Another point that comes into all this and makes it further conflicted is variety.
We want to keep travel under control, want to appropriately challenge ourselves with like competition, but we also wouldn't mind seeing some new faces and developing new friendly rivalries in league play. I look forward to seeing more of Rangers, AVSC, BYSC, Simi Valley, and Team USA....and addition to playing Santa Barbara, Aztecs, and Eagles. That does come with a cost, and that does have me conflicted.
One argument is that you get your variety in tournaments (or League/State Cup), when you know you already have pretty much shot your whole weekend - but keep your league play close, especially at young ages. The idea of dedicating full weekends to weekly league play I get is tiring. I guess it's just all a part of the choices we make based on what's important.
A thought here is doing it like the pros do in many sports - you have a division (perhaps a little smaller) with similar/closer teams you are guaranteed to always play multiple times, but your overall league play (and points, standings, etc.) adds additional games that rotates some other farther teams in the same flight/level that you play maybe only once. I'll admit I am not sure how MLS does it - maybe they do this? I follow EPL more and I know that's a pure dual round robin.