This press release from Spanish-language network TeleFutura has been out for almost a week now, but it has the potential to be something really big in US and CONCACAF soccer. I say 'potential' because there is still no confirmation on CONCACAF's website that such a change to the Champions' Cup will take place. Nevertheless, that release does remind me that I had promised to post my views on what MLS teams needed to do to become more successful at continental level. Individual MLS teams didn't have much control over the formation of a Champions League (the league is a different story, though), but I have felt that such a League would give teams more experience in high-pressure situations against the top clubs in CONCACAF.
So what would a CONCACAF Champions League look like? The press release from TeleFutura doesn't say exactly, but an excerpt does offer some clues:
"CONCACAF Champions League" patterned after the highly successful UEFA Champions League and featuring the top club teams from the Mexican Primera Division and Major League Soccer, the tournament will be televised exclusively on TeleFutura, with 33 live matches including all quarterfinals, semifinals, and the big final game. (July 18 - November 15, 2007, Tuesday and Wednesday nights)
July 18 to November 15 is 17 weeks long. Given that there is a quarterfinal round, it looks like it will be a 16-team field. And if the quarterfinals and semis are two-leg series, that gives a total of 12 matches, and the final match makes 13.
That leaves 20 matches to televise from group play. Assuming four groups of four, a total of 48 matches will be played. I would imagine that on a given week, two groups would play matches (a total of four), and two matches would be designated as featured matches to televise. If you have groups A and B play matches one week, and have groups C and D play on the alternating week (with the exception of the sixth and final matchday when group matches should be played simultaneously), you arrive at 20 televised matches over nine weeks.
With this schedule, you can space a week in between the different stages (group, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final) in order to arrive at a 17-week schedule for the tournament. I have no idea if the Champions League will be arranged this way, and some people have other scenarios, but this arrangement makes sense to me. And as for the composition of the groups, I agree with some posters at BigSoccer (can't find the exact link, sorry) who think that there will be 4 Mexican clubs, 4 MLS clubs, 4 Central American clubs, and 4 Caribbean clubs. Again, it makes sense, and it makes the draw straightforward.
I guess the next step will be to see some sort of confirmation from CONCACAF.
Does anyone know why the first time in 2002 Concacaf Champions League didn't work?
Posted by: Charles | June 02, 2006 at 12:42 PM