MLS and Liga MX revamp League Cup

Tuesday saw a major announcement in the world of American football: Major League Soccer and Liga MX announced that they would participate in a completely revamped C League.from 2023, the one who wilI see all the teams from each league participating.

– MLS and Liga MX announce 2023 World Cup-style tournament

The 47 teams – 29 from MLS and 18 from Liga MX – will suspend their seasons for a month in order to compete in a group stage / knockout tournament format similar to most high-profile competitions like the FIFA World Cup. world and the UEFA Champions League.

ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle and Eric Gomez break down the announcement from a two-league perspective. How will it work? What will each league take away from it and will it be a good review?

Jeff Carlisle: Expansion Makes Too Much Sense, But Could Be Difficult At First For MLS

MLS ‘consistent membership in regional rival La Liga MX peaked on Tuesday with the announcement of an enlarged League Cup, which will involve all teams in each league from 2023.

Off the pitch, the decision makes too much sense. La Liga MX will have access to the US markets for each of its 18 teams, not just a few. MLS can also raise its profile by exploiting the US-Mexico rivalry. It also gets better competition on its schedule in addition to the previously watered-down version of the League Cup which was essentially a series of glorified exhibitions.

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With each league closed for a month during the tournament, and with considerable cash prizes at stake, the level of motivation should be considerable as well.

In MLS circles, there is enthusiasm for what the revised tournament could become on the field. “This is going to be a game-changer,” said Peter Vermes, manager and sporting director of Sporting Kansas City. “First of all, I think the competition played in a World Cup style is going to be pretty amazing for us to do this in our seasons. And there is going to be a hiatus.

“I just think it’s actually really, really cool. I think for gamers it’s different. And when you get the chance to just focus on that one thing, I think that’s a big one. help for all the teams. I’m really excited about it. “

But when you consider how much Liga MX sides have dominated their MLS brethren in the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL), the new competition gives a pause. MLS teams have won just nine of 51 home series against Liga MX teams in CCL. It’s also a bit embarrassing for MLS to see two Liga MX teams go head to head in the CCL final, which has been played in nine of the last 13 tournaments, including this year’s next final between the CF Monterrey and Club America.

Imagine these kinds of scenarios unfolding over the course of an entire month. It’s one thing when it happens in the relative obscurity of the CCL; in the revamped Leagues Cup, not only would there be a lot more data in terms of matches involving MLS and Liga MX teams, but there would also be a lot more eyes on that data. It is quite possible that the gap between the two leagues is highlighted.

When this possibility was posed to MLS commissioner Don Garber, he stressed that the schedule would be more favorable to MLS teams, which would make it “a more level playing field.” That may be true on paper, but there is still a significant payroll gap, or at least the perception of one. Garber objected to this characterization.

“We are much more efficient in our spending than [Liga MX teams] are, “Garber told ESPN.” So just because they spend more doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to win all the time. “

Even if, for the sake of argument, what Garber says is true, efficiency may be overshadowed by the financial weight of Liga MX teams operating without the salary cap that MLS teams face. There’s also the fact that since the introduction of Targeted Allowance Money in 2015 – which essentially put more money into MLS salaries – the CCL numbers are slightly better, with MLS winning seven out of 27 times.

So yes, money matters, but the games will reveal how much. And maybe some sobering performances in the Leagues Cup are what MLS needs to further loosen the purse strings. It shouldn’t stop at wages either.

“It’s also our coaches who do a better job with our teams, who are more organized,” said Vermes. “Understanding how we play with the ball, how we play when we don’t have the ball. I mean, it’s a combination of a lot of things. Obviously, [spending] helps, but I think we need to improve with our journey as a professional player and expect more from our local kids. They need to be more engaged; they must want it more. There is so much going into this for me. “

How competitions like the CCL and the US Open Cup will be affected is an open question, but at a minimum, the revamped tournament will be a staple of the North American football calendar. MLS in particular is hoping it will stay that way.

Eric Gomez: Leagues Cup makes sense for Liga MX … maybe not on the pitch

The announcement of an expanded Leagues Cup – the first true joint tournament between MLS and Liga MX – is the fulfillment of a dream scenario partly concocted years ago by a group of owners and managers at Mexico. Those who have long sought to capitalize on a market of nearly 40 million Mexican Americans in the United States will now feel successful in their attempt to bring every La Liga MX team closer to those fans – and to make a healthy profit while doing so. doing.

An additional source of income for Liga MX owners will go a long way in stabilizing a league long plagued by economic problems, even before COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the world. For years, a general lack of investment in Mexico’s Premier League resulted in a constant flow of franchises moving from city to city and unable to gain a foothold in the process. Liga MX’s promotion / relegation model has been temporarily suspended in order to encourage current owners to stay involved.

On paper, adding more games to the schedule – most, if not all, will likely be played in the United States – means Liga MX mid-table teams can reinvest some of the resulting income back into their squads and close the gap. competitive. that has arisen in recent years between the haves and have-nots in Mexico.

While the economics of this has always been a given for La Liga MX, it will be interesting to see how the league handles an increasingly saturated schedule. If this enlarged Leagues Cup is held every year during the summer, it will invariably come up against big international tournaments like the Gold Cup, the Copa America, the Olympics and even the World Cup itself. What will the draw be if famous players are constantly absent due to national team duty? It’s hard to say, but figuring out the schedule beyond the break from their own national schedules is a huge potential problem going forward.

Moreover, La Liga MX has little to gain in the field of this partnership given its supreme dominance in head-to-head matches and its lead over MLS trophies over the past 25 years. Giving their biggest rivals a mathematical advantage over the number of teams each league comes into the field could potentially cause the Mexican league to lose its grip on matters.

The biggest problem exclusive to La Liga MX, however, is how they market the idea to their fans at home. In recent years, momentum seemed to be building towards a return to the Copa Libertadores. A new month-long tournament involving all teams in the Mexican Premier League makes it very hard to think that the teams would line up to add trips to South America in addition to the League Cup and Champions League. CONCACAF, which will itself expand from 2023..

Considering the backlash, resistance and initial fury from European Super League fans just a few months ago, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mexican fans get excited about turning down the chance. to play against the CONMEBOL clubs for the benefit of another adventure. with MLS. The enlarged League Cup, however, looks much more likely than ESL ever have, as Liga MX can still count on a greedy second market north of the border where it can host games.