Makes me think we'll have a CA team in MLS sooner rather than later. America changes president - Reuters
Generally good advice, of course. But, in this case, one really doesn't affect the other. The competitive, on-field success of the team in the Mexican league doesn't have any effect on whether it's a good business decision to invest in MLS. CA's parent, Televisa, has significant interests in the US (i.e., equity interests in Univision Communications) that are independent of CA's on-field performance. Its investments in the US have their own business logic.
Point made in a similar thread: A) Televisa/Club America have not given up on MLS. The US soccer market, specially the Mexicano/Mexican-American market, is open for grabs and they want in. MLS is the conduit, unless, of course, FIFA sez that another 1Div league can step in. But that ain't happening. So. America *has* to deal with MLS in order to enter the market. B) MLS knows that Televisa is a mega communications company and that if Televisa were to at least televise Club America-MLS version only games THAT would still be way more markets than they are reaching now. So. The only thing stopping both entities is the details and the "cut" on the investment and monies. Televisa/America is coming in. El Chapulin Colorado
A Televisa deal would be like the Braves with TBS or Cubs with WGN and would be great for building the traditions of the league.
I'd also just add that the SUM aspects of this potential deal make it almost too good to pass up. SUM brings US rights to El Tri, the InterLiga, the WC, and MLS. Televisa brings at least three Mexican league clubs' home broadcast rights and the Univision nets (Univision, TeleFutura, Galavision, Radio Univision). [drool] You gotta do the deal - there's just too much opportunity (consultants and b'school geeks would say "synergy") for reasonable people to walk away. [/drool]
im concerned with too much mexican influence in MLS mexican soccer is welcome for sure but lets try to coin a genuine american soccer style...one that owns mexico in USMNT play
These are some of the details they have to work out. MLS needs Televisa if they want to reach out to the Mexican/Mexican-American/Latino markets. Televisa has too much media potential to just pass 'em. I would be surprised if they do walk away TOTALLY. Patience. This is a matter of getting all details in order and seeing who gets who. Me thinks it may take another season. But. The dealing will go on. El Chapulin Colorado
Well, I don't doubt that Televisa wants a share of the US soccer market. But the timing of this seems a little odd. It's looking like San Jose won't be for sale again for at least another year. Unless they buy an already existing franchise, then CA is on hold until 2006 or 2007 for becoming part of the league, and then through an expansion team. Sounds like a great job foot on the desk kinda job for Teuffer to me.
It's complex, but not that complex. I've seen much bigger deals close in months. I've also seen much smaller, structurally simple deals drag out painfully and needlessly. You never know until you get into it. Someone may way over- or under-value a key asset and that could throw the whole thing. It's also complicated by the fact that Vergara now has a seat at the table on the MLS/SUM side of the room. It would be fun to see how hard a bargain he encourages his new partners to push with his old compadres from CA.
Mexico has beaten the U.S. in the U.S. more recently than the U.S. has beaten Mexico in Mexico. Modern U.S. Era (post WC '86) 3/12/91 2-2 Tie - Los Angeles 7/5/91 2-0 U.S. - Los Angeles (Gold Cup) 7/25/93 0-4 Mex - Mexico City (Gold Cup Final) 10/13/93 1-1 Tie - Washington 6/4/94 1-0 U.S. - Pasadena 6/18/95 4-0 U.S. - Washington (U.S. Cup) 7/17/95 0-0 Tie (4-1 U.S. on PKs) - Paysandu, Uruguay (Copa America) 6/16/96 2-2 Tie - Pasadena (U.S. Cup) 1/19/97 0-2 Mex - Los Angeles (U.S. Cup) 4/20/97 2-2 Tie - Foxboro (World Cup Qualifier) 11/2/97 0-0 Tie - Mexico City (World Cup Qualifier) 2/15/98 0-1 Mex - Los Angeles (Gold Cup Final) 3/13/99 1-2 Mex - San Diego (U.S. Cup) 8/1/99 0-1 aet Mex - Mexico City (Confederations Cup) 6/11/00 3-0 U.S. - East Rutherford (U.S. Cup) 10/25/00 2-0 U.S. - Los Angeles 2/28/01 2-0 U.S. - Columbus (World Cup Qualifier) 7/1/01 0-1 Mex - Mexico City (World Cup Qualifier) 4/3/02 1-0 U.S. - Denver 6/17/02 2-0 U.S. - Jeonju, South Korea (World Cup Finals) 5/8/03 0-0 Tie - Houston 4/28/04 1-0 U.S. - Dallas
As was I. Meola got his teeth kicked in in the 3rd minute, and Zach Thornton spent the rest of the game playing "shank you very much." I do have to applaud the Mexican fans in the section next to Sam's Army. After someone got hit by a water bottle thrown from the upper deck, the Mexicans in the section next to ours moved over to join us so that there wasn't a "Sam's Army" target below. They didn't have to do that.
Me no very good at the reading. Unable to crack the color-coded puzzle without a little help. So much for my lame joke.
I think for those of us who knew there was a US team in the 70's and 80's, and actually tried to follow and root for it, we took your supposed joke as a factual statement. On the bright side. I just changed my sons diaper and you know what? I can't wait for him to be 14 years old bringing him to Harrison (cough, cough, oh please already) telling him how I rooted for Adi "freakin" Cocher & Rick Davis, and all teams didn't even have their own stadiums, and how the league almost folded when they contracted teams, and how US Soccer was the butt of the worlds joke, and how three guys (two for the most part) kept it afloat when no one else would, and how Americans playing for big clubs in Europe wasn't common, and ....well you get it. I want to tell him all of these things and I look forward to him looking at me like I'm trying to jerk him around, "Yeah old man, right I believe you." I can't wait for that day. It's coming, and I can't wait.
It really is amazing though how over the last 4-5 years the US has dominated Mexico (who are far superior in talent and technical ability - IMHO). 6 out of 8 wins (and one tie) - WOW!! Especially when it mattered most, at the World Cup. I personally still think Mexico is technically a better team but the result is astounding!
But Andy does make a good point. We can't really say we're "dominating" a team until we actually win one on their soil (preferrably a game that counts like WCQ or maybe Gold Cup). I say we're now officially off-topic.
Back to topic - I still say this is bad in the long run for MLS and soccer in America - It brings in money now but this is a bad economic model for financing and expansion - And this has failed miserably in NHL - I'm not being anti-Mexican - Its strictly business MLS has to expand to (1) markets with a known, proven fan-base, (2) smaller markets that don't have baseball, and as an alternative (3) markets large enough to support a 2nd team to generate rivalries How to get to the Mexican and Latino markets? - (1) Have MLS teams PLAY EXHIBITION games in Mexico - (2) Encourage Dallas, LA, etc to find and recruit young Mexican players - From where? - Get more Mexican-American players into the P40 program - This is a natural conduit - Encourage younger M-A players to apply for college and then sign them up under the P40 program - They get a college education and they're in MLS - And P40 rosters don't have the same restrictions as Senior Internationals, etc OR - MLS might seriously consider being a true NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE - Getting predominantly Canadian Clubs - Bringing in 2 or 3 Caribbean Clubs - And maybe arranging or being a main part of a CONCACAF Champions League
Potential Club America host cities: Houston = example #1 San Antonio = example #2 How is this bad in the long run? You just contradicted yourself.
There are no "proven" markets that haven't "proved" it with an MLS franchise. We've already learned that attendance for the NASL doesn't translate to MLS (read: Tampa Bay). Please don't say that Rochester fulfills both #1 and #2. Last time I checked, baseball wasn't a problem. And is pretty much unavoidable Galaxy -> Angels and Dodgers MetroStars -> Mets and Yankees Fire -> Cubs and White Sox Earthquakes -> Giants and Athletics Revolution -> Red Sox United -> Orioles (and as of next season, Expos) Wizards -> Royals Burn -> Rangers Rapids -> Rockies Crew -> Clippers (AAA) ---- Fusion -> Marlins Mutiny -> Devil Rays
This is more a function of Mexico's continued transitioning from an agrarian economy to an industrialized, and the mass migration from rural Mexico to large urban centers: Mexico City, Guadalajara, LA, Houston, San Francisco, etc. Huge numbers of consumers w/ origins in Mexico are now in the US. The interest in this market stems from these complex issues.
I just wanted to let UCLAcarlos know that his posts are well thought out and he cuts through the bs. Being a SSV founding member and fighter for the Quakes there has been a lot of misinformation on these boards being passed around and uclacarlos is spot on in his analysis. This coming from a gringo that has embraced Mexican League soccer because of the passions of Mexicans I work with, uclacarlos is correct to fight the fear of Mexican influence in MLS.