MLS teams in Copa Libertadores and/or Copa Sudamericana? Is it an option for MLS to look into? The Copa Libertadores runs from Jan to Nov. and MLS runs from March thru Oct. I don't see why, if invited, can't send a team or two. Mexico was a regular for several years until just recently that their two tournaments per year interfered with the Copa Lib and decided not to go anymore. I am sure MLS can't win anything (we can't even win the CONCACHAMPIONS) but it will be a great experience for every team in that competition.
I wish there could be a stickied topic that said how many hours it takes to fly from Canada and the northern United States to Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Asuncion, Santiago, etc. The travel could make MLS players play worse in midweek games in South America with MLS games on the weekends before and after. Even without factoring in travel, MLS clubs would rarely avoid losing in South America.
They'd be about as competitive as USA vs Argentina in the last Copa America. That is, to say, not at all...
I think sleeping on a long flight is ok for pro athletes but if this travel topic is such a concern for some of y'all, don't the AFC Champions League teams have epic distances to travel. I.e. a J-League side has an away game in Iran. Or an Australian team has to fly to UAE or Saudi Arabia. What kind of precedent has been set for their regional tournament? What do their players and coaches endure? What fallout does their league endure after midweek away games with such a plane flight?
The AFC Champions League is divided into East Asia and West Asia, with the two winners playing in the two leg Final. No club that is not a Finalist has to play a club in the other half. In 2017, the 16 West Asian clubs in the Group Stage were from United Arab Emirates, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Qatar. The 16 East Asian clubs in the Group Stage were from Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Australia, China, and Hong Kong. Unlike UEFA, most AFC champions don't have access to the Champions League or its qualifying rounds. There was a year where the geographic distribution made a club from Uzbekistan play in an East Asian group.
There's several issues here. Money, power, security, brand. I think that MLS teams don't want to be associated with South American football. You know: corrupt, violent, wild. MLS has a middle-class, family friendly, clean brand. The Conmebol runs the Copa Libertadores, so they control money and power. Having MLS etams would bring them more money, but they would lose power. Likewise, MLS teams wouldn't have full power as they are used to.
http://ovaciondeportes.com/futbol_i...-clubes-de-la-mls-podrian-jugar-libertadores/ President of Liga MX says that MLS would be open to playing in Copa Libertadores if they altered the schedule.
I've said that regardless of what time of year competitions are, there's nothing people can do to reduce travel time, and players cannot be expected to play as well shortly after a double-digit hour flight.
The Red Bulls and Toronto FC are still in the CCL. Are either of them closer to any club in a 32 club Copa Libertadores Group Stage than any Liga MX is to a club in that Copa Libertadores Group Stage? If you made a group of 8 with the CCL Semifinalists and the Semifinalists from the last complete Copa Libertadores, and made every club play every club home and away, wouldn't the Red Bulls and Toronto FC have the longest travel?
For those who don't speak Spanish, Hernan Pereyra says MLS is in talks to join Copa Libertadores as reported by someone from Uruguay who has no ties at all with MLS. http://www.espn.com.ar/video/clip/_/id/4784576 It will either be Liga MX or MLS or both joining Copa Libertadores soon. IMO, for MLS to be competitive it has to change its salary cap if it wants to be a real contender otherwise they won't do much. Which speaking of salary cap, MLS is also changing it but it seems it will either cap the 3rd DP spot or get rid of it completely and add a lot more TAM. I have mixed feelings about that change.
The bigger problem is the Copa Libertadores' new schedule. If MLS clubs were already grinding their teeth at playing CCL group-stage games in the fall, how would they handle playing a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal at this time of year?
If MLS teams think they have problems in Mexico, wait until they get to Argentina or Brazil. They will be torn multiple new assholes. I've seen video of Boca Juniors fans supporting their team. It's like a completely different universe. Visiting MLS teams couldn't handle that kind of fan support.
If what is reported is true and MLS are really in talks then all these concerns must have been taken into consideration before even thinking about joining. Same thing can apply to Liga MX regarding the calendar but they have also had meetings as to how they can join.
That should be the least of their worries. Their main issue is as stated the calender and distance but if MLS already found a solution then the rest doesn't matter.
https://www.dobleamarilla.com.ar/co...res-y-sudamericana-_a5ba62976a61294356e92d9bf Another article. Doesn't mention much but it appears that indeed MLS is in talks and maybe both MLS and Liga MX join CL. Translation: From the writing of DOBLE YELLOW) When the Mexican clubs left the Copa Libertadores, the president of Conmebol, Alejandro Domínguez told his inner circle: "They will come back alone when they see what we are going to do with our tournaments . " And it seems that that moment came because not only is Liga MX interested in joining, but MLS is also seriously considering asking for conditions to join in 2019. According to Doble Amarilla, Enrique Bonilla, president of Liga MX, and Don Garber, MLS commissioner, are willing to meet with Alejandro Domínguez to discuss this issue. Apparently "the incompatibility of calendars" that was wielded when the Mexicans withdrew from the Copa Libertadores would no longer be an insurmountable obstacle ... We will have to see what position Conmebol takes on this new interest and whether these negotiations come to fruition by 2019 or this option is planned for the following year. From 1998 to 2016 the Mexican clubs participated without interruptions of the Conmebol tournaments: in all this time of the Copa Libertadores, between 2000 and 2001 of the Merconorte Cup and between 2005 and 2008 of the Copa Sudamericana. In addition, Pachuca played the Recopa Sudamericana in 2007 and between 2011 and 2012 América was part of the Copa Libertadores Sub 20. In the case of MLS, its record of participation in Conmebol contests has fewer records: in 2001, MetroStars and Kanzas City Wizards contested the Merconorte Cup, while in 2005 and 2007, DC United participated in the Copa Sudamericana.
Should the best north African clubs be invited to the UEFA Champions League? If the answer is no, why is MLS in Copa Libertadores any different? MLS can't decide that their clubs are as good as the average Copa Libertadores Group Stage club and MLS can't decide that you can get from anywhere in North America to anywhere in South America within five hours. Would fans come on weeknights to see their favorite MLS club play South American clubs? Most MLS fans haven't heard of the South American clubs or have heard of them but couldn't name any players on them. As a fan of a northern club in the Red Bulls, I don't want them to travel to play in Copa Libertadores, and they're among the best clubs in MLS in terms of their likelihood of getting points in Copa Libertadores. Maybe MLS clubs could start in a qualifying round, but I think some players and staff would rather lose in a qualifying round than win and have six Group Stage games even if people would never admit it.
Conmebol confirma conversas para incluir times do México e da MLS na Libertadores https://t.co/9w2c23Frpt pic.twitter.com/tAbfNzMjal— ge (@geglobo) October 16, 2018
What type of mentality is this? Why would players and staff want to be eliminated to avoid playing CL? If that were the case, then a club can refuse to go and give their spot to someone else but I doubt that will be the case. It has to do more with actual MLS fans being afraid of the outcome in CL. This is the only way MLS as a league can get better. In CL (as in CCL) depth is required. If you don't have that much depth and play with the same players on your league and on CL or CCL your players will suffer. Great example is Toronto. MLS teams will need depth by either playing their bench and/or academy players on one tournament and using their best team on the other tournament. That t is how teams do it and that is how RBNY did it too. Having a good bench and/or good academy players goes a long way.Oh yes, and increasing the salary cap would help with depth too. As for the qualifying rounds before the group stage, I think at least one MLS team will have to go through it just like the rest of CONMEBOL and Mexico send one team to that stage.
Never going to happen, we only play in our own backyard, except when we have to go somewhere else, as in, we MUST do it.