MLS Commissioner Don Garber says they're continuing to try to lift on-field standards.

With the addition of Montreal this year, average attendance in the league is 19,493 through 53 games, up 12 percent from 17,370 at this point last year.

"It's about trying to improve the quality of play," Garber said. "The NFL doesn't have to think about that. The NBA doesn't have to think about that. We're competing against global soccer here. We've got to raise the quality of play within a very focused and strategic economic system yet be able to offer fans something that they will think is of similar quality as the Premier League or Serie A or La Liga. We don't think we're going to be better than the Premier League."