Bring back SuperLiga as our Europa League

Discussion in 'MLS: Commissioner - You be The Don' started by MattXG, Jul 27, 2013.

  1. MattXG

    MattXG Red Card

    May 17, 2010
    So with MLS' continued expansion and Liga MX having plenty of worthy competitors, and really everyone in CCL waiting for the Liga Mx/MLS clashes, I figured why not give the two leagues more reasons to meet?

    Things have changed dramatically in the short time since SuperLiga's demise. I think MLS has gained a lot of respect to our Southern neighbors and I think our teams are confident in competing with their Mexican counterparts. I think those were two of the bigger problems plaguing SuperLiga. With the addition of NYCFC and soon after a Beckham team, there will be a ton of good Mexican teams and MLS teams missing the CCL, so why not give them a tournament to play in?

    This year large market/well respected MLS teams not in CCL include: Seattle, Portland, New York, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Chicago, RSL

    Large Liga MX teams not in it include: Monterray, Santos Laguna, UANL Tigres, CD Guadalajara, and Pumas

    Definitely enough good teams being left out of CCL to put together another international tournament worth watching. And like I said, when NYCFC joins the league they'll add another heavyweight to the mix one way or another.
     
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  2. BuckeyeBrian103

    Jul 10, 2008
    Methuen, MA/ Columbus, OH
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree. I miss Superliga (seeing as it is one of the few things the Revs have actually won.)
     
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  3. BrodieQPR

    BrodieQPR Member

    Jun 27, 2010
    Michigan
    Club:
    Queens Park Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    SuperLiga and the Pan-Pacific Cup were both cool
     
  4. MattXG

    MattXG Red Card

    May 17, 2010
    I think honestly the biggest problem to this happening is that it could be even more popular than CCL....
     
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  5. Achowat

    Achowat Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Revere, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Another person just assuming that NYCFC and the Miami Beckhams are going to be powerhouses. What on Earth would lead you to this conclusion?
     
  6. MattXG

    MattXG Red Card

    May 17, 2010
    $$$, location, and the owners who are well connected and have already ran successful organizations?

    And if you're going to point to Chivas and say they have money, location and a well connected owner its not even close to comparable.

    First of all, I'm sure Don Garber talked at length with ManC on their intentions and plans for the club to make sure this doesn't turn into another Chivas. And unlike Chivas, I don't think the ManC owners have an inherent disregard for American soccer fans. They paid $100 million for the team. They're going to spend another $300 million or more for a stadium and are fighting to build it in one of the hardest places on planet Earth to get a stadium built. How much did Chivas spend on their stadium? Oh that's right, they couldn't be bothered with that either. Even if ManC sends over some of their young players and bench players to get some minutes, they're going to be a quality MLS side.
     
  7. HailtotheKing

    HailtotheKing Member+

    San Antonio FC
    United States
    Dec 1, 2008
    TEXAS
    Club:
    San Antonio Scorpions FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Uhhhh what ?
     
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  8. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well to be fair, "more popular than the CCL" isn't exactly a high bar to cross...
     
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  9. HailtotheKing

    HailtotheKing Member+

    San Antonio FC
    United States
    Dec 1, 2008
    TEXAS
    Club:
    San Antonio Scorpions FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Eh, given the last 2 1/2 years of our performances ... I'd say that bar is a bit higher than people would admit.
     
  10. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But we're talking about popularity, not success. Despite our performances I don't see the tournament as very popular yet.

    (Not that I'm suggesting a Superliga would be more popular, it wouldn't)
     
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  11. HailtotheKing

    HailtotheKing Member+

    San Antonio FC
    United States
    Dec 1, 2008
    TEXAS
    Club:
    San Antonio Scorpions FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    what I mean is that due to our recent uptick, any attention would be paid to the CCL where we've had movement and the bigger MEX names are.
     
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  12. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    SuperLiga was a really nice tournament. But right now it would be too confusing. Need to strengthen the Champions League for this region.
     
  13. MattXG

    MattXG Red Card

    May 17, 2010
    You've just answered your own question.

    Superliga is purely MLS vs. LigaMX and that's all anyone is really interested in in CCL. And there are PLENTY of quality LigaMX teams that don't make CCL that would be huge attractions to a new SuperLiga.

    Have you heard of this little club called Monterray? Winner of the last 3 CCLs in a row? Yeah, aren't even in the next CCL. So they'd be in SuperLiga. Same with that other team in the finals last year, Santos Laguna. And maybe someday Guadalajara will get its act together or maybe they can play NYRB -- the two giants that aren't right now.

    So while MLS and LigaMX teams are destroying Metapan and Saprissa for the umpteenth million time, you might have a rematch of Seattle Sounders and Santos in SuperLiga. Or RSL vs. Monterray. Or New York Red Bull vs. Guadalajara.... See?
     
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  14. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Superliga was crap and nobody cared. There has been no clamor to revive it,nor will there be any.
     
  15. Achowat

    Achowat Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Revere, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Right, the money, owners, and organization of Chivas. A great location like Los Angeles.

    If you're argument hinges on "I'm sure Garber did his homework", I really don't think you've got a strong argument.
     
  16. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The one you have misspelled thrice now? #gringo
     
  17. MattXG

    MattXG Red Card

    May 17, 2010
    No my argument hinged on all the stuff you chose to ignore because you can't argue against it....
     
  18. SJJ

    SJJ Member

    Sep 20, 1999
    Royal Oak, MI, USA
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Guess it's time to dust off my Champs League plan: expand to 32 teams, so can add more USA and MEX teams. Play the first round as eight four-team groups, as a single round-robin hosted by eight teams. (Ideally, at least one Central and one Carribbean team would be given the chances to host.)

    Not sure that Concacaf would want to advance 16 teams from this, so advance 8 teams for the home-and-home knockout rounds.

    As a first pass of number of teams: USA (6), Mex (6), Holders (1, but if USA or Mex win, they don't get a seventh bid, and this is passed to the Central), Central (15, in a 3-3-2-2-2-2-1 distribution), Carribbean (4).

    There would be four first-round groups that have both a USA and Mex team. So the "other" teams rated 1-8 would not be placed into those groups.
     
  19. BrodieQPR

    BrodieQPR Member

    Jun 27, 2010
    Michigan
    Club:
    Queens Park Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    SuperLiga trimmed the fat from the CCL and therefore was far more likely to eventually become a thing, imo
     
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  20. SJJ

    SJJ Member

    Sep 20, 1999
    Royal Oak, MI, USA
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sorry that I forgot to include Canada in my 32-team setup. I had wanted to give the Holders an auto-bid, but I see that is difficult unless you get above 32 teams, to play a preliminary round (which was purposely dropped). So Canada gets the spot I previously gave to the Holders.

    Brodie, my plan does trim most of the fat from the CCL, playing the first round as single-round robin single-site groups. This gets the round-of-32 over in a week. (Didn't Super Liga come first, BTW? How could they have "trimmed the fat" if CCL didn't exist in that form, yet?)
     
  21. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You could give Canada and the holders a spot by changing the Central American distribution from 3-3-2-2-2-2-1 to 3-3-2-2-2-1-1. Which of Belize and Nicaragua would you give two clubs and which would get one club?
    I wouldn't like if the Group Stage was played at one site per group. What would the attendance be like in the USA for a game between two Central American clubs or between a Central American club and a Caribbean club when both had nothing to play for on the last matchday? If that meaningless game was part of a doubleheader there could be people who came for one game only. I also wouldn't like eight groups of four with only the winners advancing unless there was a Europa League-like tournament for the second place clubs so half of the 32 could continue playing. I think the Central American and Caribbean clubs would hope to be in one of the two groups with a USA club but no Mexican club. The groups would be unbalanced and unlike when the CCL had four groups of four, an MLS club could not advance by finishing second to a Mexican club if only the group winners advanced.
     
  22. Achowat

    Achowat Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Revere, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That City have money? That they've run a successful soccer organization? That NYC is a good market for soccer?

    All of those things, every single one of them, was true of Chivas, too. And yet CUSA is a failure. So when asked what's different now, all you have left to stand on is "Don probably did a better job this time"
     
  23. HailtotheKing

    HailtotheKing Member+

    San Antonio FC
    United States
    Dec 1, 2008
    TEXAS
    Club:
    San Antonio Scorpions FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Which didn't make a shit the first go round.

    .... or do you just not get that ?

    Have you heard of this little thing called ... NOBODY CARED THE FIRST TIME !???

    Which won't make a shit because the only people that care, care about the CCL ...
     
  24. Achowat

    Achowat Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Revere, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But, but this time it'll be different, because it'll sound more Europe-y
     
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  25. SJJ

    SJJ Member

    Sep 20, 1999
    Royal Oak, MI, USA
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Evan: Sure, you can give Canada and the Holders both a spot via your method. (I didn't mean this point to be the main topic of my posting.)

    I was thinking that all matches would be played as double-headers. (They did just do that for the Gold Cup first round.) You could see the first game or not, your choice.

    You could make the arguement that two teams per group could advance, for a 16-team knockout round. But my thought was that Concacaf would not really go for that. (They are trying to shorten the tournament, not make it longer.) Also, a second Europa-type tournament seems out of the question. (The current CCL doesn't even pay prize money, correct? They are trying to cut costs.)

    Also, I know about the point of the groups being unbalanced. (Of course, that never happens in a random draw, eh?) The only tweek to make that is to go to 40 teams (including 8 USA and 8 Mex teams), in 5-team groups, but that would push the preliminary round to 5 games, stretching over two weeks. (Maybe you could then make a valid argument of going to 16 teams in the knockout.)

    So, yeah, in the end, at 32 teams you probably wouldn't get a perfect format. I was just trying to keep it as small as possible, while increasing USA and Mex teams.
     

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