Soccer doesn’t have “exhibition matches.” Not by that lingo. Primarily because the games aren’t on exhibit. Most MLS teams don’t stream or provide a cable broadcast of their games in early February. This decision includes the Colorado Rapids, who have played matches against Ventura County Fusion, Toronto FC, and the Las Vegas Lights, while providing only scant details as to the proceedings: who comes on the field, who goes off, and who scores. Often, teams don’t even provide that much info. Check out this tweet from New York Red Bull this week:

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be playing Real Salt Lake on Thursday. We will play a closed-door match. Our opponent’s technical staff has asked that the match not be streamed or photographed. No information will be provided from the game. — New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) February 14, 2019

If you’re lucky, you might get a 3-second video clip of a goal from a funky angle on a hand-held camera. Teams are so secretive that it is not uncommon that when a player is with the club on a trial and looking to secure a spot in the team, he might be posted on social media simply as “TRIALIST.”

Why all the secrecy?

There are two good reasons I can think of.

Firstly, teams are rusty. Some players are not in great fitness. Others are prone to the occasional clumsy mistake. The club may feel that fans will be shocked and dismayed if they tuned into an early February match to watch their center-back flubbing passing and their midfielders getting nutmegged nonstop. There may be fear by team officials that the fanbase will panic and declare the club a disaster before a single meaningful game has even been played.

Secondly, when teams start out the year, the coaches are still tweaking and playing with their tactics and formations. They may be afraid to give any tactical advantage to their opponents at the beginning of the season by providing them any opportunity to scout their club. The coaching staff wants to gain any possible advantage they can for the beginning of the year,before the games are all on TV for the world to see.

I see the logic. But it’s dumb.

Fans aren’t stupid. They understand that the quality of soccer in February is not going to be as crisp as it will be in June. Most Coloradans can identify with the reality that they may be a few pounds heavier and have a little more trouble bounding up and down the stairs in the winter than they would be in summer. It’s cold outside. We run around less, and we couch surf more. That’s what happens. Sure, there’ll be a few people grabbing pitchforks and torches the first time a player smacks a shot 30 yards over the goal. But soccer decisions should never be dictated by the most reactionary fans on twitter.

Tactically, I can’t see much advantage being gained by showing even the earliest games. Every soccer team is rusty. Every team is trying to increase player fitness, get them sharper at touches and get them moving into the right places to suit the new plan for the year. The other teams’ tactics, fitness and rust is no real concern. Nor, to be honest, is winning. If the Rapids roll out a lineup with one player trying out a new position, another player getting a chance from the development academy and a third playing for the first time with his teammates since he moved here from Vancouver, the goal is to get acclimated. The results don’t matter. Let’s all breathe.

I’ll add that it helps the team to market to fans if they stream more games. Getting more eyeballs on the team more often sells more jerseys and more tickets. I wish I had some cool stats to prove this, but I don’t. It just follows from basic common sense. An invisible team is of less interest to its fan base.

Consider me a solid vote in favor of streaming all the pre-season games. I promise to be the first person on Twitter to calm the fans in the aftermath of a sloppy, stunning defeat at the hands of the Chenoweth School for the Performing Arts U15s.