The best thing they could do now would be to draw 12 ties (with country and league protection rule), winners progress to group stage, group winners+best runner-up qualify to semis.
So you have three groups and almost certainly 4 Mexican teams getting through, so one group has two Mexican teams? Also a pretty high chance of four American teams going through in that situation.
the draw is going on live.... http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/...f-champions-league-draw-unfolds-miami-tonight
Don't know how really, but I forgot about that. So, out of four teams from same country, two would be paired in one tie in that preliminary round, remaining would be drawn with teams from other countries. That would only be used for this season - abolish that ridiculous 8x3 format, give all the teams same treatment.
They made a rule that no two clubs from the same country can play each other in the Group stage. So they put all the US and Mexican clubs in one pot to avoid this. Whitecaps are in MLS and can draw another MLS club. But they are from separate countries. MLS being the one CONCACAF league that's international. During the draw they made note of this rule because the two Panamanian clubs were in separate pots. IF they draw the same group. They have to redraw another "group" pot to separate the clubs.
Feeling positive about Saprissa's chances. Not really sure what to expect from Dragon, but Salvadorean teams tend to be kind of crappy. I'm I right in thinking that Timbers is currently the weakest side from the last pot?
I am psyched about the New York draw. Hoping for 12 points and a good seed. Would be satisfied with 10. Dallas needs to be gunning for 12 points, because that draw is a gift straight from the heavens.
Dragon is an extremely gritty, defensive team. If you remember that match Saprissa had vs Limon right before the semis started just think of that, but less offensive capability and more hard fouls. They're pretty much the embodiment of everything americans hate about Central American clubs lol
2016-17 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League draw: Group A:W Connection (TRI), Honduras Progreso (HON), UNAM (MEX) Group B: Dragon (SLV), Saprissa (CRC),Portland Timbers Group C:Central FC (TRI), Vancouver Whitecaps, Sporting KC Group D: Don Bosco FC (HAI), Arabe Unido (PAN), Monterrey (MEX) Group E:Police United (BLZ), Olimpia (HON), Pachuca (MEX) Group F:Alianza (SLV), Antigua (GUA), NY Red Bulls Group G:Plaza Amador (PAN), Herediano (CRC), Tigres (MEX) Group H:Real Esteli (NIC), Suchitepequez (GUA), FC Dallas MLS teams in bold since I got it from an US site. The group winners pick themselves except for B and C. B will be Saprissa or Timbers and C will be KC or Van City. The rest should go to the US and Mexican clubs.
Don't know about that...Pachuca and Tigres both have to overcome tough Central American opposition. Even if both survive, I'd be surprised if either did so with 12 points. Right now, NY and Dallas have an inside track on the #1 ranking for the knockout round if they want it.
Without commenting on which Pot 2 club deserved to be demoted, I agree that the Canadian club shouldn't be in the worst pot. The fair thing to do would be that the worst of the five CCL clubs in MLS regular season points goes into Pot 2 and the other four go into Pot 1, but MLS wouldn't want that. If the MLS club in Pot 2 wasn't Canadian, it would be placed in one of five groups with a Pot 1 club from Mexico or Canada. The CCL club with the fewest regular season points in MLS in 2015 was Sporting Kansas City. Since Sporting Kansas City got grouped with Vancouver, the draw turned out in a way that could have happened if my idea was used, albeit with Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver switching pots.
Since there isn't a more recent thread on this tournament, I'll share here: CONCACAF and Scotiabank have announced that from this tournament forward, the winner will get $500,000 (USD), the runner-up $300k, and the semifinalists $200k, along with increased travel stipends for everyone.
so..... $1.2M to Mexican teams every year? And, by the way, have the weeks of the matchdays been announced? I'm not even asking about the complete sched; just the days (group and knockout).
http://www.concacaf.com/article/sco...ize-money-structure-starting-in-201617-season says: "This season's group stage play will begin in early August, with the full schedule set to be released in the coming weeks."
Schedule is out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016–17_CONCACAF_Champions_League#Schedule So, again, some teams - mostly from Caribbean - will play their first two games at home followed by two away games. Disgraceful. Those clubs are: W Connection (matchdays 1 and 3, they have bye on matchday 2), Central United (1 and 2), Don Bosco (1 and 3), Alianza (2 and 3) and Pachuca (1 and 3). Police United, on the other hand, plays first two games away and will close out their campaing in two home games.