View Full Version : 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Announcement
AndyMead
17 Oct 2005, 05:04 PM
From CONCACAF PR
NEW YORK (Monday, 17 October 2005) - CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) today announced the dates for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ tournament.
The twelve-team event will kick-off on Wednesday, 6 June and conclude with the final game scheduled for Sunday, 24 June 2007. Cities across the USA are expected to host the 2007 edition of the bi-annual event, which will once again crown the national team champion of the CONCACAF region.
Following the great success of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup™, which saw record attendances and TV audiences, CONCACAF will once again partner with Soccer United Marketing to organize and promote the 2007 edition of the tournament.
In announcing the 2007 tournament dates, CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said, "The 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ was a wonderful success with high quality soccer on the field, a great atmosphere at games and a huge following on TV. The Gold Cup is now firmly established in the global soccer calendar and in 2007 we will be aiming to build on that success even further."
The USA won the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ by beating Panama in a dramatic penalty shootout in the final held at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on 24 July. The victory was the USA's third Gold Cup crown, with Mexico having previously won four Gold Cup titles and Canada one.
Details on the specific venues that will host Gold Cup games in 2007 are expected to be announced in early 2006.
Nutmeg
17 Oct 2005, 05:18 PM
Waste. Of. Time.
SamsArmySam
17 Oct 2005, 05:18 PM
And here's to hoping they get the live TV coverage squared away a little sooner next time around.
appoo
17 Oct 2005, 05:19 PM
i wish they would either make this a once every 4 year tournament, force everyone to qualiy, or dump it. this is ridiculus
Davids26
17 Oct 2005, 05:19 PM
Interesting that it'll be taking place in June instead of July. Otherwise I agree.
speedcake
17 Oct 2005, 06:30 PM
is it that the tournament is only every 2 years instead of every four that you guys are against? I for one would like for the Gold Cup to keep growing. If run properly, and taken more seriously by all involved, it would help improve our region top to bottom.
It might need some tweaking, but it certainly is not a waste.of.time. :rolleyes:
ursula
17 Oct 2005, 06:31 PM
I wish it would every four years also. Question: Will this tournament pick the CONCACAF rep for the 09 Confederations Cup? Yes?
OldFanatic
17 Oct 2005, 06:35 PM
I'm very sad to hear that the Gold Cup is again in 2007.
I would have wanted to see it merged with Copa America and staged in 2008, then 4 years cyclically afterwards. I would have also liked to see a proper qualification for it in 2007 from all countries in CONCACRAP and CONMEBOL.
speedcake
17 Oct 2005, 06:40 PM
I'm very sad to hear that the Gold Cup is again in 2007.
I would have wanted to see it merged with Copa America and staged in 2008, then 4 years cyclically afterwards. I would have also liked to see a proper qualification for it in 2007 from all countries in CONCACRAP and CONMEBOL.
I guess you think it's cute, with the red font and all that. :rolleyes:
And no way will it ever get merged with conmebol, that's just stupid.
4 years between tournys I might agree with though.
California Jack
17 Oct 2005, 06:51 PM
I'd like to see it covered in English, and MLS take a couple of weeks off to allow players to play for their national teams without weakening their clubs.
The first request should not be that difficult. Its in the UNITED STATES, where some people have been known to speak English.
speedcake
17 Oct 2005, 06:53 PM
I'd like to see it covered in English, and MLS take a couple of weeks off to allow players to play for their national teams without weakening their clubs.
The first request should not be that difficult. Its in the UNITED STATES, where some people have been known to speak English.
The two weeks off is a good idea, to coincide with the tournament. The English thing, eh, I agree with your point but I'm not sure if forcing the games onto english language tv will do any wonders for ratings or exposure. Maybe a bit, but if the tourny keeps growing that will come naturally.
California Jack
17 Oct 2005, 06:59 PM
The two weeks off is a good idea, to coincide with the tournament. The English thing, eh, I agree with your point but I'm not sure if forcing the games onto english language tv will do any wonders for ratings or exposure. Maybe a bit, but if the tourny keeps growing that will come naturally.
Let's put it this way. I have friends who are crazy about sports and if I nag them enough, they will watch a soccer match. I'm not going to nag them to watch a sport in which they are marginally interested in a language they don't understand.
Also, you're not going to go into a bar and convince someone to turn on a soccer match in Spanish regardless of the fact that its a contintental tournament that has a 1.75 weighting for FIFA ranking purposes, unless you're in a bar heavily populated by Latinos, in which case the match is already on. I think the tourney needs to have an English-languge contract as well as Spanish to get advertisers on board. They will buy for Spanish TV but I'm sure they'll buy for English TV as well. ESPN2 broadcasts friendly matches in English. SOMEONE is paying to sponsor those, no?
MasterShake29
17 Oct 2005, 07:07 PM
Good job by CONCACAF moving the tournament to June. This allows any players we bring in from Europe to actually get some rest before the 2007-2008 season begins.
Bad job by CONCACAF not moving this tournament to 2008 and having a Euro-style qualifying system to give countries meaningful matches. I think that will help grow the tournament.
I agree with MLS breaking for this if we can get the tournament on ESPN (or whatever network SUM works out a deal with) in English.
tab5g
17 Oct 2005, 07:09 PM
I'm very sad to hear that the Gold Cup is again in 2007.
I would have wanted to see it merged with Copa America and staged in 2008, then 4 years cyclically afterwards. I would have also liked to see a proper qualification for it in 2007 from all countries in the Americas.
fixed your post, to make it agreeable, imho.
perhaps if the Copa de Oro can gain more prominence, it can someday be merged with the Copa America. perhaps in 2012 or 2016.
but for now, I guess Concacaf and SUM must try to put some more luster on the trophy, and it is a tough case of trying to promote a substandard event every two years to keep it on more folks' radars, or manufacture precieved importance by just holding it every 4 years.
again, getting Comebol to agree to open up the Copa America to C and N America should be the long term goal. would be a nice counter-event to the European Championships.
speedcake
17 Oct 2005, 07:24 PM
Let's put it this way. I have friends who are crazy about sports and if I nag them enough, they will watch a soccer match. I'm not going to nag them to watch a sport in which they are marginally interested in a language they don't understand.
Also, you're not going to go into a bar and convince someone to turn on a soccer match in Spanish regardless of the fact that its a contintental tournament that has a 1.75 weighting for FIFA ranking purposes, unless you're in a bar heavily populated by Latinos, in which case the match is already on. I think the tourney needs to have an English-languge contract as well as Spanish to get advertisers on board. They will buy for Spanish TV but I'm sure they'll buy for English TV as well. ESPN2 broadcasts friendly matches in English. SOMEONE is paying to sponsor those, no?
Good points. I didn't mean it should never happen, just meant that baby steps may be in order. Improving the product on the field should be priority.
SgtSchultz
17 Oct 2005, 07:32 PM
I think it is a great idea to move the tournament up 1 month. Let's say the US has a good WC run. I want to see our boys play in some semi important matches a year after the World Cup. We should view the Gold Cup as an opportunity to look at some new talent.
sidefootsitter
17 Oct 2005, 07:46 PM
I think it is a great idea to move the tournament up 1 month. Let's say the US has a good WC run. I want to see our boys play in some semi important matches a year after the World Cup. We should view the Gold Cup as an opportunity to look at some new talent. I concur. No tourney is a bad tourney. Most Euro based Yanks are off for the summer, so one can see them up close and personal.
As to TV, they should do the online broadcast in high-broadband (1 Mbps or so) and you won't tell a difference between that and real TV.
OldFanatic
17 Oct 2005, 08:54 PM
I guess you think it's cute, with the red font and all that. :rolleyes:
And no way will it ever get merged with conmebol, that's just stupid.
Instead of categorically declaring as "stupid" (that's the end of argument, huh?) let's wait and see the following:
Performance of Trinidad and Tobago vs. Bahrain in their playoff
If T&T manage to qualify, how they do in Germany, as well as performance of all CONCACAF teams in general
Bruce Arena thinks that USA hasn't outgrown CONCACAF, and there is merit to pit our best against teams like Granada, Canada, Cuba etc. This is one aspect in which I strongly disagree with him. Playing more frequently against teams like Brasil, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, etc. and playing less against Granada, Canada, Cuba etc. is what is desirable for USA. Apart from better competition for players, it would improve fan interest in US national team. It would also help get better media contracts for USA matches and have better media coverage in mainstream sports news.
speedcake
17 Oct 2005, 10:03 PM
Instead of categorically declaring as "stupid" (that's the end of argument, huh?) let's wait and see the following:
Performance of Trinidad and Tobago vs. Bahrain in their playoff
If T&T manage to qualify, how they do in Germany, as well as performance of all CONCACAF teams in general
Bruce Arena thinks that USA hasn't outgrown CONCACAF, and there is merit to pit our best against teams like Granada, Canada, Cuba etc. This is one aspect in which I strongly disagree with him. Playing more frequently against teams like Brasil, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, etc. and playing less against Granada, Canada, Cuba etc. is what is desirable for USA. Apart from better competition for players, it would improve fan interest in US national team. It would also help get better media contracts for USA matches and have better media coverage in mainstream sports news.
Yeah, I think combining the two tournaments is a ludicrous idea. Sorry.
You can strongly disagree with Arena all you wish. We hardly EVER play the likes of Granada and Canada. IMO, we are progressing just fine at the moment. Would I like to see us play in the Copa? Damn right. Do I think, in the long run, that it would make a huge difference in our ability to continue improving? Nope.
The only two sides from S. America I would consider superior to the best Concacaf has to offer are Brazil and Argentina. The U.S., Mexico and the Ticos are easily on par with the best of the rest and the same goes for the next run down in both confeds. I can think of one word: overrated.
It's funny, you want me to believe the Gold Cup is such an inferior tourny, but why the hell do we not win it every single time? I know why.
Bluecat82
17 Oct 2005, 10:12 PM
Bad job by CONCACAF not moving this tournament to 2008 and having a Euro-style qualifying system to give countries meaningful matches. I think that will help grow the tournament.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe both the Caribbean and Central America do have qualifying matches for the Gold Cup.
Granted, that's only half the field...but it's better than nothing.