MLS releases 2012 Reserve League schedule

MLS has released the schedule for the 2012 Reserve League season, kicking off on March 12. In 2011, the Columbus Crew reserves won the Reserve League Championship with the Seattle Sounders placing second.

Each of the 19 MLS clubs will compete in 10 matches for a total of 95 games. The league is again divided into Eastern, Central and Western conferences with each team playing all their games within their conference.

MLS Reserve League Conferences
Eastern: Columbus Crew, D.C. United, Montreal Impact, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC

Central: Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City, Real Salt Lake

Western: Chivas USA, LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Teams in the six-team Central and Western conferences face each conference opponent twice, once home and once away. Teams in the seven-team Eastern Conference will play an unbalanced schedule, facing four of their conference opponents twice, home and away, one additional conference opponent at home and the remaining club once on the road.

Teams may schedule additional exhibition games for their reserve squads against non-MLS opponents.

At the end of the season the reserve team with the most points out of all three conferences will be determined the Reserve League Champion.

History
In 2011, MLS increased club rosters from 24 to 30 players to accomodate the new reserve league and add depth to the rosters. The creation of the reserves was facilitated by the relaxation of NCAA restrictions which now allows pre-college players to train and compete with professionals without losing their college eligibility should they pursue that route.

2012 MLS Reserve League Schedule
12-Mar LA Galaxy v Chivas USA
13-Mar Houston Dynamo v Colorado Rapids
13-Mar FC Dallas v Real Salt Lake
19-Mar LA Galaxy v Vancouver Whitecaps FC
20-Mar Colorado Rapids v FC Dallas
20-Mar Real Salt Lake v Sporting Kansas City
24-Mar Columbus Crew v Montreal Impact
26-Mar Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Seattle Sounders FC
27-Mar Chicago Fire v Real Salt Lake
27-Mar Sporting Kansas City v Houston Dynamo
27-Mar San Jose Earthquakes v Portland Timbers
31-Mar Toronto FC v Columbus Crew
1-Apr New York Red Bulls v Montreal Impact
2-Apr Colorado Rapids v Chicago Fire
7-Apr Columbus Crew v NY Red Bulls
8-Apr Real Salt Lake v Colorado Rapids
8-Apr SJ Earthquakes v Vancouver Whitecaps
9-Apr Philadelphia Union v New England Revolution
10-Apr Sporting Kansas City v Chicago Fire
10-Apr FC Dallas v Houston Dynamo
10-Apr Seattle Sounders FC v Portland Timbers
11-Apr Philadelphia Union v Toronto FC
14-Apr New England Revolution v DC United
15-Apr Philadelphia Union v Columbus Crew
16-Apr Chicago Fire v Houston Dynamo
17-Apr Real Salt Lake v FC Dallas
22-Apr Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Portland Timbers
23-Apr D.C. United v NY Red Bulls
23-Apr Chivas USA v Seattle Sounders
24-Apr Sporting Kansas City v Colorado Rapids
28-Apr NY Red Bulls v New England Revolution
1-May Sporting Kansas City v FC Dallas
8-May LA Galaxy v San Jose Earthquakes
13-May Chicago Fire v Sporting Kansas City
14-May San Jose Earthquakes v Chivas USA
14-May Philadelphia Union v New York Red Bulls
15-May Toronto FC v New England Revolution
23-May Colorado Rapids v Houston Dynamo
26-May Toronto FC v Philadelphia Union
27-May Portland Timbers v Vancouver Whitecaps
1-Jun Seattle Sounders FC v Vancouver Whitecaps
2-Jun Portland Timbers v LA Galaxy
2-Jun Montreal Impact v Toronto FC
5-Jun Montreal Impact v New England Revolution
8-Jun Chivas USA v San Jose Earthquakes
9-Jun Colorado Rapids v Sporting KC
9-Jun DC United v Toronto FC
10-Jun Columbus Crew v NE Revolution
12-Jun Real Salt Lake v Chicago Fire
12-Jun Vancouver Whitecaps v LA Galaxy
16-Jun Houston Dynamo v FC Dallas
17-Jun NE Revolution v Columbus Crew
18-Jun Chivas USA v Portland Timbers
19-Jun Philadelphia Union v DC United
25-Jun Chivas USA v Vancouver Whitecaps
1-Jul D.C. United v Montreal Impact
8-Jul New England Revolution v NY Red Bulls
10-Jul Real Salt Lake v Houston Dynamo
10-Jul Chivas USA v LA Galaxy
10-Jul D.C. United v Philadelphia Union
21-Jul NY Red Bulls v Philadelphia Union
22-Jul Columbus Crew v D.C. United
23-Jul Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Chivas USA
24-Jul LA Galaxy v Seattle Sounders FC
29-Jul v Portland Timbers v Chivas USA
29-Jul Montreal Impact v New York Red Bulls
5-Aug D.C. United v Columbus Crew
5-Aug Montreal Impact v Philadelphia Union
5-Aug Colorado Rapids v Real Salt Lake
6-Aug Seattle Sounders FC v LA Galaxy
12-Aug San Jose Earthquakes v Seattle Sounders
13-Aug New England Revolution v Montreal Impact
14-Aug Houston Dynamo v Sporting Kansas City
15-Aug Chicago Fire v Colorado Rapids
26-Aug Portland Timbers v San Jose Earthquakes
29-Aug FC Dallas v Colorado Rapids
4-Sep San Jose Earthquakes v LA Galaxy
7-Sep Montreal Impact v D.C. United
7-Sep Houston Dynamo v Real Salt Lake
9-Sep Seattle Sounders FC v Chivas USA
10-Sep Houston Dynamo v Chicago Fire
10-Sep LA Galaxy v Portland Timbers
10-Sep Vancouver Whitecaps FC v SJ Earthquakes
10-Sep New England Revolution v Toronto FC
11-Sep Sporting Kansas City v Real Salt Lake
16-Sep Portland Timbers v Seattle Sounders
16-Sep New York Red Bulls v Columbus Crew
18-Sep Chicago Fire v FC Dallas
25-Sep Seattle Sounders v San Jose Earthquakes
25-Sep FC Dallas v Sporting Kansas City
30-Sep Columbus Crew v Philadelphia Union
30-Sep New York Red Bulls v Toronto FC
TBD Toronto FC v D.C. United
TBD FC Dallas v Chicago Fire
TBD Toronto FC v Montreal Impact