It really is funny, isn't it? America was viewed by Europeans in 1994 as an outrageous choice as a World Cup host nation. Many were expecting low attendances and a first round exit. Instead, the 1994 World Cup became the best attended World Cup and the team didn't do that bad either. Now, ironically, it is mainly America and the people influenced by money setting that kind of prejudice on us Central Americans. You may ask, why doesn't anyone bid to host the Gold Cup like they nations used to do from 1963-1981? Because they know Jack Warner will say no. He will say no because of the stereotypical American view that Central America is so poor there is no way we could not host a minor tournament like this without a hitch. Enjoy the favoritism you get, America & Mexico. That is all I got to say.
What does CONCACAF do to promote bids from elsewhere? Iirc, at one point multiple editions were awarded to the US, along with an attendant TV deal. Maybe Warner can pocket more money this way?
I think that this summer's 3-team qualification round between Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver (for a CCL slot) just might be important for more than just in relation to the latter two's chances of getting MLS berths. This event will be an impotant means of testing the waters in Canada outside of Toronto, and for giving Saputo Stadium a chance to show how well it can handle this kind of event. If this series is a success, and helps cement Montréal's efforts to get into MLS (and maybe also helps spark the final push toards getting approval for the Vancouver waterfront stadium project) then I think that the chances of Canada getting the chance to host a Gold Cup will increase dramatially. Well, that and a success in the matches that Toronto seem to be hosting in '09, too. That said, I do think that Canada could make a good go of hosting it right now, anyway - but the odds would be that much better if Saputo works out well, and Waterfront actuslly gets built...
But it's not just any 3-team tourney. For one, there's a place in the CONCACAF Champions' League on the table - the first time a Canadian blub is given such a berth in such an internation competition. Soccer Canada want this tourney to work, not least because for the next three yers these three teams are the only ones allowed by CONCACAF to even participate - but the CSA are hoping to push for a wider set of options (in other words, to allow more teams to participate once those three years are up) - so a successful tourney is good for socer in Canada in general. For another, one of the key fan aspects which is referred to as being in favour for a Montréal bid is the issue of a Montréal-Toronto travelling rivalry (similar to the long-standing rivalry between the Habs and Leafs in the NHL) as well as the kind of crowds that a team in either city would expect to draw when a team from the other city is present. Right now, the only way in which Toronto FC and the Montréal Impact can play a non-friendly match (since neither team takes part in the Open Canada Cup) is with this three-team tourney - indeed, it will be the first time the two teams will have ever played a competitive match against one another. If it turns out that the teams get large and passionate crowds in Saputo and BMO for this event, it wouldreflect well on what both teams together would offer to MLS, if Montréal are allowed in. Granted, Vancouver would have less of a direct rivalry with either city, and it's more of an undetaking for fans to go from either Toronto or Montréal to Vancouver or othe other way around - but even so, a good set of crowds for this series there would help their bid to get a stadium built, and thus help their bid to get into MLS. If the CCL spot was not on the table, the tourney would not be too important - but the spot is there, and so it is... ...and so it is important that the tourney succeed.
Well, if Kerfoot is able to get that waterfront stadium built in Vancouver, the city would be an almost certain shoo-in for an MLS team and would actually have a built in natural rival in the recently announced Seattle franchise. Also, as to an earlier poster, the reason this three team tournament is an important barometer is Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are by far the three largest markets in Canada (each of the three have GMA's of about 3M or more, whereas the 4th largest, Ottawa, has about 1.2M) and would form the backbone of any bid. They also all have stadiums that could be easily converted for soccer and seat 55,000 plus. Also, if the Buffalo Bills moving to Toronto is as inevitable as many seem to think, then a 70-80,000 seat stadium for the city would be built in short order.
In the '70s and early '80s, the US had a domestic league that routinely drew crowds of 30K+. The 1984 Olympics saw numerous crowds at soccer matches of 80K, 90K, 100K. And iirc, the smashing Olympic success for the soccer matches were what put the US bid into serious contention. No C'caf nation w/ the exception of Mexico and Canada could have such crowds. I'm sorry. Actually. I don't ask. I just look at figures and comments about those "glory years". I look at national team games in decrepit stadia. I look at paltry crowds in poor countries. I look at how overbearing a major sporting event can be for the economy and government of a cash-strapped nation and how the government hubris sets national infrastructure back decades. I've been to the Caribbean and I've seen empty stadia that were built for a one-time event back in the day and how the promised tourist dollars never came, and how it would've been better to have invested that money in ... I don't know... electricity for the goddamn nation so that they can live in a modern world. There's a reason why the tournament was disbanded back in the day. And it has nothing to do w/ Jack Warner. ... 'Course... It's also a stereotype to blame everything on the Big Bad American. Favoritism??? Dude. The entire reason why this tourney is played every 2 years is to give the minnows and developing nations a chance in a competitive environment so that they may improve, send more players to better leagues and maybe one day make the World Cup!!! Do you think that Mexico and the US need the Gold Cup every 2 years? It's a pain in our ass!! We do it so that the developing nations can... get this... develop.
Well, that Buffalo move will itself depend, I'd bet, on what kind of crowds turn out for the games staged in Toronto over the next couple of years - and whether or not the Argonauts would feel hard done by if the NFL move into their home city. I wonder - will the Bills play O Canada and The Star-Spangled Banner for their 'home' games in Canada, or not? But anyway, let's hope that the Whitecaps' crowds for this 3-team tourney are enough to help sway the City's politicians far enough to give the stadium plan a go-ahead. Oh, and just a little timely reminder, for those who like to think only of the US when it comes to Northern America - the NASL had Canadian teams in it, too, just as MLS does now (and funnily enough, the two other cities with NASL teams are those likely to host MLS teams in the not-too-distant future... and the Vancouver team back then were also called Whitecaps! Imagine that!)...
I suspect it's played every other year because there is no confederation-wide qualification for it. Without 2 editions in the four yearly cycle there'd be a heck of a lot of dead time without competitive games. As for developing CONCACAF teams, what a joke. This is the confederation that has on many occasions invited "guest" teams rather than giving more of its own teams a crack at confederation tournament play.
Where did you read this? I haven't heard any details released about the tournament yet, all I've read is the home dates for the Vancouver games.
I was kind of wondering about that myself. Toronto has a window open early in July, and Vancouver plays in Rochester on July 5th. So perhaps a Canada Day game at BMO would make sense.
Somebody on the RPB forum has said that Toronto will host Vancouver on July 1st and Montreal on July 22nd. I'll look for confirmation, if any.
OK, apparently Nerroth here at Big Soccer actually e-mailed the CSA and the CSA stated that CONCACAF has decided that for the first three years only Toronto FC, Montreal Impact, and Vancouver Whitecaps will be eligible to compete for a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Other way around - the NASL team were the Whitecaps, the USL team was originally called the 86ers, but was re-branded to the Whitecaps in 2001. Indeed - I posted the reply over at this thread.
...even when he's from Trinidad & Tobago. The Confederations Cup used to be every two years as well, up through 2005, so the winner from two years before went. The Gold Cup occurs later in the summer than the Confederations Cup, so that year's GC winner isn't yet known at the time of the Gold Cup. Now, the GC '07 winner (United States) goes to the '09 CC. Similarly, Mexico (GC winners in '03) went to '05 CC .
It is time to make USA and Jack Warner decide whether they rotate this MM tournament around or we can pull out of CONCACAF. We Central Americans have survived loong before there was a CONCACAF and we could do so again.
As long as "survived" included never again participating in a FIFA-sponsored event. By the way, don't use USA and that rat bastard's name together. There are any number of us that would be glad to see the tradition of "drawing and quartering" applied to him...and chip in for the firewood besides. Or, better, use the aptly named Blazer for fuel.