MLS vs. Liga MX - Leagues Cup 2019

[Gotham Gator]

I can imagine a few reasons why that could be the case, but would you mind elaborating on yours?

I like MLS the way it is. It's our domestic league, and I am willing to watch a lower quality of soccer because it's our domestic league and because of an emotional connection to our team. If we merge with Liga MX, the balance will tilt more toward Mexico than the U.S. Nothing against Mexico, but the move would make the league less our own. Plus, the travel - already a problem - will get a lot worse.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Cat runs onto pitch. Gets a touch. Makes a run to the end line, but can't be played forward because he is offside.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...un-channel-during-rsl-tigres-leagues-cup-game

 

[mgarbowski]

https://twitter.com/cboehm/status/1154774123190599691

 

[sbrylski]

Thoughts on this future format?

32 MLS teams
16 Liga MX teams

16 groups of 3: (A) 1 MLS East, (B) 1 MLS West, (C) 1 Liga MX

A@B, C@A, B@C

Top two advance, 32 team knockout. US based teams host round of 32, 8, and the Final (max 21 games). Mexican teams host round of 16 and the semis (max 10 games). If teams from the same league are drawn together, the higer seed hosts based on last year's standings.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Thoughts on this future format?

32 MLS teams
16 Liga MX teams

16 groups of 3: (A) 1 MLS East, (B) 1 MLS West, (C) 1 Liga MX

A@B, C@A, B@C

Top two advance, 32 team knockout. US based teams host round of 32, 8, and the Final (max 21 games). Mexican teams host round of 16 and the semis (max 10 games). If teams from the same league are drawn together, the higer seed hosts based on last year's standings.

 

[mgarbowski]

Thoughts on this future format?

32 MLS teams
16 Liga MX teams

16 groups of 3: (A) 1 MLS East, (B) 1 MLS West, (C) 1 Liga MX

A@B, C@A, B@C

Top two advance, 32 team knockout. US based teams host round of 32, 8, and the Final (max 21 games). Mexican teams host round of 16 and the semis (max 10 games). If teams from the same league are drawn together, the higer seed hosts based on last year's standings.

I don't know that they would ever have every team in both leagues participate in the tournament. I see no need for it. I think they will stick to the idea that the top few teams in each conference, or perhaps future divisions, who do not make CCL will enter this.

 

[sbrylski]

I don't know that they would ever have every team in both leagues participate in the tournament. I see no need for it. I think they will stick to the idea that the top few teams in each conference, or perhaps future divisions, who do not make CCL will enter this.

I disagree. I think they'll push this thing to the limits. They're talking about the possibility of a full-fledged merger at some point. I think MLS in particular would balk at that in the end, but would be more than willing to expand this tournament in its place to make it comparable to the Champions League, in which each team is guaranteed 6 games and the champion plays 13.

My format above guarantees 3 games per team and the champion would play 8. I tried to design it in a way that balances fairness with tilting it towards more games hosted in the US and more MLS v Liga MX matches than you would otherwise get in a straight knockout structure.

• For example, 32 of the 48 group stage matches would be interleague.
• For simplicity we'll say the leagues are at parity and round in favor of Liga MX, in which case about 21 MLS teams would advance and 11 Liga MX teams.
• On average, that would create 11 of 16 interleague games in the next round, followed by 6 of 8, then 3 of 4, then 2 of 2, then an interleague final.
• That's a total of 55 interleague games in the 79-game competition, or 69.6%. MLS would host 31 of those 55 games, or 56.4%.
• Even if MLS lost every single game to Liga MX, the tournament would still have 48 interleague games, or 60.8%.

Another thought I had but expanding the League Cup to full participation is that MLS could reduce regular season play to just 30 games. It works out better with a 32-team league to play your 8-team division once, the other division in your conference once, and one of the cross-conference divisions once on a rotating basis for 30 total games. Those lost 4 games are replaced on the calendar by three Leagues Cup games and one extra US Open Cup game, once MLS starts entering in the Round of 64.

 

[Shwafta]

I agree. This should stay strictly as a top vs top tournament. I like the idea, it does give more mls teams an opportunity to have some other "competition" and reason to get higher in qualifying. They already updated the MLS rankings to have a "cutoff" point for the leagues cup, btw.

 

[mgarbowski]

I disagree. I think they'll push this thing to the limits. They're talking about the possibility of a full-fledged merger at some point. I think MLS in particular would balk at that in the end, but would be more than willing to expand this tournament in its place to make it comparable to the Champions League, in which each team is guaranteed 6 games and the champion plays 13.

Both CONCACAF and the USSF will pressure them to keep this from happening. CONCACAF won't want a new competition that overshadows CCL. So the current setup as of next year is perfect, as no CCL teams participate in this, making it automatically less prestigious. This has been described as a 3-country North American Europa League analogue and I think that's what it will stay.
Similarly, the USSF/USOC people will go bonkers if they starts another knockout round tournament that every MLS team participates in.
And I see limited upside. This tournament has enough obstacles as it it to generate interest. Nobody wants or ever will want to go to midweek tourney games against, to use current year example, Cincinnati, Vancouver and Chicago, or their Mexican league equals.

 

[sbrylski]

Both CONCACAF and the USSF will pressure them to keep this from happening. CONCACAF won't want a new competition that overshadows CCL. So the current setup as of next year is perfect, as no CCL teams participate in this, making it automatically less prestigious. This has been described as a 3-country North American Europa League analogue and I think that's what it will stay.
Similarly, the USSF/USOC people will go bonkers if they starts another knockout round tournament that every MLS team participates in.
And I see limited upside. This tournament has enough obstacles as it it to generate interest. Nobody wants or ever will want to go to midweek tourney games against, to use current year example, Cincinnati, Vancouver and Chicago, or their Mexican league equals.

CONCACAF can't even get the Ottawa Fury to move from USL to the Canadian Premier League. I don't think they could stop it if they wanted to. I also don't think USSF would care so long as they or SUM get a piece of the Leagues Cup media money.

And that's your upside. The whole point of this tournament is to merge the advertising value of US TV markets with the eyeballs from Mexico. So long as a Mexican team is playing, its going to get better TV ratings than an MLS v MLS game. The sale of my estimated 55 interleague games would likely be extremely valuable. I don't think they stop at a 16-team knockout which only guarantees 8 interleague games. I also don't think it picks up prestige if its just hosted in the US every year, which is not a format that appears to prioritize competitive balance, and makes it look exhibition-like.