MLS to make new tourney with Mexico?

this has been rumored before.

i can't imagine them pulling it off, but what do i know...

 

Interesting, but why would the MFL want to make MLS stronger? It seems it would be in the best interest of both leagues to be better than the other and not try to make the opposite stronger.

 

It is in Mexico's interest to help the MLS develop because strong rivalries between clubs in each country helps build passion, which helps put rear-ends in seats.

IMHO, the US-Mexico rivalry is one of the best things to happen to either country's soccer federation. They are now trying to extend this to the clubs.

 

It would be great if the MLS had a tournement with the Mexican league. It would generate more income and interest for the league. I have a feeling that there would be more fans for the Mexican teams playing in the US, but it would make the games more interesting. I love going to games in England because there are always a load of rival fans at the games singing a getting things going. I know they are all penned up in the corners, but it's still a blast. Brazil is pretty wild as well.

I say get it going.

 

With MLS joining InterLiga in a few years, there will be no need for this.

 

Why is MLS going to join Interliga?

 

Since SUM controls the marketing rights (and other rights?) to the InterLiga tourney to get into the Copa Libertadores, it has been widely speculated - and even mentioned by Garber if I'm not mistaken - that MLS teams would sometime in the near future be invited to the InterLiga.

 

I believe that CONMEBOL has something to say about it.

 

yes, no doubt. sorry if that wasn't implied in my post.

and it's probably why it didn't happen last january (amongst other logistical difficulties).

 

MFL is clearly interested in money. When they play games in the USA they draw a big hispanic crowd, but few non-hispanics. By playing against MLS teams, they can draw a wider American audience. So helping MLS helps them too.

 

Why not just expand and (gasp) promote the CONCACAF Champions Cup?

 

Why did they cut the teams allowed in half anyway?

 

I might answer that with another question. Have you noticed the full stadiums and excitement that is part of any match between the US and Mexico? If the intense rivalry that accompanies the national team matches can be transferred to the club team matches, football on both sides of the border will benefit -- and MLS will have an extra dimension to add to the US sports scene.

The MLS AllStar-Chivas match had the edge and excitement that MLS needs on a regluar basis. And strong competition is needed to make us better; it's almost like expanding the league, too.

Now, if only something could be done to promote the Open Cup. A million dollar prize for the winning team, for example. That's something even the main stream sports writers can understand.

 

I tend to be on the conservative side when it comes to "gimmicks" or anything out of the norm in terms of seeing MLS grow, but there is something about an MFL/MLS Super League if you will that greatly interests me.

You could even arrange it like the NFL does, with one conference in the US and one in Mexico. The majority of your games would be against your own conference with more than enough non conference games to make things interesting from a TV and ticket buying perspective.

Have the playoffs be within the conference and then create a home and home championship that will always be between a US based club and a mexican based club.

The logistics of making this work are probably impossible, but it is in very interesting nonetheless.

Andy

 

This rumor keeps popping up. The Rio Grande Cup would supposedly involve 4 teams from MLS and 4 teams from MFL in a round robin type tournament to determine the winner. I heard this rumor last summer, and the summer before that. Maybe it will finally become a reality? But then again, I would rather see the Concacaf Champion's Cup become the pre-eminent inter country club competition in North America . IMO

 

Of course you can only have one all-star game a year. So something like that isn't feasible.

If SUM or someone who's first through fiftieth priorities aren't lining their own pockets could take over promotion of the Champions Cup (or CONCACAF itself preferably), then I think this could be the venue for a MLS-Mexico tourney. For now expand the tourney to 12-16 and put 3-4 American (I say this because the USOC winner should get a berth) and 3-4 Mexican teams in it and there you go. Put in a group stage so you have a set schedule for the first half of it and maybe this can be workable. It won't be the UEFA CL or Copa Libertadores but we have to start somewhere.

The InterLiga is interesting but the problem becomes when an MLS team qualifies and has to fly to South America midweek. People say we need two conferences in MLS because of travel (I disagree but that's another thread), and MLS plays mostly weekends.

I'd prefer this over any formal mixing of MLS and the MFL. No need to reinvent the wheel.

 

The problem is ripping the CCC from the grip of the corrupt s o b's at CONCACAF. How do you expect that to ever happen? They aren't just going to hand it over to SUM. So, this would be the next best thing. Tell CONCACAF to get their shiite together or MLS and Mexico will go out on their own and make bags of cash along the way. I have no problem with working around the CCC, not the way CONCACAF is being run right now.

 

Good point. The solution is ripping CONCACAF away from Warner and Blazer. How to go about doing that I'm not sure. You'd think between MLS and Mexico we could figure something out.

 

The problem with control of CONCACAF is that the USSF and Mexican federation have exactly the same number of votes as any two Caribbean nations.

 

I have a crazy idea, so don't laugh too hard. Why not two seasons in a year? Spring season MFL and MLS play within their own league and then Fall season both leagues combine for a Super Season. Or something on those lines.

 

Right, which is why I suggest that instead of trying to oust Warner and Blazer, the two federations just work around them and arrange their own tourneys. Show the CONCACAF ruling party that the Feds wield some power if they want to. Perhaps, they can then agree to cut Warner in on the action for some other concessions.

 

All we need is a legitmate Concacaf Champion's Cup with all the best teams in the region and a HUGE payoff with actualy tv time and lots of coporate help.

 

The CONCACAG Champions Cup, while a great idea, suffers from one problem: It is (dis)organized by CONCACAF. I love the Rio Grande Cup concept. Winner gets water rights!