MLS Commissioner Don Garber on the possibility of a future MLS-Liga MX merger

Discussion in 'MLS: Commissioner - You be The Don' started by Paul Berry, Dec 13, 2020.

  1. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
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  2. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The more time one has to marinate on this matter, if the Don and the money men on both sides of the Rio Grande want to merge down the road, the most logical first step is to have Don call down to the DeEfe Liga MX headquarters and get the Liga MX and MLS seasons to parallel each other as close as can be agreed on. To have both leagues honor all FIFA dates, follow the specific transfer windows for player moves to leverage purchasing and selling of domestic talent for both leagues clubs. Then talking over aligning playoff TV times and kickoffs in November/December to leverage TV/streaming viewership. Many of us can recall when Mexico had a long season, crowning their league champion a la the EPL of Seria A. Obviously Liga MX HQ went to the now common in our Americas format of Opening and Closing tournaments circa 1996 iirc that conclude with 8 team playoffs. As I stated before, the Campeones Cup is a solid start. I would suggest perhaps some sort of return to that window for our sporting calendar as Americans there in mid to late July where there is meager viewing choices for men and women that like to take in live sports. If SuperLiga is forgotten by those in charge, even though anyone that went to those games back in the day like us in Houston will say it was very competitive and very fun nights, well then perhaps a tournament in that same time of the year there in mid to late July with teams from all divisions in our nation from MLS and USL a la March Madness. Run a similar big bracket tournament down in Mexico with teams from all their divisions. David versus Goliath, underdog, knock out tournament. The winners from each bracket meets in that Las Vegas Raiders new palace in the desert for the Championship. Call it the Ford Motors - Bimbo Bakeries Super Cup!
     
  3. GunnerJacket

    GunnerJacket Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 18, 2003
    Gainesville, GA
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Don't give Don any ideas. I'm already peeved about Atlanta sporting sleeve sponsors I don't want to get any closer to NASCAR-jammies level of sponsorships with a merger, thank you very much.
     
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  4. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    FIFA & the 6 confederations say that any player or club involved in a European Super League would will not be allowed to participate in any competition organized by FIFA or their respective confederation.

    This statement was cosigned by all confederations including our own Victor Montagliani. The merger will either not happen or flop really badly
     
  5. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Note that Victor Montagliani faces reelection in 2023.
     
  6. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    From what I've seen since he started, he's very liked by CFU nations who are the biggest voting block. Whether he stays or go, i don't see that unified front collapsing
     
  7. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Possibly, but if Liga MX particularly, and MLS but money speaks volumes and both MLS and Liga MX have wealthy investors.
     
  8. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Doubtful they do better than UEFA giants.

    Also, players wouldn't risk being banned from the World Cup and continental cups over playing in MLS or Liga MX. Those league wouldn't be able to attract top talent anymore while facing an exodus of good players
     
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  9. DCYC

    DCYC Member

    Chivas, DC United, Reno 1868
    Mar 24, 2010
    Reno, NV
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    This is really the only way to go, and I think COVID has accelerated this discussions. LMX has long been the best league in CONCACAF and has been comfortable with that, but will eventually be replaced by MLS. However is being the best in CONCACAF really what MLS wants? of course not, they want to compete with UEFA's top leagues and for that the best route of action is to merge with LMX.

    MLS *may* be a world's top league in 20 years or so. LMX merger (fans+ratings+history) could jumpstart that and make a "north american league" compete with Europe's leagues by the 2026 World Cup.
     
  10. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    #10 Robert Borden, Apr 18, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2021
    UEFA just issued a hard no for the Euro Super League. CONCACAF would simply do the same

    And it gets better

    Nothing stops them to go ahead with the league of course, but there are consequences to this. It will be interesting to see them try and keep their players.

    He's 100% right
    1383842206956482566 is not a valid tweet id
     
  11. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Except for the fact that the Super League is not a merging of leagues....it's a direct replacement for the current Champions League. That's all it is. UEFA is scheduled to release their proposed new format for the Champions League tomorrow, ironically which the clubs and their fans are OPPOSED to!!!!

    It's rather laughable that the English pundits have condemned this without even clearly stating what the Super League is. They all assume that this means that the 6 English Clubs will be leaving the Premier League....seriously??? Does anyone actually believe that the six clubs would forgo the 100's of millions of pounds from the Premier League????

    It's turning the Champions League into what Basketball's Euro League is. A competition played concurrently with domestic leagues.

    Once UEFA and FIFA get their cut, they'll gracefully allow the Super League to proceed. UEFA will change the formats of the Champions and Europa Leagues, combining the competitions, and playing it on Thursdays.
     
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  12. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Unless it was a bluff, the plan is to kick those clubs out of their domestic leagues and banned from Europe competition.

    Clearly they want to keep competing in their leagues but it's unclear if UEFA and the league will allow them to do so...
     
  13. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Where's that plan? Who has said that? Angry pundits and fans? FIFA? UEFA?
     
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  14. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No they're not that stupid. They're just assuming the EPL will go through with its written threat to expel the six clubs if they go through with the plan.

    That would leave Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham no choice but to back down or break away.

    If UEFA and the FA say they'll ban Super League players from the Euros and the World Cup, it will put pressure on clubs to agree to an inevitable compromise.

    I think if you run the New York City Marathon 5 times in a row you get an automatic entry for life. So what if winning the EC/UCL 3 times gave you automatic entry for all five.

    That would include Madrid, Milan, Bayern, Liverpool, Barca, Man United, Ajax and Inter but would exclude riff-raff like Benfica, Forest and Porto.
     
  15. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    UEFA, FAs and leagues have issued a joint statement talking about banning them, if I'm not mistaken

    As of this morning
     
  16. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Empty threat. I was unaware that UEFA governs the World Cup and also makes decisions for players that do not play for a nation that is a member of UEFA.....
     
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  17. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    UEFA determines which teams represent it in the World Cup.
     
  18. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    FAs can definately have the last say on who will be part of their national teams so very far from empty threats.

    Last time I checked, players ultimate goal is going to a World Cup and representing their countries at least at the continental level, not playing in a closed league for a meaningless trophy even for an extra paycheck.

    Those who retire from international competition might go but the others won't risk.

    Same would happen in CONCACAF and Montagliani already said that he wasn't interested in MX & MLS merger
     
  19. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Montagliani wouldn't be left with much if MLS and Liga MX somehow broke away. But I can't see the rest of CONCACAF supporting such a nice unless they're in on the action.

    Since sort of compromise where MLS and Liga MX give CONCACAF a ton of money is feasible.
     
  20. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Montagliani had said last year when asked about it was noise from "some people" from within the MLS and MX offices in regards to "full merger".

    Realistically - that's pure fantasy
    • top MX clubs will never accept a cap
    • Most of MX clubs are actually against this
    • Mexican FA is also against it along with Concacaf
    • In term of structure a 50 team leagues? Pro/rel?
    • FMF and MX giving up control to USSF and MLS? Unlikely - only top clubs would want this.
    • Such a project would needs CONCACAF and FIFA sanctioning - highly unlikely
    These would have ramifications for the 3 Canadian MLS clubs who still get their sanction from the CSA - who would be unlikely to accept this.

    Then you're left with - clubs from 3 countries breaking away to form their own league like the ESL,
    • MLS and Liga MX would never accept this - such a move severely damages the importance of each leagues and their bottom line.
    • What's in it for the USSF? There's clearly not much in it for the FAs
    • CONCACAF can ban them from CCL which ban those clubs from ever making the Club World Cup
    • Players would be banned from Gold Cups, Nations Leagues and World Cups
    You'd need UEFA, FAs and leagues to blink and cave to ever see this in CONCACAF which Montagliani also said in his interview. "Unless it flies in Europe with FIFA's umbrella - forget CONCACAF"
     
  21. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There's no cap in MLS. Would Liga MX clubs join a single-entity? Vincent Tan just sold 10% of LAFC for $70 million. There's no Mexican team valued anywhere near $700 million. Of course they would.
     
  22. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    But they aren't tied down with DPs, GAM, TAM, ZAM, CRAM, FAM, and other fiscal scheme...

    And lose their IP and other things when they don't have too? That's a MASSIVE ask!

    Valuation is very much so speculative...and relevant if they plan to sell. Are the owners of those top clubs ever going too?

    Medium to lower MX clubs aren't interested.

    Top clubs could consider it if exceptions were made for them, anything short than that and I still call this fantasy
     
  23. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    But Liga MX is itching for that sort of structure. It's just a complicated way of saying "we spend money on the players that make money (and to hell with the rest of 'em)."
     
  24. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Some clubs maybe but the top ones don't want it. This has allowed them to go to the CWC and make the likes of Liverpool and Bayern Munich actually work for their wins...

    You're mistaken if you believe that Liga MX aren't addicted in showing off against those giants on the world stage.
     
  25. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    I believe that, given the choice, they'd rather have a bigger TV contract to spend those fancy slots on big stars. They have big egos, but push come to shove they'd shove their wallets in front of those egos.
     
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