News: Potential 2017-18 CCL Competition Format Changes

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by footballfantatic, Dec 19, 2016.

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Do you think this potential change will give us an MLS winner soon?

  1. Yes

    16 vote(s)
    34.8%
  2. No

    17 vote(s)
    37.0%
  3. Who cares

    13 vote(s)
    28.3%
  1. footballfantatic

    Mar 27, 2008
    Ontario, California
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #1 footballfantatic, Dec 19, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2016
    This could be the changes needed to make the Concacaf Champions League a success. These are not official changes yet. Thoughts?

    http://diariometro.com.ni/deportes/109615-liga-de-campeones-concachampions-nicaragua-cupo/

    http://www.sounderatheart.com/2016/12/19/14004766/concacaf-champions-league-format-change-2018

    Sounders GM hints at CONCACAF Champions League format change
    Yahoo Sports
     
    Revolt repped this.
  2. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017–18_CONCACAF_Champions_League

    Details under Possible New Format.

    I like the changes.
    MLS and Liga MX would have to play against each other in the Spring tournament.
     
    Revolt repped this.
  3. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It has been painfully clear that, despite issues with fixture congestion, the old CCL format was much, much better.

    Expanding the group stage to 24 clubs has brought nothing but tedium and it has deprived the competition of MLS/LMX group stage matches. This has been somewhat alleviated by the fact that, unlike the early days of the competition, MLS clubs generally get out of their groups and face LMX opposition in the knockout phase. But it would be a lot more fun to have the group stage games too.

    More MLS vs. LMX and booting out 8 UNCAF/CFU clubs is a big win.

    The devil is in the details, though, so we'll have to see how they handle the scheduling.
     
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  4. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    The schedule for this is going to be interesting.

    It sure looks like 6 group stage games and then 6 knockout games in each portion of the competition. So 24 dates overall. I understand that they could potentially overlap but that's a lot.
     
  5. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Only 12 matches at most, withonly 6 guaranteed matches (group stage).

    MLS and LMX do not participate in the Fall Tournament.
     
  6. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    #6 newtex, Dec 19, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2016
    To follow up on that. There is an international break from March 19-27 in 2018 and surely the Spring tournament would end in May.

    That means that the latest that the Spring tournament could start would be February 21 and that's if they played every available week.

    1. February 21
    2. February 28
    3. March 7
    4. March 14
    5. April 4
    6. April 11
    ---------------
    7. April 18
    8. April 25
    9. May 2
    10. May 9
    11. May 16
    12. May 23

    It seems more likely that there would be at least a week or two break between the group and knockout so the tournament would probably have to start at the beginning of February.

    Unless they pushed the knockouts into the fall. Surely not.
     
  7. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    I wasn't talking about for the teams, I meant that's a lot of dates for CONCACAF to schedule.
     
  8. MasterShake29

    MasterShake29 Member+

    Oct 28, 2001
    Jersey City, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So MLS teams would have to play two extra games than they do now in half the time? That doesn't seem great.
     
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  9. scott47a

    scott47a Member+

    Seattle Sounders FC; Arsenal FC
    Feb 6, 2007
    Austin, Texas
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They'd be done by May, though
     
  10. tab5g

    tab5g Member+

    May 17, 2002
    So, would any of the MLS sides that qualified in 2016 get to participate? Or would the "spring 2018 edition" feature MLS clubs that will do their qualifying in 2017?
     
  11. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    This. If approved.
     
  12. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Actually, the teams that qualified this year, would participate in the 2018 edition.
     
  13. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Hmm. I didn't read the Sounders At Heart article closely enough.

    It says, "The group stage would start in spring and the quarterfinals would begin in late summer/early fall."

    So in 2018, the "Spring tournament" would actually be a calendar year-long tournament? And in the fall of the 2018 the knockouts of the "Spring" tournament and the next Fall tournament would be going on simultaneously?
     
  14. Mateofelipe

    Mateofelipe Member+

    Mar 10, 2001
    Spokane, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Whatever, so long as we don't have to play midseason form Mejicano teams in March.
     
  15. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    That will probably happen but in the group stage as opposed to the knockouts.
     
    tab5g repped this.
  16. Mateofelipe

    Mateofelipe Member+

    Mar 10, 2001
    Spokane, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, let's hold em literally to "Spring," meaning after March 21, at least.
     
  17. JG

    JG Member+

    Jun 27, 1999
    Next you'll want people to use "fall to spring schedule" to describe leagues that start after September 21st.

    I'd love to see the return of MLS-Mexico group stage games, but how economically viable can that autumn tournament be? If a Central American or Caribbean team makes the knockout stages, would they be faced with the potential of having to play those at the same time they're playing the qualifiers for the next year's tournament?
     
  18. Papillon Soo Soo

    Jan 17, 2012
    This has got to be an aggregate knockout format.

    There's no way in hell any club in Mexico would be cool with 12 potential midweek fixtures between January and May. That would be doubling the number of matches for them in the Spring from the current format (a finalist plays in 6 knockout games in the current format Spring stage), that would basically force the participating Mexican teams to prioritize this tournament or the league.
     
  19. fridge46

    fridge46 Member

    Oct 23, 2011
    I disagree. Between mid-Feb and late-May this year, UNAM played 10 Liberadores matches. It would have been 12 if they had to play preliminaries.

    In fact, Chiapas did play 12 matches over the same period in 2011.

    If Mexican teams were willing* to play 12 midweek matches against South American clubs, I cant see them having an issue playing USA/Central American teams.

    *My understanding is that Mexico withdrew from 2017 Liberadores because they disagreed with the year long format.
     
  20. SixKick

    SixKick Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 13, 2000
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Mexico had no choice but to pull out. The year-long Libertadores means that a Liga MX team could conflict with CCL, which has to take precedent. For example, Tijuana qualified for 2017 Libertadores, which is set to begin during the Liga MX Clausura. If they reach the final of the Clausura, then they would qualify for the 2017-18 CCL. The fall of 2017 would have a conflict for Libertadores and CCL group stage.

    Mexico is pushing for change so that they can get back into Libertadores. This new format would mean CCL (at least for Liga MX teams) and Libertadores would start at the same time, so no more conflict.
     
  21. dredgfan

    dredgfan Member+

    MLS
    Nov 5, 2004
    Denver or NOLA
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So MLS teams will still play early in the year?
     
  22. SixKick

    SixKick Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 13, 2000
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Yes, but it would be group play instead of knockout play.
     
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  23. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    The only real problem I have with the new proposed format is the inclusion of 3 Caribbean teams in the Spring Tournament.

    The Caribbean, the weakest teams in the whole tournament, gets 3 teams in the Fall Tournament, and 3 teams in the Spring Tournament.

    Costa Rica by comparison, gets 2 teams in the Fall Tournament, but only 1 team in the Spring Tournament. Costa Rica deserves a second team in the Spring Tournament.

    There should only be 1 Caribbean team in the Spring Tournament. They should crown a Caribbean champion, and that should be the only Caribbean team in the Spring Tournament.
    The other 2 Caribbean spots in the Spring Tournament should be swapped with 2 teams currently placed in the Fall Tournament. So you move a second Costa Rica team to the Spring Tournament, and a second Honduras team as well.
    You'll then end up having 5 Caribbean teams in the Fall Tournament, which is clearly meant to be the weaker of the 2 tournaments.
     
    footballfantatic repped this.
  24. tab5g

    tab5g Member+

    May 17, 2002
    Yes, CCL-qualified MLS clubs will probably play a week to ten days before the league season starts in March, as has been the case for several years now. (Previously, MLS teams had to get through their fall group to play in Feb/March, but under the new proposal it looks like MLS will start CCL play in Feb/March.)

    The real benefit is that it gets MLS clubs out of CCL play/travel in the fall -- when they are focused on playoff seeding and such in the league. And teams should theoretically be healthier and more rested for the MLS post-season.
     
  25. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Where are you getting 3 Caribbean teams in the "Spring" tournament? The scenario that I have seen shows just 1 Caribbean team in the "Spring" tournament. One more could make it by winning the Autumn tournament.
     
    El Chico Carmona repped this.

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