That Major League Soccer so often screws up even the simplest of things is an ongoing theme of this blog. But if I’m going to continue to criticize and rant about the league’s faults (as I surely intend) then perhaps I also bear some responsibility to offer the league the occasional bit of positive advice.

I see your eyes rolling now. “Not this crap again.” But, no, I swear I’m not going to say anything about going single table, disbanding the playoff system, or instituting promotion and relegation. I agree with you, my sensible readers. The people who constantly whine about talk passionately in favor of such things are completely detached from the realities of soccer in the United States. They are the American soccer equivalent of the Flat Earth Society.

Nor am I going to suggest that MLS write some big checks for big name players in the misguided tradition of the NASL. As far as I’m concerned this proposed Beckham rule and this guy’s column over at the usually top-notch ussoccerplayers.com are both a bunch of baloney. And by baloney I mean hooey.

Nope, I’m going in an entirely different direction with my advice. Two principles guide me here. First, MLS is cheap. I will consider MLS cheap, indeed profoundly cheap, as long as MLS teams still find themselves out-bid for blue-collar players by the USL First Division. The second principle, in keeping with my favorite theme, is that one should never underestimate the league’s aptitude for screwing up the simple things. They couldn’t even manage to hide the Houston 1836 logo from the guys at BigSoccer. That’s why you’ve gotta keep it simple and cheap when giving advice to MLS.

Here’s my first bit of simple and cheap advice: Set up an away supporters section at every single game.

I’ve attended a number of away games in my life, sometimes with a large group and sometimes with just one or two other like-minded fans. In a group we’re loud and boisterous; some would call us downright obnoxious. Either way we have a blast and we certainly bring some atmosphere to the stadium.

In Major League Soccer it’s not every game that you get a good, large and vocal group of opposition supporters in your home stadium. But when you do people genuinely enjoy the atmosphere they bring.

With small groups the effect is more muted. Much, much more muted. And it’s not as much fun.

Pain in the keister. That’s what it is to organize large groups of away supporters. I know. I have done it several times for DC United fans living in exile on the West Coast. It would be much easier if MLS teams had pre-established away sections at all the games.

When you call up the ticket office the first thing they should ask is if you’re a home or away supporter. Then, if you say you’re an away supporter, they should ask if you’d like to sit in the away supporter’s section. It wouldn’t matter if you’re a lone ex-pat looking to make the most of your one chance all year to support your team in person, or if you’re a big, organized supporters club looking to purchase a whole block of tickets. If you’re an away supporter, and if you so desire, MLS teams should do everything possible to seat you with other away supporters.

Want atmosphere at MLS stadiums? Want to sell the game in the United States? Then make it easier for away fans to sit together. No matter whether they antagonize them or inspire them, nothing makes home supporters better than visible and vocal away supporters. Their presence improves the entire game day experience.

Away supporters sections. It’s simple and it’s cheap. MLS will never do it.