In Major League Soccer, two-thirds of the teams reach the playoffs, making it the most generous of America’s major sports leagues:
Major League Soccer (MLS) 8 of 12 (66.6 percent)
National Hockey League (NHL) 16 of 30 (53.3 percent)
National Basketball Association (NBA) 16 of 30 (53.3 percent)
National Football League (NFL) 12 of 32 (37.5 percent)
Major League Baseball (MLB) 8 of 30 (26.7 percent)
Entering the final fourth of the 2006 season this weekend, all MLS teams are still in contention and none has clinched a postseason spot, although D.C. United is nearly in while Columbus needs a miraculous turnaround to avoid a second straight playoff absence. On Saturday, Colorado and Real Salt Lake, tied in the West’s fourth playoff spot, meet in Salt Lake City (9 pm ET on Fox Soccer Channel, Fox en Espanol, Direct Kick, ASE). Colorado has a game in hand.
In the East, Bruce Arena‘s Red Bulls (29 points) trail fourth-place Kansas City by one point, but the Red Bulls have two games in hand. The Red Bulls travel to second-place Chicago (32 points) on Sunday (7 pm ET on Direct Kick, MSG). Kansas City travels to the West’s last-place team, Los Angeles, on Saturday (10:30 pm ET on Direct Kick).
Click here for TV schedule of weekend games from MLS and around the world.