(For those convinced MLS would somehow work LA into the '08 competition...) Included in the press release for the 2008 MLS schedule:
yea, who cares about DuperLiga SUM, get a ticket for the winner to Copa Lib., then we are in business.
Good to see MLS stick to thier plan. I have no problem if they change the qualification requirements for 2009 to alleviate fixture congestion, but they have done the right thing in not changing the entry requirements for 2008 after previously announcing them. Anyhow, looking over the schedule, I think we can get a good idea where at least the group stage games will occur for SuperLiga (assuming they use a similar scheduling format as 2007): Sat 7/12 though Wed 7/30 are open for all of the four MLS participants. The MLS All Star game is in the middle of that on Thur 7/24. Chivas plays a Thur ESPN2 game on 7/10. I wouldn't be surprised to see all the games played during that time period. Something like: Sat 7/12: Group A game #1 Sun 7/13: Group B game #1 Tues 7/15: Group A game #2 Wed 7/16: Group B game #2 Sat 7/19: Group A game #3 Sun 7/20: Group B game #3 Sat 7/26: Semi-final games Wed 7/30: Final
Superliga was awesome this year, not sure why everyone is bagging on it now. I'm very happy that MLS is sticking to qualifying the best 4 teams into this tournament. That's the way it should be.
Because now we have a transition between Champions Cup and Champions League which crowds this year's schedule even more. SuperLiga is entertaining, but it's nothing official like said two tournaments.
Next year, it'd be nice to see the top two in MLS qualify for the Champions' Cup and/or League, and then 3-6 qualify for Superliga, just so more teams are involved and we're not watching a lot of the same matchups. I mean, not that they were bad games, but how many times did DC play Guadalajara last year, and that was before the addition of the Champion's League.
RapidStorm probaly didn't heard the news that MLS will get 4 spots for CCL so what he meant is probably 4 regular season best performers that are not in CCL. but then it becomes 2nd rate exhibition.
You got me. It was probably the most exciting international tournament any MLS team has ever played in. Games against Mexican teams are far more interesting then the bulk of potential matchups from a CONCACAF-wide tournament like the CCC/CCL. I mean, I'm certainly excited to see DCU in the CONCACAF tournies this year, but it's not like our already scheduled matchup with Harbour View is anything exciting. And many/most CONCACAF matchups would be the same. Meanwhile, basically every SuperLiga games was interesting.
No, I can't say I did know that. But either way, I don't think the competition becomes second-rate. Last year, you had LA (who finished 9th in the league the year before and was awful most of the season), Dallas (who finished first the year before but was clearly mediocre last year) and Morelia, who's finished 4th in the group 3 seasons in a row. And I don't think anyone would argue that resulted in a "2nd rate" tournament.
I disagree. The 4 best should be in the CCL (however that is rated). Teams beneath that should be going to Superliga.
rule number 110 of world soccer fans... a tournament is only stupid, pointless, and little to someone untill their team wins it. then it's the world cup
I'd only agree to that if that was the case for both American & Mexican teams. If that were the case then the 4 teams that would go in the superliga would be new york, chicago, kansas city, and dallas. That'd still be a pretty good tourney but I don't know how great the competition on the other side would be. Doesn't the mexican league usually have like 5 or 6 great teams and then everyone else?
I was more excited about the SuperLiga when I saw it as a bragging-rights competition pitting the best of MLS against the best of FMF. But now that it's clear that FMF is just sending invitees to the tournament (right?), it's lost a lot of its luster. I see it now more as a glorified series of friendlies (and a cash grab). I can't really take the SuperLiga seriously unless both MLS and FMF take it seriously. ------RM
Exactly. The tournament itself was exciting but that is because of the teams that were in there. All of the teams were marketable somehow from both Mexico and USA. That led to good crowds and great atmospheres at the games. I doubt people are going to be excited when Atlante starts playing in New England and Santos in Kansas City. CCL is better because you have to earn your spot(FMF included) and it includes all Concacaf teams.
No. The Mexican league has a pretty high level of competitive parity. Chivas de Guadalajara and Club America consider themselves the top teams. They are usually among the best but there are always plenty of other challengers. Last season (Fall 07) Santos and Atlante came more or less out of nowhere to have great regular seasons. There are a few teams that seem kind of hopeless (I might put Puebla and Veracruz in that category for this season) but almost every team in Mexico has aspirations of reaching the postseason. Their format is much more like an American-style regular season followed by playoffs to determine a champ than it is the traditional single table championship used in most of the world.