Webb Wants Gold Cup Moved Out of US
Posted on July 13, 2012 6:10 pm
So Jeff Webb, CONCACAF’s newly minted President – by order of Sepp “I Used to be in favor of bribery until I was against it” Blatter – gave an interview to Reuters and wants everybody to know that there’s a new sheriff in town.
Unfortunately, said sheriff is a clown who almost makes you long for the guy he replaced.
Say what you want about the Warner/Blazer regime at CONCACAF, but those boys knew how to bring in the dough. Lots and lots of it, plenty for everybody.
And while the management certainly did some high living, there’s not a single shred of evidence that anyone stole a dime of it: the lion’s share of the loot got plowed back into the Confederation for the benefit of it’s members.
Now comes Jeff Webb and he’s got some thoughts on all of this.
Everybody recognizes that Jeffo’s hold over the organization is still somewhat tenuous; the big nations aren’t about to allow another bullying dictator to keep their balls in his top desk drawer, Central America is tired of playing second fiddle to the Northerners and the big islands in the CFU have goals and ideas which don’t fit easily with most of their brethren who just want the cash to flow.
It was all much simpler when everybody was scared to death of incurring the President’s wrath, but to paraphrase Lloyd Bentson, Webb “is no Jack Warner”.
So The New Boss outlined his program and while it will sound good to the 25 or so Caribbean minnows he desperately has to keep in his corner, to anyone familiar with a few basic facts it just doesn’t fly.
His main Big New Idea is to move the Gold Cup out of the US.
To where, one might ask? Well, he thinks Canada would be a good spot, or of course Mexico, along with “some other countries as well”.
I think that’s just great. Go for it. Sure the US has proved to be a money machine for CONCACAF but that’s no reason not to start flying T&T or Antigua up to Vancouver or Calgary to get whomped on by Jamaica.
Sure transportation costs will skyrocket, but I’m certain they’ll draw big crowds. And I’m sure that the Canadian TV companies will quickly replace – even exceed – the dough they used to pull down from US broadcasters who won’t be offering anything near what they used to pay for an event being played here.
And I’m positive that Montreal and Juarez both have big islander communities, right? Ready made audience, here we come.
As for the “other places” that Webb mentions, I’m thinking Cuba might work. Or Haiti.
Now a naysayer might suggest that the thing has always been played in the US because the costs are lower and the payoff bigger – the previous administration would have put the thing in Bora-Bora if that was where they could make the most money – but what good is that when an empty suit like Jeff Webb is trying to make himself popular by giving Uncle Sam the finger?
It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it always works wonders for everybody else.
He also says that he’s seriously considering moving CONCACAF out of New York. He mentions Miami as a likely destination.
Which is a fine idea; I’ve said the same thing many times, for the same reasons, primarily, as he notes, the easy availability of cheap airfare due to it’s size and location in relation to the members.
The only problem is that Acting President Alfredo Hawitt announced in January that the thing was being moved, and Webb himself told the Congress in Budapest that he was vacating Trump Tower post haste.
So how is it that, six months later, we’re now hearing that he’s mulling it over?
The answer is probably twofold: first, CONCACAF has a lease with the Trump Organization and I doubt they’re going to let you simply walk away (they’re funny about stuff like that and, what’s more, they’ve got, you know, lawyers), and secondly the CONCACAF constitution clearly states that the offices will be located in the city where the General Secretary resides (which is why it was in New York in the first place; it’s Blazer’s home town).
At the moment, the General Secretary is Poor Old Tired Ted Howard – another New Yorker – who has to be wondering how the hell he got himself into this circus act.
In order to move the thing, Webb either has to a) name a new GenSec, which he seems very reluctant to do, or b) change the constitution, which process would require considerable time and a full CONCACAF Congress to get approved.
So unless he can find someone in Miami to take the job – if you happen to live there, send Webb your resume; can’t hurt, right? – the only thing he can do is get someone to take the job and relocate.
Which of course would be fine except for the other problem he has, namely that whoever he names will piss off a bunch of people whose backing he needs right now.
Central America feels they’ve been shut out of top spots for too long and they are known to be clamoring to have the job go to one of their own. But Mexico, as one of the giants of the region, also feels that it’s their turn, and the Caribbean islands think that the job is rightly theirs, for reasons which don’t make a lot of sense and wouldn’t be worth noting except that they’ll be angry if they don’t get it and right now that’s the last thing Webb can afford.
So the thing is still in New York and, mew and whine about it all he likes, it ain’t going nowhere until he grows a pair.
Don’t hold your breath.
That aside, Webb mentions two other big ideas he wants to pursue:
First, in an effort to get the ladies on his side, he says he wants to look at a “Women’s Gold Cup” and a “Women’s Club Championship” and at tournaments for age group women as well.
All of which is grand and wonderful except that as FIFA can tell you, those kinds of things are guaranteed money losers.
FIFA is able to do them because FIFA has this thing called the World Cup which finances pretty much everything else they do.
Of course CONCACAF has the Gold Cup, which raises a fair amount of money as well, but Webb apparently wants to move it to Canada and play the big USA/Mexico final in BMO instead of putting 90,000 people into the Rose Bowl.
(But then, the CSA just announced that they’re going to be bidding for the 2026 World Cup despite the fact that a) rotation system or no rotation system Europe expects to get that one, b) the bidding is scheduled to kick off in 2019 and c) are you kidding me?)
As for Mexico, well, there’s a reason why they play so many national teams games in the US.
And finally, of course, he tells Reuters: “I think we should be sharing the wealth with (the smaller CONCACAF) countries, helping them participate in competitions”.
Which is sweet, sweet music to the guys who put him in office and who he needs next year when that FIFA ExCo seat gets filled.
But I’m sure that the women and the CFU small fry to whom he’s making the promises won’t mind a bit when they come around asking for their money and you have to explain that you don’t have it.
So please, Jeff, move your tournament, your headquarters and whatever else you want.
We promise to be kind when your replacement comes crawling back.
Moving the Gold Cup out of the United States could have an added benefit. We wouldn’t have to worry about someone lining their pockets with the profits if there aren’t any profits.
Canada could still turn a profit even if its not as large.
What John Jagou points out about TV rights fees may make this true. I like the idea of a Gold Cup outside the United States, I just wonder about how practical it is. But if it could work, and pay the bills of the rest of CONCACAF’s tournaments the way it does now, I’d like it.
Any truth to the rumor that Webb wants to change the CONCACAF logo to a clown car?
Pft. I’d accept any logo change as long as it actually looks like a football crest.
(…And for it to be thematic with the rest of the confederation’s competitions)
Has he considered Brazil, Argentina or Uruguay as possible hosts for the Gold Cup?
bwahahaha
Bentsen, not Bentson.
Aside from Blatter, your villains have a certain… sameness… to them.
The race card? Really? You haven’t read many of Bill’s posts have you? After you’ve caught up on your reading remind us of how Bill feels about Lasana Liburd, the TNT National football players, a certain judge in TNT, and anyone else with the guts to take on TNT’s current National Security minister. While you’re at it please explain why the owners of Toronto FC, the Montreal Impact and half of Canada hate his guts.
Just yesterday I wrote a long screed about those famous black guys Ricardo Texiiera, Joao Havelange and Nicholas Leoz.
Or maybe he’s confused and thinks that “disgusting greedbag” and “despicable human being” are complements
More worrying is the fact that if he had read closely – or, more likely, bothered to read it at all – he’d have noted that nowhere do I characterize Webb as a “villain”, mostly because he’s not. He’s just a politician, trying to figure out how to keep his grasp on power, just exactly like every other politician.
Doesn’t make him evil, it just makes him pretty average.
LOLOLOLOLOL Because all politicians are corrupt and only politicking amirite??!
Meh, A little harsh view. Granted, it’s impossible not to be cynical anytime CONCACAF politics are involved. But I obviously get the political positioning he’s doing. Really there are only a couple of places that could host besides the US – Mexico and Canada, IMO. Anything in the Caribbean or Central America would probably need to be co-hosted, and of course be a logistical nightmare.
“Sharing the wealth” though was a little funny though. They’ve already done been doing that for years.
It is quite frustrating though. You wish that someone has the best intentions at heart but deep down you know it’s anything but.
As John Jagoue points out a joint host between Panama and Costa Rica would actually be less of a logistical nightmare then the current set up.
If the gold cup was rotated the profits wouldn’t be as large as the current set up but I am surprised fans care so much about that part and not about making the gold cup more competitive. Canada could still have a decent return and it wouldn’t guarantee a Mexico USA final especially if this tournament wasn’t set up to insure it like it currently is.
If the only argument for not rotating the gold cup is profit driven then I am glad someone in CONCACAF is finally looking at potentially rotating it and I am very surprised by Archers reaction.
COMCACAF is the only confederation that doesn’t rotate its championship. Even Oceania does it. The current format is rigged to maximize profits both in its location and the lengths it goes to “ensure” a US v Mexico final. You could argue that that is “a good thing” in that more money is available for development of the game. But the likelihood is that much of that money went to Warner and his cronies anyway. By spreading the competition around, you’re exposing more people to better class football and hopefully stimulating interest in other countries.
That’s just it. It really is the way that it should be. But I think when you look at CONCACAF it is almost impossible to NOT look at anything the higher-ups do in a more cynical way because they prove that the only interests they truly care about are their own. Otherwise it should certainly be rotated. TBH even the Gold Cup in the US IMO should be limited to a specific region of the country, whether it be the Eastern seaboard or West coast, for example. That would even createa unique atmosphere. But the reality is that CONCACAF usually looks at exposure and potential ticket sales.
When it comes to broadcast rights, as long as Mexico remains the big draw, it just doesn’t matter where the Gold Cup is played. Univision or Telemundo will still pay a hefty sum to broadcast the tournament whether it is played in Canada, El Salvador, or Martinique. I am going to go out on a limb to say that English language rights fees in the US are substantially less. And the travel can’t be any more ridiculous than it is for a Gold Cup in the US. Mexico played in 6 different cities in 3 time zones, and they weren’t the only ones with a ridiculous travel schedule.
I would love to see the Gold played elsewhere in the region. You don;t need 13 cities to stage a Gold Cup.
I agree. I would love to see a Central America joint tournament. It’s way overdue. Mexico and Canada would also be fine hosts.
I’d go, for sure.
Mexico is the most bankable soccer attraction in the US and the fans pay a lot for tickets
I might be wrong, but it was my understanding that Canada does have a pretty strong Caribbean community.
Bill makes it out to seem as if it is USians that make the money flow…it’s not. They take advantage of Mexico’s fanbase and charge them in dollars in the US. Basically, if you cut Mexico out of the US-hosted Gold Cup, how much money do you think would flow to the confederation coffers? Yep, the US is nothing special as regards a host country; just a place where you can charge US dollars to see the Gold Cup.
There’s a reason all the big wigs and corporate sponsors are afraid of a scenario where Mexico doesn’t make it far in the tournaments. Les $$$$ to spread around. If they host the Gold Cup in Mexico, they can still charge high rates, but not dollars, which is what the big wigs desire.
Also, I wonder if attendance would increase at other non-Mexico games if the Cup was held in other countries because of the strict visa requirements of the US. I know as a Mexican, it is damn near impossible to get a tourist visa if you don’t have government connections (apparently they are afraid of people overstaying their welcome). At least that has been my personal experience.
The supposed melting pot… where we have caribbeans, latin americans, americans, canadians, and mexicans (yes, also latin american, but to get the point across)… so the one country in this whole continental federation that has demographics for all countries within sporadically around the nation, is nothing special and they are only capitalizing on mexicans?
Please sir, go on about how you know this country and population.
As well, how much money would any of the lesser nations bring in if they made a final – even in their own country? Some of these island nations hardly have a population to fill the rose bowl to capacity – yet alone go to the stadium.
Bill were you on the rag when you wrote this?
1. Moving the gold cup. Yes It would make less money, but it would be better for Concacaf sporting wise.
2. Mexico playing in the USA is the real cash cow of Concacaf.
3. Moving to Miami is the best location for concacaf, well maybe the Dominican republic would be more central, but they are not moving there.
4. CFU has the votes and that pisses all non CFU off, deal with it. (this goes to Mexicans, Americans, Canadians and Central Americans, not just Bill).
5. I would like if the second Gold Cup went away, but if it does not, I would not mind having the first GC outside the USA and the fake GC in the USA for the $$.
6. A Women club championship would only work as a shot tournament format, the same way the women qualify for the world cup, I think is a great idea, but I do agree with you, he is probably just blowing smoke.
7. I hear Tampax is a good brand, try it.
Your ability to miss the boat on nearly every one of your numbered points makes it all the more impressive that you can count as high as seven.
1. Moving the gold cup. Yes It would make less money.
You should have stopped here. What part of, “But I’m sure that the women and the CFU small fry to whom he’s making the promises won’t mind a bit when they come around asking for their money and you have to explain that you don’t have it” did you not understand?
2. Mexico playing in the USA is the real cash cow of Concacaf.
Again, what part of, “As for Mexico, well, there’s a reason why they play so many national teams games in the US.” did you not understand?
3. Moving to Miami is the best location for concacaf, well maybe the Dominican republic would be more central, but they are not moving there.
What part of, “He mentions Miami as a likely destination. Which is a fine idea; I’ve said the same thing many times, for the same reasons, primarily, as he notes, the easy availability of cheap airfare due to it’s size and location in relation to the members.” did you not understand?
4. CFU has the votes and that pisses all non CFU off, deal with it. (this goes to Mexicans, Americans, Canadians and Central Americans, not just Bill).
And does the CFU want less money because it would be better for CONCACAF sporting wise to move the Gold Cup? Same question for points 5 & 6.
We can discuss the merits of moving the Gold Cup until the cows come home, but the best way for Webb to ensure the CFU gets their cake and eats it too (read “I think we should be sharing the wealth with (the smaller CONCACAF) countries, helping them participate in competitions”) is to not mess around with moving CONCACAF’s cash cow.
If the gold cup is going to be treated as the sacred cash cow who’s only purpose is to maximize profits and will help finance the other tournaments then lets at least play the other tournaments with competition in mind. Lets rotate the Olympic qualifier. Lets also make the CCL more about competition instead of trying to arrange certain countries clubs to face each other.
The 2015 gold cup in Canada could work especially since you will have the 2013 gold cup in the USA and potentially a 2016 Panamerican cup hosting 3 international competitions in that time frame may start to feel like over saturation.
Webb gets this much push back for saying he will consider rotating what is supposed to be a regional tournament in an interview? At this point it isn’t even realistic its just an idea CONCACAF officials aren’t even allowed to float the idea around.
Like any other run of the mill politician, Webb is using the media as a foil. I seriously doubt he has any intentions of moving the Gold Cup and potentially endagering CONCACAF’s current revenue stream. His thinly veiled threat is just his way of putting the US and Mexico on notice: He and his fellow island nations want a bigger piece of the pie. That is the crux of the issue, nothing more, nothing less.
That may be his intent but it is possible he could take a realistic look at Canada. It isn’t a wildly crazy idea to have the gold cup there if the Panamerica cup happens
How is this a threat to Mexico they aren’t reliant on the gold cup money and I doubt they are going be to bothered if the gold cup is in Canada
Does the FMF have multi-year partnership with SUM?
Do the Mexican National Team’s U.S. Tour sponsors include Adidas, Allstate, AT&T, Bud Light, Cacique, Coca-Cola, Castrol, Degree for Men, The Home Depot, Makita, etc.?
Did the Mexican National team average 71,500 fans per game in the six games they played in the last Gold Cup?
What does Mexican attendance at the gold cup have to with them being afraid of moving it to Canada?
For Mexico it is just 6 games in which not all the profits are theirs anyway. Mexico could easily make up any loss of revenue by scheduling a few more friendlies in Dallas.
Right, no sweet marketing deal, no boat load of sponsors, no fan base, I’m sure Mexico will jump at the opportunity to play in Canada. Just add more games to their schedule, that’s what every coach wants to hear.
You think no Mexican fans would show up in Canada? Mexican fans are easily among the best traveling fans of any national team along with the expats already in Canada they will still fill whatever stadium they play in in Canada. Why do you think sponsors like Corona would stop sponsoring Mexico if their games are in Canada?
They could probably make up whatever the difference is with 1 game in Dallas. You are really reaching with the idea of Mexico being afraid to play in Canada the TV money will still be there and attendance for their games would still be strong. If Webb really wants to scare FMF he is going to have to do better then this of course I am sure he knows that and isn’t using this for that purpose.
Its not about whether Mexico will jump at going to Canada I don’t think they care to much either way. Its about your theory that they would be afraid by this “threat” that Webb just throw at them
Show me where I posted Mexico was afraid. Mexico’s fan base doesn’t have to travel when they play in the US. They’re already here, and once again the issue is Webb and his cronies want a bigger piece of the pie.
“His thinly veiled threat is just his way of putting the US and Mexico on notice: He and his fellow island nations want a bigger piece of the pie. That is the crux of the issue, nothing more, nothing less.”
You said it was Webb issuing a threat to Mexico generally people succumb to threats out of fear but seems like we are headed down a pointless semantics discussion with that.
Mexican fans travel to other countries to watch el tri as well and several Mexican fans are also “already here” when it comes to Canada. Go back and watch Mexico’s recent world cup qualifier in Canada attendance to Mexico games won’t be an issue in Canada.
So when it benefits us (the USA) then all about the money is ok. got it.
Here are a few things I did not understand, you understand much more so break it down for me please.
“I’m sure that the Canadian TV companies will quickly replace – even exceed – the dough they used to pull down from US broadcasters who won’t be offering anything near what they used to pay for an event being played here.”
So is he saying that FSC and Univision would pay less it the Gold cup was played outside the USA? Do you agree?
Regarding Miami I did not understand this
“In order to move the thing, Webb either has to a) name a new GenSec, which he seems very reluctant to do, or b) change the constitution, which process would require considerable time and a full CONCACAF Congress to get approved.”
Too bad Mr. Enrique Sanz no longer twits or I could ask him.
In terms of Central Americans and Mexicans making the trip I doubt there would be a damn bit of difference between a Gold Cup game in Chicago and one in Toronto.
In fact the novelty of the event might make it easier to sell out all games, rather than just ones with Mexico or USA involved.
This column is…a bit too cynical even for Archer
Lots of these ideas–Miami, rotating Gold Cup hosts, women’s tournaments–are good ideas. That doesn’t mean anyone has a good plan for realizing them. Even just in this particular comment thread, it becomes apparent that “different host” means “Canada or Mexico”, and having the GC in the same [i]three[/i] countries every time is only slightly fairer than having it in the same [i]one[/i] country every time. I think if you want to advocate [i]fair[/i] host rotation, you need to name a 4th, 5th and 6th country that could host, then present a case that hosting the GC in those places would be both practical and profitable. Until then, it’s less a claim that the US is “cheating” and no one should cheat, and more a claim that the US is “cheating” and Mexico and Canada wanna get them some of that.
Mexico’s hosted World Cups before; I don’t think anyone doubt their ability (or Canada’s) to host the GC successfully.
Also, only vaguely relevant, I think having 12 teams instead of 16 (or some other number that satisfies the 2n condition you wanna see in knockout tourneys) is silly.
Costa Rica could also host they have actually charged pretty steep prices for some of their recent friendlies so if done right the gold cup there could be profitable.
Honduras and Panama could probably do a joint bid. Guatemala could also potentially host they are seeing an influx of new money coming in they just need to put more of that into their infrastructure.
If you are just rotating the gold cup every 4 years that is 5 other countries besides the USA that could petition to host covering 20 years giving other potential hosts a chance to build their infrastructure before another option would be needed.
As long as they reduce the frequency of the Gold Cup to once every four years, I’d be happy with anything else they do. After all, the Euro Cup is every four years and don’t we always want to be like Europe?
Enrique Sanz was just named GenSec of CONCACAF. And no prizes for guessing where he lives…
Based off his name, I’d say he’s form Colombia of Spanish decent.
Mother F-er…a Traffic guy? It really is all about the money.
He’s on twitter: https://twitter.com/Enrique_Sanz
Not since Feb 2012.
I’d vote for Jeff Webb if he would promise to teach Bill the difference between its and it’s.
Another trash article by bill,
There is nothing wrong with moving the Gold Cup to different venues. As a matter of fact, its better for the sport. Blazer kept the sport stagnant due to his garbage decision to keep the gold cup in the US only. And from the recent results for the US, its not helping them anyway, so why not move?
Yeah, let’s go to the cartel-invaded Mexico, the Mara-infested Central America and boring ol’ Canada to hold North America’s football championship. While at it, let’s not have fun for bickering about the exec’s decisions that we’ll never revert because we don’t work there.
You’re an idiot. The GC needs to be rotated. Go fuck yourself with your cartel and Mara comments.
slaminsams,
Since you brought up WC qualification, the last time Mexico played a WC qualifier in Canada 14,000 people showed up. They couldn’t even sell out Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, which is Canada’s second largest stadium that seats 60,000. The largest stadium in Canada seats 66,000. In June of last year 93,000 people attended the final, and as I mentioned before Mexico averaged over 71,000 in attendance for the last 6 Gold Cup games they played, they have a marketing deal in place with SUM, and they have a boat load of US sponsors, so no I don’t see Mexico jumping at the opportunity to play the Gold Cup in Canada.
But back to the point that I keep repeating and you keep ignoring. It’s not whether it’s appropriate to move the Gold Cup (BTW, I’m all for rotating tournament hosts). The issue is the CFU wants a bigger piece of the pie, and they will go out of their way to make things difficult for the two top dogs in CONCACAF if they don’t get a bigger piece of the pie. Moving the Gold Cup places CONCACAF’s, and in turn, the CFU’s revenue stream at risk and the voting bloc that is the CFU simply isn’t going to allow that to happen. So Webb’s comment about moving the Gold Cup is not only a thinly veiled threat, it’s an empty one.
That was a decent turn out because it was a game in which Canada was already eliminated and it was in a cold October night. You have that game during the summer and both sets of fans have something at stake you will get 66,000. I don’t disagree it will make less money that point is obvious but Mexico won’t feel the difference and if they do they have very easy ways of making up for it.
Paul wrote a good blog on why this scenario is more realistic then if it had been proposed in the past. This really reads like an argument about preserving the USA’s money and interests while at the same time judging Webb for doing the same thing
Yeah, this blog post “really reads like an argument about preserving the USA’s money and interests while at the same time judging Webb for doing the same thing”, but then again this is coming from the guy that came to the conclusion that I thought no Mexicans would go to Canada and I have a theory that Mexico is afraid of Webb’s threat.
Either you need to work on your reading comprehension skills, or you have a bad habit of putting words into the mouths of others.
If Mexico doesn’t care that the gold cup gets rotated and its very likely that they don’t since any money they loose from the gold cup isn’t a big deal to them that only leaves the USA taking this move as threat from Webb.
Realistically how much money do you think Mexico would loose if the gold cup was held in Canada? The TV money would still be there as would sponsorship money from Corona I am still not sure why you think that would go away. How much money do you think they make in 1 friendly in Dallas? That isn’t me putting words in your mouth that is just me taking Mexico out of the equation. I take back any fear comments I made since for whatever reason that has become a huge distraction lets just use the word threat that you used earlier.
I know you think this is just Webb trying to get more money for the Caribbean. However its hard to believe Webb wouldn’t take a look at potentially rotating the gold cup given that it is now more realistic to actually do so then ever before.
Has FMF even reacted to Webbs statement yet?
You keep harping about how realistic it is for Canada to host the Gold Cup, but you concede that it will make less money.
Let’s ignore for a moment that the largest crowd you can put together in Canada is 66,000 and the average…I repeat average crowd Mexico played in front of during the last Gold Cup was over 71,000, and they played in front of a partisan crowd of 93,000 in the final.
Let’s use your one sponsor Corona as an example. What are Corona’s sales in the US compared to Canada? Sure they’ll sponsor a Gold Cup hosted in Canada, but are they going to pay anywhere near what they would pay to sponsor the Gold Cup in the US? How do you think the rest of Mexico’s sponsors think about the idea of losing out on a huge opportunity to advertise in front of their loyal north of the border expartiates?
Webb’s closing remark is, “I think we should be sharing the wealth with (the smaller CONCACAF) countries…” If I’m the representative from St. Kitts I have to ask my buddy Jeff lots of questions. How I’m going to make more money by moving the Gold Cup to Canada? Aren’t the projected ticket sales less? Are we going to get more sponsors? Are they going to pay more than they did last time around?
Of course I concede it will make less money that is obvious but the Panamerican cup will be played the following year so getting the ducks in a row like the sponsors might be possible. I am sure the sponsors won’t be as bothered as you appear to be so long as Mexico’s games aren’t blacked out on TV they aren’t sponsoring because of the 70,000+ that go to the stadiums they want the millions of viewers that didn’t more then anything. Concession sales aren’t what sponsorship deals like Coronas are about. I am not sold Webb just using this as a thinly veiled threat and wouldn’t consider at least looking at what it would mean to rotate the host.
So now the threat is directed at countries like St Kitts and not Mexico?
“So now the threat is directed at countries like St Kitts and not Mexico?”
You really don’t get it and I’m done wasting my time trying to explain it to you.
Slaminsams is correct. Attendance figures dont mean anything to Mexico in a Concacaf tournament. Revenue is shared, regardless on them being the undisputed top draw, they dont get paid out like it.
He’s also correct, in that sponsorship cares about tv viewership not physical attendance. Why do you think Conmebol keeps inviting Mexico to its tournaments, its not because of the few extra Mexican butts in the seats, its because of the extra sponsorship money they get from broadcasting brands to the mexican markets in both the US and Mexico.
Who even cares about the Gold Cup if there is going to be a Panamerican Cup every 4 years? The tournament already takes place too often.
Can’t we just join Oceania or something? I’m not going anywhere else to watch the Gold Cup. Not until CONCACAF stops being an embarrassment to common sense, that is.
I’m amazed that so many are missing the point of the article. There is so much anti-US sentiment going on and there is no real basis for it. I’m sure that losing the Gold Cup would not really harm US Soccer. It will be a financial hit for CONCACAF and the people running CONCACAF really like money. Very badly thought out words from Webb.
Except the people at CONCACAF have the potential to make even more money then the Gold cup ever has with the Panamerican cup the following year. So the people that run CONCACAF may be wiling to turn the gold cup into an actual regional tournament instead of just a money grab.
Aside from a few and I mean very few people on this website Webb doesn’t seem to be getting major push back yet so his words don’t seem badly thought out. There seem to be more fans willing to turn the CCL into a money grab then fans that want to continue to treat the gold cup like the sacred cow
Agreed, some people will go so far as to ignore the blatently obvious and argue semantics just in order to turn the discussion to their anti-US agenda.
Yeah because not looking at things from a USA soccer fan perspective is the same thing an being anti USA. Even ceezmed who is a USA fan could be accused of being anti USA around here.
I agree with this though
“Time will tell if Webb will be the man that leads CONCACAF into a new era, or if he’s just another politician who is only interested in grabbing as much money as he can while he’s in office.”
Please Sam, you can’t be so politically naive. The man is blatantly attacking Blazer’s legacy and couches it as a geopolitical fight against the USA. Don’t believe me see what they had to say in the CONCACAF meeting in Zurich until FIFA told them to shut up. He’s worthy of scorn because he is and always was part of the problem and very much in bed with Warner. Anyone, US fan or not, can see that.
For what it’s worth it’s nice having the Gold Cup in the US, but this fan has no problem with it going elsewhere. I just have scorn for the way Webb is handling this and how he has made this anti-US and anti-Blazer when it should be Anti-Warner. Notices how he never criticizes Warner alone? It’s always Warner and Blazer. He’s acting pathetically.
I guess his wording could have been better since it seems to have upset some USA fans I haven’t seen non USA fans upset by it yet.
I get the frustration of Webb not being anti Warner enough he wouldn’t be my choice for President although given how CONCACAF votes this is really the best we can do for now. I honestly didn’t know preserving Blazers legacy was important to fans until now.
Well of course the US fans will be upset and of course other countries don’t care so much. The guy is more intent on punishing Blazer/US Soccer for exposing bribery than reestablishing the CFU’s credibility.
Ummm, no. After reading the post and the comments that follow, and you concluded that this post “really reads like an argument about preserving the USA’s money and interests” and “preserving Blazer’s legacy must be important to fans”. Unlike your reasoning, your agenda comes across loud and clear.
Yeah now I see why Webbs word came across like they did to you, your litmus test for being anti USA is ridiculously low. When I made the protecting USA’s money comment that wasn’t me being anti USA that was me not buying into your theory that Mexico’s interests were involved but rather just the USA’s.
I honestly didn’t know protecting Blazer’s legacy mattered to fans that is being anti USA as well? Its pretty clear you have confused not viewing things from a USA fan perspective and putting USA soccer interest first with being anti USA. If I were really anti USA I would admit it.
It would be interesting to read why protecting Blazers legacy is important. Before I get accused of being anti USA again I should note I don’t associate Blazer and USA soccer as the same thing to me Blazer is an individual who’s ideas I didn’t care for I never thought of him as being the same thing as USA soccer
And apparently there are even fewer of us that recongize the CFU’s agenda has not changed from Warner to Webb. Their primary agenda is and always has been to milk as much money as they possibly can by riding the coattails of the larger “money-making” members of CONCACAF. Moving the Gold Cup simply means less money for the CFU. The Panamerican Cup may be a great financial success, but last I heard CONMEBOL drove a hard bargain and they aren’t about to donate their share of the proceeds to CONCACAF.
Time will tell if Webb will be the man that leads CONCACAF into a new era, or if he’s just another politician who is only interested in grabbing as much money as he can while he’s in office.
And it’s not just at CONCACAF where those who want to cling to the old ways are whipping up anti-US sentiment. Blatter played the card too this week after renewed calls for his resignation over the ISL scandal by the president of the Deutsche Fussbal Liga.
His reply:
“It is nothing new that people want rid of me,” he said. “Sometimes it is the British media, then the American and then the German.”
Why the American media was included in his short list is beyond me.
Or, perhaps, it isn’t.
*Sigh*
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jul/16/franz-beckenbauer-sepp-blatter
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