I read this news on the www.conmebol.com web page. It seems that they have most of the teams. What's the status for MLS? Anyone? Sorteo de la Copa Toyota Libertadores 2004 el 19 de diciembre Luque (Gran Asunción), 14 de octubre de 2003 - El próximo viernes 19 de diciembre, en los salones del Hotel del Yacht y Golf Club Paraguayo, a las 11.00 horas, se realizará el sorteo de la 45a. edición de la Copa Toyota Libertadores de América, la que en 2004 contará con 36 equipos participantes. Hasta el momento los equipos clasificados son: Boca Juniors (último campeón); Independiente, River Plate, Rosario Central y Vélez Sarsfield (Argentina); The Strongest (Bolivia); Cruzeiro (Brasil); Cobreloa (Chile); Once Caldas (Colombia); Libertad (Paraguay); Sporting Cristal (Perú); Nacional (Uruguay); y Caracas FC y Unión Atlético Maracaibo (Venezuela). MLS>>>>>>>>Anywhere??????
mls (usa) and mfl (mex) teams will qualify via a pre-libertadores competition to be held in la at the home depot center this year. should be fun.
FMF (Mex) has 2 spots secured for the tourney. I remember hearing about the pre-pre-libertadores games that AEG has "bought" to be held at the Home Depot Center, but they were not really clear on what exactly that meant. Have they confirmed that this is to give MLS teams a shot at the competition? If so, could you or anyone provide a link to this story? This would be great if it's true. I'd love to see the Fire competing in the Copa.
i don't think that anyone is really sure of the format yet... all i know is that it is public knowledge that phil anschultz bought the rights to hold the tournament from a mexican company. anyone have a link with some more in-depth info?
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE MLS in the Copa, that way I would finally get to see MLS go upagainst teams from Brazil. That would answer alot of questions I have about MLS.
I would love to see it We have the right to participate in the Libertadores, we are part of AMERICA, right? I would also love to see the MLS play against Boca Juniors or River Plate, maybe this way MLS can realize that needs to improve soccer in this country. We are here to support them but we also want to see them be competetive as any other team in the world.
Re: I would love to see it Wrong. Libertadores is a SOUTH AMERICAN competition !!! Anyone from outside south america needs to be invited. Mexico gained 2 direct spots because they paid for it and proved their worth when they were invited before. From what i heard the current pre pre is a creation of the Fmf and will be played by mexican teams only to see who gets one of the 2 direct spots. This is the current division of spots at the conmebol site : 5 plazas: Argentina y Brasil 3 plazas: Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay y Venezuela 2 plazas: México
Re: Re: I would love to see it Right. That's what I thought. What I'm trying to figure out is, where does MLS fit into this. My guess would be nowhere, and that's fine. I'd like our teams to compete, but we are in no way entitled to. I'm also seeking clarification to what was said at the Galaxy season ticket holders meeting. They spoke about how AEG "bought" the rights to the Pre pre-Libertadores competition, and that it, or most of it, would be held at the home depot center. I assumed that this meant they had bought the rights to showcase these games and make money off of them. That's what i had thought, but from what Footfetish said, I thought I might have been mistaken. I wish they'd put something on MLSNet to help clarify the situation.
no only mfl sides will participate. The home depot will host the games where mexican sides will knock each other out to get the 2 that will participate.
According to this article the games might be in LA and Houston. Los equipos recibirán 100 mil dólares por participar en el torneo que se jugará en enero próximo, posiblemente en las ciudades de Los Angeles y Houston para definir a los dos representantes del fútbol mexicano en la Copa Libertadores. http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?chid=4&schid=651&secid=0&cid=130879
ONLY MEXICAN TEAMS Abbott added that the league's marketing entity, Soccer United Marketing, will soon announce the acquisition of the pre-Libertadores Cup tournament, which could be played in several United States cities in January. It would involve eight Mexican clubs seeking two spots in the Libertadores Cup, the South American club championship. From a New York Times article from last week. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30B15F635540C778CDDA80994DB404482
A few questions: 1. Why is it being referred to as a pre pre if the two teams that qualify are considered direct qualifiers, what is the next pre?? 2. Where is the outrage? Many US soccer fans where all kinds of pissed off about the Champions World ManU tour last summer because MLS clubs were not invited to participate.....isn't this a similar situation??? 3. Haven't we seen what MLS teams can do by their lack of overall success in the Concacaf champions cup??
ok, i just assumed that the competition involved mls teams as well since aeg announced it at the galaxy season ticket holder meeting. sorry for the confusion.
I think they announced it b/c it had to do w/ 1. HDC 2. It led ppl to see that AEG, MLS are working to get the infrastructure set up so that MLS will be invited to Libertadores. By promoting the pre-Lib. tourney, they are building interest in this country, which eventually will translate into MLS participating in this prestigious and lucrative tourney.
Thank you for the clarification. I was not sure if it was only a South America Competition, as far as Mexico byuing two spots? That stinks. We need MLS teams to get out there exposed and compete.
thanx uclacarlos I am getting sick of the eventuallysssss....zzzzz When will the rest of the world recognize that we have potential?
Maybe the fact that no MLS team was able to come even close to competing with Mexican teams in the Champs Cup this year has helped realize there's still a ways for MLS teams to go before they'll be successful internationally. Personally, the Freedom Cup is cool, but first MLS teams need to do a bit more in CONCACAF competition.
WHOA! They better bring some games to Chicago or else!!! The pre-pre Lib games are always intense, I went to see a double header at the old SF and it was great to see America play serious futbol.
The real problem with MLS teams competing in international competitions (see example of Concacaf games against Mexican teams) is the volatility of MLS. Since the demise of DCU, with few exceptions, teams that are good one year are often not that good the next in MLS (see the Galaxy of last year vs. this year, KC of a few years back). As a result, MLS can never be sure that it is "putting its best foot forward." Similar issue, the player who is goal leader from one year in MLS never wins the next year. Things change too much...
IMO, there is a mine-filled road to MLS success internationally. Expand the league to create long-term fan and player base? Then short-term you are diluting the current talent pool unless you fill most of the new spots with foriegn talent. Remove the parity rules to create two or three dominant teams so these teams might compete internationally? Then you risk a steep decline in interest from the other markets. I think that slow expansion while preserving or increasing the talent pool with foreigners and waiting many years before removing the nurturing parity rules is the only way to see MLS teams competing internationally and that will probably take 10 years or more.
Hmm...let's look at the last 4 champs: 1998 – D.C. United (USA--MLS year 3) 1999 – Necaxa (MEX--MLS year 4) 2000 – Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS year 5) 2002 – Pachuca (MEX--MLS year 6) And we had teams finish runners-up a couple of times as well. don't quit your day job, buddy... Jesus, if you were a Mexie bashing US soccer I could understand the harping on our recent problems, but jeez, we have one bad (ok, horrible) year and everyone acts like we're back in the stone ages. We are doing DAMN well overall, aside from one year. You WERE not just basing your argument on 2003, were you?
How 'bout we limit the list to competitions held both in the US and Mexico rather than just in the US.
Bingo. Right on the head. The KC team you mentioned that played in international competitions last year looked nothing like the championship team, and then everyone blasts KC and its fans (a favorite activity among many on BS) for poorly representing MLS. The other problem is parity. The best MLS teams aren't THAT much better than the worst (save a team like Dallas '03 or Metros '99). Were an MLS team allowed to stockpile MLS stars (like most teams are able to do that compete in these competitions), they would be a strong continental squad.
If you only want want the last 4 champs take DC United out and insert the 2003 champs Toluca. In the last two years MLs has had only one side make the semifinals.
I think it's impressive that we won any Champions' Cups at all, since they start when MLS teams are in offseason/preseason. It would be nice for a team to do better in that competition, though, before jumping into the Libertadores, which would also be in our off-season, right?