I didn't see a thread that looked appropriate for this... CONCACAF moving quickly to counter the MLS/MFL tourney thing...
Not shocking... hopefully it will settle out as a UEFA Cup / Champions League type situation. More international competition for mid-table teams and a bigger pie (money) for everyone.
I'm not sure if they can expand the current tournament unless they run group stages in the fall. That would be at the same time the MLS/FMF thing is being played.
If by reacting you mean proposing the same thing they originally announced five years ago, then yeah, they're reacting.
So would the behind the scenes battle here be between MLS/SUM and CONCACAF on who can get TV $ behind it? I'm guessing that CONCACAF must have TV underwriting to pull this off. A lot of games, a lot of travelling, a lot of expenses. Also, does anyone know how player contracts handle this sort of thing? I always see player salaries referred to as an amount per year. But if your playing six+ more games, do you get more money? If so, think about how much more that adds to the expense of adding teams.
I think that this developement might be exactly what MLS wants. With the beggining of greater investment in the league, greater stability with (although minimal at the beggining) TV contracts, it is becoming obvious that in a lot of ways the US is challenging Mexico for dominance in the region. I bet this champions league runs during a favorable time for MLS, and that SUM is heavily involved in the marketing, because really, I have not heard of any organization in the region that does what SUM does. Also I think that MLS and MFL would be happy because they would not have to pony up the prize money. And as stated above to make this work, the TV revenues to the region and by result to the small teams in the region must be enough to cover expenses. As far as I can see, this is a win becasue it creates a stronger region, and by process of extention creates a stronger MLS, which will benefit form the improved player pool that will always be cheaper then Europe and S.A.
Actually I hope not. I think UEFA cup isn't very constructive. You see a lot of fan apathy toward it that reflects that. And in the case of CONCACAF outside of Mexico soccer isn't much of a business. If anything, have 2 competitions would likely dilute what fan base / consumers there are.
Doesnt Jack Warner have some lines to chop on his desk or something?!?!?! What a tool. CONCACAF, should just start smuggling drugs and let the SUM be the governing body in the region. Let the MFL and MLS run this area of the world the way its suppose to be run.
Good. If it took MLS/MFL to get CONCACAF to do their job the way they are supposed to, that's fine with me. Maybe CONCACAF will take their work seriously now instead of sitting around on their asses while talent goes undeveloped in the region.
This would be good for another reason beside money and additional competition: exposure for player acquisition. This would allow MLS teams to travel to the Central American countries where the league may not have the best reputation. If young, quality players see that MLS is a viable option, and that the quality of football being played is higher than imagined, I think that getting said young players may be easier in the future. Their agents may start seeking out teams in the league instead of coaches having to go there to "convince" them that the league is an economically viable option for them to advance their careers.
well funny how it became an executive council action item two weeks after the announcement of the MLS/MFL tourney.
Yeah, they were originally supposed to go to a league in 2002, then postponed it to 2003 because of WC scheduling conflicts, then it was quietly dropped. http://www.soccertimes.com/international/2002/feb21.htm
If CONCACAF does decide to expand the Champions Cup into a league format, then I think it's time for MLS & FMF to change this tournament that starts next season as the new Inter-lega and enter Copa Libertadores somewhere down the road into the future.
Does anyone else see the fact that we run totally opposite season schedules to be a detremental problem to this, or any large tourney? Say that it did involve other CONCACAF leagues besides just MLS/MFL, then MLS would be totally overrulled and MLS teams would have to begin this competition around the same time as our season is ending and playoffs are beginning. I just can't see this as a healthy step (no matter the fact that its international competition) for MLS as a whole. This would clutter our schedule, pose new fatigue issues for those teams invovlved in the competition, and possibly just confuse some fans. Bottom line, it probably would just be an bad way to run a season. Already we're going to see it next year with DC's and Houston's seasons starting in Febuary, possibly ending in November, and consisting of play in the Champions Cup, MLS Season, MFL/MLS(DC only), Open Cup, International Friendlies, and the Playoffs. Arguably you can say that MLS sides, with the given salary cap are not ready for this amount of competition. 2005 is a perfect example. DC, a very talented side, floped in every facet of the year due to being overworked by competing in too many competitions without the money to field a deep enough roster. I don't know, but I think that if somthing of this magnitutde is to go down between MLS, and the rest of CONCACAF. Then we have to run paralell schedules, and MLS sides should be given more money to work with. Who knows?
As has been pointed out on here many times, fall to spring is not a "FIFA schedule." It is a common schedule, but FIFA doesn't care what schedule a league plays, as long as it releases players on international match days.
I am in favor of more money to build more depth but that's what the reseve teams are for. THe idea should be to build reserves which are just as good as starting elevens. That's how the rest of the world does it and its something that is woefully lacking in MLS which is to be expected since most of MLS's history there were no reserve teams. I think these multiple tournaments will do just that. Build depth. DC United was stressed this last year because we either lacked depth or Nowak was afraid to play many of the reserves.
I would think that International Friendlies would have to be put on hold for any team participating in the MFL/MLS league. There just won't be any time for it. cup
Not to nitpick, but there are few teams in the world where the second team would beat the first team. In fact, I doubt there are any that would do it on a regular basis. If they did, those players would then be in the first 11. Your overall point is still valid that these types of tournaments (plus the reserve league which will be a couple of years old) help to get better players into the reserve teams.