
That’s So MLS is the Major League Soccer podcast for the long-suffering fan of the world’s most chaotic league. Hosted by journalist Andrew Bates and ex-casual defender Nick Thornton, TSMLS looks at club soccer from a Canadian perspective, with coverage of games and news from around North America.
Episodes

7 days ago
MLS Cup 2023: Bring on the Semi’s!
7 days ago
7 days ago
And then there were eight! We catch you up on all the teams vying to make their case in the conference semi-finals, as well as the goings on of the teams who finally crashed out. We update the coaching and player carousel, including some familiar faces in Portland and Colorado...

Friday Nov 03, 2023
MLS Cup 2023: Wild Cards and Round 1
Friday Nov 03, 2023
Friday Nov 03, 2023
With the wild cards already done and dusted and round 1 of best of 3 also in the bag, we go through the results and who we think has the best shot of making it through. We also look at roster updates across the league for the teams NOT in the playoffs, including the Suarez rumours and my prediction that Chicharito has played his last LA Galaxy game (recorded before they made it official).

Friday Oct 20, 2023
Who’s Not Out But Also Not Yet In?
Friday Oct 20, 2023
Friday Oct 20, 2023
With Decisions Day looming, we thought we would take a look at the teams who are right on the edge. Some of these clubs have their futures in their hands, some a little less so. We also talk about two more MLS coaching vacancies and Michael Bradley's retirement.
If you have a suggestion for a That's So MLS moment of the year, send it to us on Instagram @ThatsSoMLS

Wednesday Sep 20, 2023
Don’t Wreck Yourself
Wednesday Sep 20, 2023
Wednesday Sep 20, 2023
Another busy few weeks of MLS action sees two more coaches exit, a player get fired for starting a fight in an indoor soccer league, and the Whitecaps winning a whack of road games! What's not to love?!

Thursday Aug 31, 2023
When The Grass is Greener at TFC
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
It's been a busy August, so we have a lot to catch up on: Inter Miami's annoying dominance of Leagues Cup, Spain's historic World Cup win, a deluge of MLS transfers, and a familiar face in John Herdman taking up the mantle of a dismantling the dysfunctional Toronto FC.

Monday Jul 31, 2023
Garber’s Big Friendlies
Monday Jul 31, 2023
Monday Jul 31, 2023
It's silly season again as the inaugural League's Cup kicks off between MLS and Liga Mx sides and as Messi polishes off his first (non-league) goals. We also look to the Women's World Cup, which Canada just crashed out of :( (we recorded before the Australia game).

Saturday Jul 15, 2023
Cuz You Both Might Get Sent Off
Saturday Jul 15, 2023
Saturday Jul 15, 2023
We're back with another glut of games in MLS action, so we take a look around the league, talk what it will take to get into the playoffs this year, Cincinnati's continued dominance of the East, the 3 red card game, and we also check in on Women's World Cup and the Gold Cup that wasn't for USMNT and CMNT.
This week's episode is brought to you by excited touchline celebrations that see yellow.

Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
A Slice of Apple for Messi
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
We of course talk through that announcement plus run down the Canadian Championship final, the Leagues Cup, and the most recent results of the Canadian MLS clubs.

Wednesday May 17, 2023
A Fines Week for Some Rivalries
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
It was a *spicy* one last week and we are here with all the news on the yellow cards, the second yellows, the thirds, some reds, and TWENTY-ONE fines issued. We also have news, including another MLS team and our first two coach firings of the season.

Saturday May 06, 2023
Benteke Doing Benteke Things
Saturday May 06, 2023
Saturday May 06, 2023
We've got you covered for all the transfers, news, results (and non-results) from MLS from the last two weeks plus some Champions League and CanPL news.

Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Cascadia Clobbering
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
This week we talk about that comeback that had Seattle fuming, the ongoing firepower prowess of St Louis, and a look around the league at who's flying and who's sighing.

Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Set Your Watch to Old Rudy
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
If you've been watching MLS and thinking to yourself "Gee, there haven't been a lot of red cards of late," boy do we have you covered! We talk about the Houston/LA scenes and another Rudy Camacho red card at BC Place. We also look around the league for where the interesting stories are developing, including a Chicago Fire side that is slowly climbing the table.

Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Not Bad, but not Good Either
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
It's been a few weeks since we've talked so we're taking a look back at the last few matches for the Canadian MLS clubs. We note that none of them are irredeemable but none of them have really put the full package together either. We also have a look around the league at those making noise and taking space up top in the standings.

Friday Mar 03, 2023
California Snow Bowl
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
MLS is officially back! After a weekend of inclement weather, we take a look around the league at the surprising and not-so-surprising results and start to make some (foolish) predictions about the season.

Friday Feb 17, 2023
Geiger Is Watching
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
With the 2023 MLS season just around the corner, we take a look at somewhat muted preseason but look at some big transfers and talking points, explore Mark Geiger's promotion, and share the latest chaos out of Canada Soccer.

Friday Jan 13, 2023
The Only 3 Goals That Matter
Friday Jan 13, 2023
Friday Jan 13, 2023
We are back folks! After an off season that seemed to fly by, we are here to talk you through some big retirement news, salacious transfers, odd choices, and more!

Friday Nov 25, 2022
You’ve Been Waiting for it... MLS Expansion Draft is here
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Since there are no globally recognized soccer tournaments currently taking place, we decided to take a look at MLS roster updates, including some notable options declined, talk about MLS Expansion draft, and also say some stuff about the Global Trophy for Football.

Sunday Nov 06, 2022
The Most That’s So MLS Final Ever
Sunday Nov 06, 2022
Sunday Nov 06, 2022
It is with some sad Doops that we draw a close to another wild year of MLS in a truly wild final clash between LAFC and Philadelphia Union. From the goals, horrific leg bending saves (and red cards), to the PK shootout, come relive the mayhem.

Sunday Oct 16, 2022
Decision Day + the Yates Report
Sunday Oct 16, 2022
Sunday Oct 16, 2022
We've got a big show for you this week as we take a look at the decision day results of who is in and who is out of the MLS Cup Playoffs. We share our predictions -which were recorded Friday, Oct 14th ;)
About the 1hr 20 min mark, we start talking about the Sally Yates report and its implications across soccer in North America.

Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Five years of Chill Soccer
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
It's been five years of That's So MLS! We celebrate by catching up on some of the major developments, including Josef Martinez flipping a table, Sebastian Giovinco coming back to Toronto, kind of, and how the MLS playoff picture looks heading into the last two weeks of the regular season.

Saturday Aug 20, 2022
The Business End
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
There's been so much MLS action, news, transfers, and a Canadian Championship to boot, that we find ourselves playing a bit of catch up and breaking down some previous weeks as well as the fate of every team around the league. We also spend a good chunk of the show discussing the ongoing debacle surrounding the Whitecaps' handling of Bob Birarda (Mins 8-18 in the episode).

Friday Jul 22, 2022
Gressel-Mainia Comes To Vancouver
Friday Jul 22, 2022
Friday Jul 22, 2022
After another busy week of games we take a look around the league, including the ongoing transfer madness. We of course talk about what Julian Gressel will bring to the Whitecaps, revisit some teams we had doubts about, and touch on the CSA saga.

Friday Jul 15, 2022
Familiar Faces
Friday Jul 15, 2022
Friday Jul 15, 2022
There's been a lot of shuffling around the league and a stack of games so we are here to catch you up on the big name moves. We also talk about the return of Rooney to DC, Toronto's rebuild, and the scary lineup LAFC has assembled.

Monday Jun 20, 2022
Catching Up From the International Break
Monday Jun 20, 2022
Monday Jun 20, 2022
Well, you turn your head for one minute for the international break and a lot can happen! We break down all the #CMNT drama (and there was a fair bit), World Cup announcements, MLS transfers, coaching changes, Apple deals, and yes, some league games too. It's a lot but we'll catch you up!

Sunday May 22, 2022
A Penny For Your Forwards
Sunday May 22, 2022
Sunday May 22, 2022
Nick and Andrew peruse the MLSPA salary list, chat the CONCACAF Champions League final and what it means in the context of Seattle's season, a Whitecaps win and Portland blowing out Sporting Kansas City.