calculated the table below by taking the 2016 average points per game at home and on the road for each team’s opponents this coming season.
According to calculations, Sporting Kansas City’s schedule is tied for the 10th toughest in MLS. In a league defined by such parity, there is a nominal difference between the league’s toughest slate (Vancouver at 1.43) and its easiest (Columbus at 1.30). Nevertheless, the table generates another interesting talking point as fans across the country dissect the 2017 schedule.
It should be noted that expansion teams Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC were not included in the calculation. That throws a wrench in Sporting KC’s average, as Peter Vermes’ men will face Minnesota three times this year.
Sporting Kansas City also has three-game series with FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake. FC Dallas, the reigning Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup champion, will visit Children’s Mercy Park twice and play host once. Sporting KC will host RSL once and make two trips to Rio Tinto Stadium, where RSL has lost just six games over the last three seasons.
While this metric puts Sporting KC’s 2017 schedule in the middle of the pack, it’s fair to expect that Vermes’ side is in for another dog fight in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Remarkably, 15 of the last 17 MLS Cup champions currently play in the West.
