Earlier we mentioned some speculation about a possible CONCACAF Champions League starting in 2007 modeled after the UEFA Champions League. However, it looks like this will only be a tournament between Mexico 1st Division and MLS teams. I found an older article on SoccerNet last night where MLS execs talk about their plans:
"This idea of meaningful international competition is very significant in raising our level of play, not just in international competitions, but also in our domestic league," declared deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis.
"Should we be able to pull this off," said MLS commissioner Don Garber, sharing his dream, "envision having a Mexican first division and MLS version of the Champion’s League with games going on throughout the year, culminating in a final that would alternate between countries. It is a really big idea and a big opportunity for us to stand even firmer in competition against other professional sports."
Apparently the Interliga Tournament will be used as a model:
the Interliga tournament, which serves as a qualifying competition for two Copa Libertadores spots from the Mexican first division, is something of a model for the upcoming MLS/MFL tournament.
Interliga answered the question of whether Mexican league fans would come see their teams play in the U.S. — however, only the big-name teams, like Club Deportivo Guadalajara, sold out the stadiums.
Yet Garber and Gazidis are counting on cross-border competition between the leagues to fuel interest in the new tournament, which they are hoping to launch next season.
"It’s the magnification of the U.S.-Mexico rivalry in this region," asserted Gazidis. "It’s at the point now where it’s a real rivalry, a very unpredictable game with enormous emotions swirling around it and huge interest and great value. That’s something that we believe can translate over to the club level, particularly if we can prove that MLS teams can compete with Mexican club teams."
So it looks like we won’t be getting a CONCACAF Champions League just yet. However, it is a start and could be a vital part of improving the level of play in the MLS. One step at a time. Perhaps if this is successful, MLS will approach CONCACAF about expanding the tournament in later years.
While we’re talking about getting US players more international experience, US Soccer is hinting that it may be time for the USMNT to finally enter the Copa America. (HT Mike H @ My Soccer Blog)
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July 2nd, 2006 at 5:26 pm
Actually, we already have a CONCACAF Champions League, it’s called the “Champions Cup.”
http://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champscup/
Two teams from MLS enter each year. Traditionally, it has been the two teams that play for the MLS Cup but starting with the 2007 Champions Cup, it will be the MLS Cup champion and the Supporter’s Shield Champion (regular season top of consolidated table).
The problem with this tournament is that it starts in late February / early March when our MLS teams are just starting to begin training and find their fitness for the upcoming season and we’re routinely whipped upon by the clubs like Saprissa, Club America, Pumas UNAM, etc.
The idea for an interleague tournament between MLS and MFL is fantastic. I would very much get interested in this.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:36 pm
They aren’t really the same concept. The problem with the cup is that’s what it is – a cup tournament with a limited number of teams. Having a true inter-country ‘league’ like the UEFA Champions League would mean more MLS teams would face off against non US teams and would play over the course of months. The initial information hints at close to 33 matches overall, twice a week from July through November, so you’d have many more than 2 MLS teams participating. Plus, like you mention, the timing for the CONCACAF cup is bad for MLS players, but the Mexico/MLS league timing would be in late summer, while teams are in top shape.
I agree this is a great thing. I only hope over time that it will grow into a true “CONCACAF Champions League” with teams from across CONCACAF. Hopefully that will help CONCACAF as a whole improve including the US players. Its about time poor CONCACAF gets a little respect – but we have to earn it.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Keep in mind that the European Cup Winner’s Cup (the predecessor of the Champions League) was a two leg knockout tournament. It wasn’t until 1997 I think that the “Champions League” was inaugurated to add more of a “league” style to play (and increase the number of matches for lucarative TV deals).
My real question is this though…”Televised exclusively on Telefutura?” How many people does MLS think actually get Telefutura in this country? If they want respectability, the games need to be available in both English and Spanish on platforms that most soccer fans have access to.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:45 pm
True, though considering how many people abandoned ESPN for Univision during the World Cup and the fact that Univision has been averaging about 1.5 times the viewership of ESPN…
Total guess, but I’d expect MLS to try and work a deal with ESPN to carry some of the matches as well. And if they balk, they might be able to do it via FSC since it seems like a somewhat separate entity, Soccer United Marketing, is handling this. Personally, I don’t care about the commentary – I want to see the match!
It’ll be interesting to see how it pans out, even if it’s just on Univision.
I really need to learn Spanish one of these days.
July 3rd, 2006 at 9:08 am
Soccer Dad:
Forgive my ignorance, but unlike over here in England where one can peruse at leisure the follies of the imbeciles at the FA who have contrived to take top 4 talent and make it top 10, it’s a bit harder to find out how the USSF is working to keep the USA from being internationally competitive. Why haven’t we been working overtime to make sure we participate in the Copa America, particularly since the organizers have been trying to make it comparable to the biennial European championship?
I still think our team’s biggest problem is its lack of experience of top calibre play. CONCACAF qualifiers (other than the matches with Mexico) permit our players to get by with mediocre play that would not work against South American teams. The World Cup has afforded numerous examples of how even very good teams “play down” to the level of their competition, whereas we clearly need opportunities where we can “play up”, as we did brilliantly at times against Italy.
July 3rd, 2006 at 11:24 am
My understanding is USSF felt the Copa America was too soon after the Gold Cup, but it sounds like they’re considering it now which is a very good thing given the teams that usually participate. Getting MLS teams more exposure to Mexico 1st teams is helpful as well, especially since it’ll be an ongoing tournament for 5 months or so.
No question – the more exposure we can get the USMNT the better. I admit for myself the alarm bells should have been going off with all the trouble we had with Jamaica last year in the friendlies and the qualifiers.
July 3rd, 2006 at 3:31 pm
There’s a BIG difference between Univision and Telefutura. Univision is carried on every satellite platform and most cable systems across the country. We even have a local Univision affilite here in the Triangle. Telefutura, on the other hand only seems to be available on Dish’s Latino package (not DirecTV, not TimeWarner) and has very limited local affiliates across the country.
Univision is a reasonably strong network in the USA now, Telefutura is their obscure ‘3rd channel’ (Galavision second).
July 3rd, 2006 at 4:43 pm
I’ve seen so many differnet variations of the press release it’s hard to tell what is what. This says it will be Telefutura (50 million households which isn’t great but isn’t horrible) like you mentioned. Wonder if Univision would carry the late rounds.
What’s bizarre is this press release actually says it will replace the CONCACAF Champions Cup which can’t be right. Especially if it’ll only be MLS and Mexico.
I’m going to contact CONCACAF, MLS, and Univision to see if anyone will answer me (long shot I know) to get the real story.
July 4th, 2006 at 11:01 am
50 million isn’t bad. I assume that is mainly over-the-air affiliates in places like LA, Dallas, Phoenix, etc.
Of course,the 1 household that really matters is mine, and I don’t have it 🙂
July 4th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Jarrett – yeah that pretty much sums it up. I need to check my DISH package – there’s all sorts of channels on there I’ve never watched!
July 5th, 2006 at 7:37 am
When I used to have DISH, Telefutura was definitely part of the DISH Latino package.
July 8th, 2006 at 3:03 am
The CONCACAF Champions League is just a different format for the Champions Cup. The MLS/MFL tournament will be Interliga 2007. Therefor the CONCACAF Champions League will continue to host teams from all over CONCACAF exactly the same way the Champions Cup did. And, Interliga will now feature MLS and MFL teams as apposed to solely MFL teams as it did in the past.
July 8th, 2006 at 8:09 am
Eric – have you got any sources for the Champions League part? That would be great if it was (though the timing of a ‘Champions League’ would still not be great) I’ve not been able to find any reliable source of info that comes out and says that. Everything I found all tied back to the TeleFUtura press release (which is the MSL/MFL thing)
Everything I had read up to this point said that Interliga was the ‘model’ for the MLS/MFL tournament, but my understanding was Interliga would remain a separate event. How will Mexico handle qualification for Copa Libertadores? Take the top finishing MFL teams?
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