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While we all settle in to watching tonight's and tomorrow night's CONCACAF Champions Cup matches we just received an update on our MLS to the Libertadores rumor.
One of our great readers who listens to XM satellite radio's "Deportes de Primera," a news-magazine style show covering sports news
from across the country and throughout Latin America, featuring
Telemundo host Alejandro Blanco, GolTV host Arley Londoño, formerly
with CNN, and Gerardo Villa on XM channel Deportivo writes us with the following:
"Another tidbit from XM Deportivo. Their Argentine correspondent [Daniel Arcucci] mentioned how the press in Argentina would love to see the Libertadores be a full continent-wide championship including the MLS. Maybe this is a step in the right direction and hopefully Conmebol and MLS can come to terms soon and have their teams compete in a better championship than, say, SuperLiga."
We agree.
We believe MLS participation in the Libertadores would do more to help improve the league and raise the level of play than 14 David Beckhams.
Even assuming that in the early years the MLS clubs get slaughtered (as some Mexico clubs were when they first competed in it), the mere participation in it will help the average journeyman American MLS player improve and would also make MLS an attractive league to come to for more South American players. One reason we have heard from some players who have considered MLS only to reconsider was that they wanted to play in the Copa Libertadores It is the most prestigious tournament in the world and some would rate it higher than even the UEFA Champion's League in terms of style of play and crowd passion.
There is also a financial aspect that benefits both MLS and CONMEBOL.
MLS has been looking for a way to hook in more core soccer fans who DO watch the Copa Libertadores. They also are looking for a way to make the SuperLiga more of a legitimate competition, why not as rumored make the SuperLiga the qualifer for two teams to go to the Libertadores? The SuperLiga winner and runner up.
This would mean the average soccer fan in America that follows leagues abroad would be compelled to watch an MLS regular season where 16-18 clubs fight for 4 spots in the Superliga which now they would be compelled to watch to see who would go to the Copa Libertadores. Brilliant.
CONMEBOL also would love the money that would come from MLS participation. Giving the Libertadores a hemisphere wide audience from the tip of Argentina to the snows of Toronto, Canada would garner higher advertising and sponsorship money and give the Libertdores a potential audience of nearly 1 billion people.
For those reasons MLS in the Libertadores is not a matter of "what if" but a matter of "when and how".
and if MLS teams don't land in the top 2 of Superliga? then they don't go at all?
The same would go for MFL teams as well. That would make the Superliga instantly more competitive.
I love this idea, even if it means that some years we may not see an MLS team it at least provides a quality qualifying match. I think what the MLS needs to focus on is how to put quality soccer on the pitch day in and day out. This idea gives them that opportunity b/c there is a huge reward for getting to the Copa.
Exactly. If there was ever any doubt of whether the Mexican sides would take the SuperLiga seriously, it would be removed at the prospect of sending 2 more teams which might not otherwise qualify to the Libertadores.
And if 1 MLS team doesn't make the final, tough luck. This is not the LA Galaxy, this is a real competition. Win and you're in. At this stage I'd like the MLS chances when fully fit and in midseason form against the Mexican league.
And lets face it, if an MLS side can't win or at least finish 2nd in SuperLiga then they would have no business in the Copa Libertadores a competition about 10 times more demanding.
How would all this fit together with the new Concacaf Champions League?
By my count...the MLS champs would be signed up for Superliga, CCL, Lamar Hunt Cup, AND (theoretically) Copa Libertadores? Not to mention league games?
I think a better option would be Superliga become a secondary cup. Four top MLS teams qualify for new CCL (already set), then next four teams make the SuperLiga. Ten years ago (or four) this would have been akin to every team making the playoffs but two, but the league is growing. In a matter of five years the league may have 18 teams.
Maybe send the winners of the CCL and SuperLiga to the Copa Liberadores....then you still have the motivation and the quality of team representing the region.