2008 Major League Soccer Season - Changes From The 2007 Season

Changes From The 2007 Season

• The San Jose Earthquakes returned to play as an expansion franchise in the Western Conference.
• The top three teams from each conference qualified automatically for the playoffs (up from two). In addition the two highest remaining point totals, regardless of conference, also qualified (down from four).
• Following the 2008 season, qualification for the SuperLiga was limited to the top four overall finishers not already qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League, after problems related to fixture congestion during the 2008 season. This applied retroactively to the 2008 season, and thus qualification for MLS teams to SuperLiga 2009.
• Automatic qualification for the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was awarded to the top six overall finishers, as opposed to the top three finishers in each conference.
• Three teams signed new shirt sponsorship deals:
  • Best Buy became the shirt sponsor of the Chicago Fire.
  • Glidden became the shirt sponsor of the Columbus Crew.
  • Volkswagen became the shirt sponsor of D.C. United.
• Bruce Arena's contract was not renewed by the New York Red Bulls, and Juan Carlos Osorio was hired from the Chicago Fire as a replacement.
• The Chicago Fire promoted assistant coach Denis Hamlett to head coach.
• Frank Yallop was traded by the Los Angeles Galaxy to the San Jose Earthquakes. 1987 Ballon d'Or and Euro 88 winner Ruud Gullit was hired as his replacement.
• John Carver became the head coach of Toronto FC. Mo Johnston remains as manager, but has also taken a front office role as team's director of soccer.
• Bruce Arena replaced Ruud Gullit, who resigned from his role as head coach, and Alexi Lalas, who was fired from his role as president, as both head coach and general manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy.
• Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah opened in October as the home of Real Salt Lake.
• The Kansas City Wizards moved to the Kansas side of the metropolitan area, occupying CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City. This was intended to be a temporary move to the Ballpark, and is scheduled to end in 2011 with the opening of the Livestrong Sporting Park nearby.