I saw this article online and thought I'd put it up here. This tournament is pretty big. Why isn't MLS in it? http://www.pe.com/sports/other/stories/PE_SP_nsoccol28.fdc7.html
I know I'll probably be called a heretic for this, but MLS does not need to be in that competition. Why are people so eager to not try and make our continental competition better in lieu of running to another continental competition. Just because the Mexicans and COMNEBOL like money more than the idea of a real continental club champion doesn't mean MLS should follow suit. I don't see African teams petitioning UEFA to get into the Champions League.
My understanding is that CONMEBOL requires the Mexicans to fork out a sizable sum of money to play in Libertadores. I doubt MLS, at least at this point in time, would be interested in doing the same.
Really? There hasn't been one of those (to my knowledge) in years. I think that DC United is actually the current reigning Interamerican champ :/
Its not CONMEBOL but the Venezuelan Federation that is charging Mexico for the right to participate in Libertadores, and they play the Mexican teams in the pre-pre Libertadores for the rights to participate in the next stages. The FMF more than makes up the money, with the later matches against South American competition. I'm not so sure MLS would be able to make up the money invested, plus the travel and added games would probably weaken the team's performance during the regular season. Which is and always will be the most important thing for any MLS club.
If it were cost feasible - I absolutely agree that MLS should try and be a part of Copa Libertadores. That experience is not duplicated in any MLS competition - save the MLS Cup. MLS regular season - 30 games MLS Playoffs - 5 games US Open Cup - Max 4 games right? Concacaf Champions Cup - #? MLS can add in some can add in some potentially lucrative Copa Libertadores games without suffering Euro fixture congestion.
no no. that was not the same deal. the inter. cup you refer to was a home away deal where the away leg was played in miami. i believe it was against Vasco Da Gama which would have made it the year my beloved barcelona lost to them in the libertadores final. the interamerican cup i'm referring to is in fact called the Panamerican cup which is the long awaited cup involving teams from all over the americas.
I guess you missed the press release from CONMEBOL the Pananerican cup was called off. Instead CONMEBOL is going to continue playing the Copa Sudamerica.
I saw that release, and I'm reasonably certain that they've only called it off for this year, and still aim to start it up for next. Whatever that means, I guess, but CSF has a (slightly) better track record than CONCACAF.
I think that MLS need to become dominant in our own region before we start worring about other regions. And to do this, the leagues and teams need to take it serious also. For example it looks like New England is viewing their first round games as more like pre-season then an important tournament. Also for the most part, the league doesn't even view our own domestic cup as important.
case in point New England Revolution doesn't take the CONCACAF CUP seriously, case in point the fans do not take the CONCACAF CUP seriously or the US OPEN CUP It s money to join the competition, costs money to travel and host games. When COMEBOL will be as large as the Champions League, and pay clubs millions of dollars then it will all make sense and teams might be interested. Stil interesting to point out ask ourselves how come the Mexican teams have money, how come the Costa Rican team has money to pay the Revolution air fair,hotel all expenses, how come they didn't complain having to play in Boston, how come the USA-Mexico game could be played last year at this time....and new Englad Revolution couldn't afford this expense, make money or make it to work and play this game at home. Their inaptitude is without excuse and beyond me.
dc and MET are into the USOC a round earlier (as they missed the '02 playoffs) than the other 8 MLS teams, so 5 is the max for them.
I seriously doubt that the Metros will be playing more than one or two Open Cup matches. Or DC, for that matter.
The whole organization behind the Mexico teams in Copa Libertadores is mainly for the money... It was an experiment in 1998 and it worked... Both on and off the field... In the recent years Mexican team have done VERY WELL in copa libertadores, in 2001 Cruz Azul was runner up... It was a smart move by Comebol to bring them in, as the television rights for the games just go through the roof in Mexico... Today now w/ MLS 8 years old I'd say they should start taking the steps to bring their teams into the tornament... Room can be made to include MLS teams... I mean COMEBOL has the Money from the Mexicians and can keep the teams from Venezuela, by adding the MLS teams.. I'd say if MLS can present a project to COMEBOL to include MLS teams in 2 years something can be worked out... In 2 years MLS will be 10 years old, and I for one belive the MLS team should jump on the oppertunity to play River, BOCA, Racing, Flamengo, Vasco ect.... It would be by far the most historical tornament MLS can be in...
I completely agree. I think it would give MLS credibility worldwide if they could compete and do well in libertadores. MLS teams should try to do whatever they can to get into the top tournaments like libertadores. The champions cup is nice, but South America is much, much better.
I agree that Libertadores would be great from a soccer point of view, it would drain money from MLS when MLS does not need to take on more expenses. Libertadores makes sense when the league has more teams, and about 6 stadiums. They have to control the venue to play in Libertadores, or it does not pay to rent the place. The reason is that Libertadores is an acquired taste. If you even KNOW what it is, much less have been to or seen a game, you are way into the soccer world. The main MLS demographic is not there yet. I would love to see MLS teams play Wanderers, Gremio, Gimnasio, Boca Junior, Santos Brazil, Millonarios, America de Cali...the list goes on and on. But MLS the busines isn't ready for that. Meanwhile we use the Concajoke Champions League to prepare the players and the fans for that glorious day when an MLS team is in Libertadores.
MLS needs to do it sooner rather than later.... If they can get the project going now it would be perfect... They can't wait till they have more teams... It makes no sense.. If they ever got the chance COMEBOL would give only 2 spots... NO MORE!!!! I don't understand why MLS has avoided this cup for so long... It's the only time an MLS team would play a South American team for real... Not a useless friendly am talking about for the fame and glory... That's why I want MLS to play south american teams for something.... What makes South American soccer so great is the fact that these players want fame glory the chance to leave from their respective situations..... It would wake MLS up to a new soccer world to see River Plate fans go insane when their team comes out to play DC United in a quaterfinal match, for south americas biggest prize.... The other reason is that MLS will see how soccer is culturaly in other countries... especially in Argentina, Brasil, and Uruguay... It would help MLS in all aspects...
It might be the only way to keep the venezualan teams w/o going through that horrible pre libertadores tornament... Unless the pre libertadores stays w/ MLS playing mexican teams.. rather than Venezualan teams...
NO.... 32 is the number of teams... But if Mexico and MLS played that pre Libertadores playoff rather than the Venezualan teams they could get on board...
So what happens to the Venezuelan teams? Are you saying MLS vs MFL pre pre Libertadores thab the winners of that face the 2 Venezuelan clubs in the pre Libertadores.