Prior to 2002 they played the tourney in one location the 1998 tourney was held in DC from August 11th to August 16th 1998. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesc/cacups98.html#cc In 1999 when Necaxa won it was held in Las Vegas from Sep 28 th to Oct 3rd. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesc/cacups99.html#cc In 2000 when LA won the tourney was held in Fulerton and LA from January 16th to the 21st 2001. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesc/cacups00.html#cc
The comment was that there has been a "lack of overall success" by MLS in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. My reply was to this statement, and this statement only, because it's simply NOT TRUE! Perhaps we had home field advantage in some cases (as if having 4x as many people cheering for the other team as for yours is really a home field advantage), or whatever (Mexican teams didn't care about the tournament, etc.), but we DID have a reasonable level of overall success, period, and this given the fact that MLS only started participating in 1997. Okay, one more time: MLS has been competing since 1997. Here is how the best MLS team performed: 1997 Runners-up 1998 Champions 1999 3rd Place 2000 Champions 2002 Semifinals 2003 Bupkiss Admit it, you guys are basing your assertion that MLS sucks and doesn't belong in the Copa based on ONE freakin' year. Come on, you can do it (begin editorializing) If you are right, and we suck, all you have to do is to put us in there one year, let us stink up the joint, and then I'll shut up. Until then, give me a break--we aren't that bad. We might not be as consistently good year in-year out, but we can play with the Mexies and at least some of the South American teams in the tournament, most of the time anyway. I'm sorry if you guys can't or won't see that. Are we where we want to be yet? Not yet! Bu if we want to get better as a league, we'll need to have the best competition possible. The only way our teams can get better is to play against the best.
MLS is headed in the right direction. The future looks bright. MLS teams have and will continue to compete against the best Concacaf has to offer which is MFL teams. IMHO MLS teams are just not ready for the Libertadores. On a slightly different topic, I would love to see the USMNT play in Copa America. The time is now to take that next step. They would most definitely be completive.
Re: Thank you for the clarification. Well, I don't know if it stinks. Mexican teams where invited first. They(CONMEMBOL) saw a highly competetive league with a similar culture playing virtually right next door. They invited them to take part in a Pre-Lib tourney to gain entrance into the competition. It was only when CONMEMBOL was going to remove FMF teams from the competition(some believe because they where too succesful), that mexican TV networks payed to get mexican teams secured spots. They did it bacause mexican teams in the Libertadores means big ratings in Mexico. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the U.S. Do you think ABC sports would be willing to pony up the cash?
Great info Thank you So this is what we have so far, correct me if I am wrong. Libertadores-maybe yes maybe not Concacaf-yes Who would be the teams? I was not even aware that we played in the concacaf as teams, I only knew of Nationals.
We're getting two teams in CONCACAF this year. The Fire will be one of them(U.S Open cup champs), The other will be decided in the MLS cup. If the Fire win, the second spot goes to the MLS cup runner-up.
Re: Re: Thank you for the clarification. I'm not sure this is correctly sequenced. It is my understanding that Mexican TV put up the money from the very beginning. Mexican TV gave a guaranteed payout to the Venezuelan? FA who in turn allowed the MFL to compete with their clubs for the Venezuelan spots in the Copa Lib. Perhaps Various can confirm?
Hell yeah. I hope San jose gets into the CCC. Of course, I hope they do so by losing to the Fire in the final. I think the Fire and Sanjose could make a strong showing next year. Oh, and it's Greddy But don't worry about it.
Libertadores Cup? Originally posted by diablodelsol I'm not sure this is correctly sequenced. It is my understanding that Mexican TV put up the money from the very beginning. No sir no they didnt.. Mexican TV gave a guaranteed payout to the Venezuelan? Wrong again.. FA who in turn allowed the MFL to compete with their clubs for the Venezuelan spots in the Copa Lib. D'oh where do you get your info ??? Perhaps Various can confirm? Yes, the info you gave is all wrong Here are the fun facts : CONMEBOL never invited the MFL to CL Mexican Sports promoter bought his was into the Tourney Fox Sports World has become a main sponser of CL Mexican Clubs in CL means High Ratings for FSW FSW made CONMEBOL give the MFL 3 spots to CL This makes VS very very Happy Chivas will be the first MFL club to win CL
Not really, but you are stretching the truth. That release only mentions that two U.S. teams will be participating. It doesn't say who gets to go with the MLS Champion. I would like it to be the USOC winner, but it hasn't been announced yet.
True, but in that case, we're both stretching the truth. It says that two USA teams are going. Now they could be A-League teams for all we know, but it'll most likely be the MLS Cup and US Open cup champs. Isn't that who has gone for the last few years?
Last year it was the MLS Cup finalists, the Supporters' Shield winner, and the USOC champion. Before that (when MLS only had 2 teams), it was the MLS Cup finalists...
Ah, I didn't know that. Just so you know, I really was asking. On the bright side(for me anyways) , under last years rules, the Fire would be two of the 3 teams
Concacaf reduced the tournament from 16 to 8 teams this year (thats the reason we're back to 2 spots instead of 4). We'll just have to wait and see who gets to go besides the MLS Champion.
Chicago is already going, confirmed from people in the league...the 2nd spot will goto whoever wins MLS cup, if its Chicago the MLS Cup runners-up will go... The league was going to 4 spots before the tourney was reduced (Supporters Shield, MLS Cup, USOC, Team that isn't one of those 3 with most points in regular season) that was the format, when they were told they would have 2 spots MLS cup champ was guaranteed one, they were still deciding on whether or not Supporters Shield winner or USOC winner would get the next spot but Chicago made that choice easy for them, they didn't have to make it...
Re: Re: Libertadores Cup? Originally posted by Ronaldo+10 I think you got you're numbers wrong, MFL only got 2 spots to the CL. MFL has two spots right now and for 2005 they will get the third spot which has allready been guaranteed..
Unlike Ecuador? Chile? Peru? Bolivia? I seriously doubt that MLS teams are significantly inferior to these nations' clubs, yet they still compete.
The two spots will be filled by Chicago and San Jose...hopefully one of them takes home the Champions Cup next season, I think either can do it... Chicago (Supporters Shield, Eastern Conference Champions, US Open Cup Champions, MLS Cup Champions or Runners-Up) San Jose (Western Conference Champions, Supporters Shield Runners-Up, MLS Cup Champions or Runners-Up)
Re: Re: Re: Libertadores Cup? Links ? I haven't read that anywhere. What conmebol says is that the 37th spot on 2005 will be for the champion of 2004, that would allow Argentina and Brazil to both have 5 spots each and leave one extra for the champion.