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

It's human nature to try to "have your cake and eat it too". Status quo is pretty sweet for them right now granted that Liga MX could do better in some areas.

Merger is an extreme... They should try to get more of a say in how Liga MX does business first in my opinion

 

Which explains why there are no National Team players in MLS or the Australian A-League. Not to mention the nearly half of women's leagues who don't have pro/rel that don't have any national team players like the NWSL.

Oh, wait, no, that's not true at all. So apparently playing in a closed league for a "meaningless" trophy is fine with players.

What you should have said was "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 an outlaw league even for an extra paycheck."

 

That's what I meant to say. Thanks for the correction

 

Wasn't the original NASL considered an outlaw league? I mean, they were signing players from across the globe to ungodly sums of money (for the 70's-early 80's).

When the current players of the breakaway clubs demand that they be transferred to a non SL club, that will signal the SL will not go forward. The fan uproar about the game being taken away from them? Children please. Euro Football hasn't been for the fans in many years. In fact Hooliganism in the 80's, combined with the Heisel Tragedy helped lead to the formation of the Premier League. English teams being banned from Euro comps, along with hooliganism was hurting their bottom line.

They formed the Premier League, took out standing sections/terraces (yes I realize that this was UK government mandated), made more family areas, and raised ticket prices. That priced out the working class fans that Gary Neville so passionately waxed on about yesterday decades ago. Funny how he didn't vilify the Glazer's during his playing days.....

I'd imagine all of the global media companies that are paying the EPL BILLIONS of pounds per year to broadcast EPL content are going to be none too pleased if the "Big 6" are thrown out.....They'd be on the phone very quick to talk about renegotiating.

Really wish UEFA would take the same tough stance against the racism it's players have to endure. Of course Racism doesn't have a direct negative affect on their bottomline as a SL would. I imagine if the FA's kicked these clubs out of their domestic comps, the media companies would want to renegotiate their deals...

Anyone think La Liga is going to ,kick Real Madrid out? Yeah me neither. Barcelona....that I could see due to political reasons (still unlikely).

Another interesting thing that has gotten lost, is that Karl Heinz-Rummenigge has taken Agnale's place as the head of the UCA board and at UEFA. Talk about your power grab.

 

Nice take and status quo more than warrant those criticism but any ideas that the SL is a better outcome is laughable.

There are many ways/solution to improve the game all around - this ain't it.

 

I never said it was a better outcome...

I like a lot of pun dits are suddenly praising PSG and their ownership group for coming out against the SL. . That isn't a shock at all, why would the Qataris want to bring more eyeballs onto their controversial hosting of the World Cup next year? Same for Bayern as well, who will always look to consolidate and strengthen their position at the top of German Club Football.

 

PSG owner owns beIN Media Group, which has the rights to the Champions League so yeah PSG isn't entirely innocent

 

CONCACAF making its position clear

I fully support FIFA and UEFA and oppose the creation of any “super league” which is a breakaway from the current football institutions. As stakeholders we have a responsibility to work together to grow the game and to respect the governance structures of football. https://t.co/byrgI4WEMC

— Victor Montagliani (@VicMontagliani) April 20, 2021

 

So, when, exactly, was the "last time [you] checked"?

That seems like a pretty far fetched goal for about 98% of the world's players.

It also seems pretty far-fetched for the players in 120+ countries that have never played in the World Cup (as only 79 countries have ever been represented in the World Cup) and the 175 or so countries that rarely play in the World Cup.

I would suspect for the vast majority of players, picking up that "extra paycheck," would pretty sweet.

 

But the "best" players are less likely to risk passing on a World Cup, continental tournament to play in that league when they are obvious choices or favourites for the national team unless they retire from international football.

Will it be the "best league" if they can't recruit/keep the best players out there? Do you see Kylian Mbappe abandoning France over extra money? That remains to be seen but those behind the league are making a massive BET that they will outrank the Champions League, remains to be seen.

Btw, Chelsea and Manchester City are said to be getting cold feet

 

Fair enough and I largely agree about the "best players" and their ambitions.

 

And to understand why, look at the current league table, and imagine that Leicester and West Ham have nothing to play for because Liverpool and Arsenal have guaranteed spots despite being behind them. ESL hurts their product.

CONCACAF seems more straightforwardly bought than UEFA. The UCL spins out vast sums of money. . . CCL, not so much.

 

A spot-on rebuttal.

 

None of the teams in question there have nothing to play for right now, because they'll make the playoffs. What I'm saying is that effectively, the Premier League sells the 'finish top 4' as part of the reason why you would watch those games in the stretch run. If the spots are decided automatically by the 'historical' teams regardless of finish, it ruins that sales pitch, therefore harming the PL as a product. They would understandably not be happy about this.

 

There are ways to make this work. I'm a fan of the regular season to determine champions and I don't see the point of Atlanta v America in a pointless mid-season league matchp. But I'd be quite willing to accept a joint playoffs to determine a championship, though this is kind of what they're already doing.
If they split the California and Texas teams off into a joint MLS-Mexico league that might be interesting, as the connections to Mexico are quite strong in the region. That would eliminate interleague play before the playoffs, at which time the games would be quite meaningful.
It would require more games to the season, though, and quite a few more. LigaMX and Calitex would be a championship size league. Obviously, it can be done, but it's a 46 game schedule. It would mean two more expansion sites, max, after St Louis, but that might already be the plan.

 

Should be a round robin with Atalanta

 

Do you really think this was their last try?

If something, this should tell North America that they need to be ready for this. They just made a PR disaster but they know whats coming and UEFA knows it too. Thats why they decided to give so much more money to their top leagues and teams, which are already rich