HexagonalBlog

CCL Regulations Document: Penalties

This is a continuation of my series on the CONCACAF Champions League Rules and Regulations document, focusing on the disciplinary regulations and the penalties that can be applied to participating clubs and players.  These clauses can be found in Sections 3, 5, 6, 12, and 13.

If a team withdraws from the CCL by failing to participate in any match, that side will incur the following penalties, increasing in severity with the stage at which the withdrawal occurs (Sect. 3.11, 3.16):

Competition Stage	Penalty
Before Preliminary Round draw	US$5,000 + entry fees
After Preliminary Round draw, but before matches are played	US$7,500 + entry fees
Preliminary Round	US$10,000 + entry fees
Group Stage	US$15,000 + entry fees
Knockout rounds	US$20,000 + entry fees
FIFA Club World Cup	US$100,000 + FIFA fines

In addition, the withdrawn club has to reimburse the following organizations for expenses incurred, damages, and losses stemming from withdrawal (Sect. 3.14):

• The local organizing committee
• The opposing club (or clubs in the Group Stage)
• CONCACAF

And to top it off, the withdrawn club is barred from CONCACAF club competitions for the next two years that it is eligible (Sect. 6.7).

A team can incur a 0-3 penalty result for the following:

• Failing to appear at, start, or finish a match (Sect. 3.12)
• Playing a match with an ineligible player (Sect. 5.12)

If the match is abandoned, and the other team is winning by more than three goals, that result will stand instead.

The following are the penalties for players:

• Sent off in the field of play: one-match suspension, valid from the next CONCACAF club match
• Two yellow cards in separate matches: suspension from the following CCL match (the caution slate is wiped clean at the end of the Group Stage)
• Un-served penalties for red cards or yellow card accumulations are carried over to the following CCL season

There are also penalties for other infractions by players and/or club officials against the regulations, for example

• Doping (Sect. 7.1)
• Unsporting behavior (Sect. 6.2)
• Disparaging remarks about the CCL (Sect. 13.5)

There is a CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee in place to hear disciplinary cases and consider appeals, but the following decisions are not subject to appeal:

• Cautions and censures
• Suspensions of up to two matches, or up to two months
• Fines to players and club officials less than US$10,000
• Fines to national associations less than US$30,000

Protests must be submitted in writing (along with a US$500 payment to CONCACAF) under the proper time windows for the following type of protest:

• Player eligibility - no later than (NLT) 2 hours after the match conclusion
• Match incidents - immediately after the incident by the team captain, in writing to the Match Commissioner NLT 2 hours after match conclusion
• Playing surface/equipment - NLT start of match by team official

The referee's decision on the field is considered as final.

The losing party of the protest may have to pay the appeal fees, and once the champion of the CCL has been named, all existing protests are null and void.

This concludes my look at the disciplinary regulations in the CONCACAF Champions League, and this also concludes my series on the regulations document.  In a future post I'd like to look at how CONCACAF measures up -- on paper -- to the other Champions League competitions in the other confederations.

CCL Regulations Document: The Stadiums

This is the fourth post in a series on the Champions League Rules and Regulations document, and now I focus on the clauses with respect to the stadiums that will host CCL matches.  These regulations can be found in Section 10.

• Perhaps the most important regulation is the all-seater requirement (Sect. 10.4).  All standing areas must be kept vacant. 
• The stadium must be the same one used by the home team for its domestic league games (Sect. 10.2a), and it must meet minimum FIFA requirements for international matches.
• The stadium must be floodlit with even lighting of at least 800 Lux (Sect. 10.6a), and an emergency power generation system (Sect. 10.6b).
• Also, the stadium must have the following facilities (Sect. 10.7):
  • Separate locker rooms for both teams and the match officials, meeting international standards in terms of size, quality, and amenities.
  • Controlled areas for post-match interview areas (mixed zone).
  • Room for post-match press conference.
  • At least 2 enclosed booths for radio/TV (preferably 2 booths for TV / 4 booths for radio)
  • Controlled seating for media personnel:
    • At least 50 for Preliminary Round/Group Stage games
    • At least 80 for Knockout Round games
  • A fully operational and audible public address system
• A security plan for the safety of the attendees, and to manage the controlled areas in and around the stadium (Sect. 10.9).
• If it does not meet those requirements, then the club must make the modifications at its expense to bring the stadium up to the minimum criteria.
• If that's still not possible "after exhausting all reasonable efforts" (Sect. 10.2c), there are two options, subject to CONCACAF approval:
  • A stadium in the same country
  • A stadium in the same region, but not in the home country of the opposing team
• If a stadium has artificial turf, the opposing team is entitled to at least two training sessions prior to the match (Sect. 10.5b).  Otherwise, the opposing team must be allowed to train in the stadium for one hour either the day before or the morning of the match (Sect. 10.3b).
• If the match is interrupted due to weather or other events beyond the control of the host team, the match is replayed the following day (score starting from 0-0), with provisions for a third replay if required by weather (Sect. 10.5f).

The next part of this series will focus on the disciplinary issues with regard to the players and clubs.

CCL Regulations Document: CONCACAF's Entitlements

I'm continuing a look at the Champions League R&R document, focusing now on the entitlements that CONCACAF is demanding.  These can be found in throughout the document, but predominately in Sections 4, 10, and 12.

With regard to the competition, CONCACAF is entitled to:

• Local transportation, hotel rooms and meals of the designated CONCACAF match officials and other CONCACAF officials, paid for by the host team and reimbursed by CONCACAF (Sect 4.4 and 4.7c-d)
• An office at or near the stadium with a fax machine for the Match Commissioner's use (Sect. 4.7g)
• Be added, along with the CCL marketing partners, as parties to the liability insurance policy for the stadium in which CCL matches are to be held (Sect. 4.7f)
• Control of the stadium at least 48 hours before the match in order to conduct inspections and install CCL signage
• Total control within the stadium of (Sect. 10.8c-e, Sect. 12.15-16):
  • Any video/message boards
  • Public-address announcer
  • Scoreboard operator
• The following items at the stadium, for free (Sect 12.12):
  • 4 suites
  • Maximum 600 standard category tickets
  • Maximum 50 best category tickets
  • A number of parking spaces to be determined
• If available, maximum of 500 tickets of any category, discounted 20% (Sect. 12.13)
• At least 40000 ft² (3700 m²) of space near the stadium for promotional/sponsorship displays (Sect. 12.14)

The next part of this series will focus on the stadium regulations.  I think the most important regulation will be the all-seater requirement.

UPDATE:  In the comments, Chuck asked just what is defined as a 'dignitary' whose accommodations the host club is responsible for.  I should be careful because the regulations document didn't use the word 'dignitary' but rather 'designee'; essentially, it includes match officials and other designated CONCACAF officials, up to and including Jack Warner himself.  At any rate, CONCACAF will reimburse the home club for expenses related to accommodating CONCACAF officials (Sect. 4.4), so there is a disincentive against bringing too many designees.  I've edited the text above.

CCL Regulations Document: The Finances

I continue my summary of the Champions League R&R document by looking at the financial regulations, found in Sections 4 and 12. 

• Basically, CONCACAF controls ALL revenue streams and intellectual property associated with the CCL (Sect. 4.14, 12.1).   That includes, but is not limited to, advertising, sponsorship, merchandising and broadcast revenues.  
• CONCACAF will control the ticket designs, the merchandising of products with the CCL logo, and the publishing of match programs (Sect. 12.5-12.8).  Basically, they, and not the individual clubs, will control everything that is published, communicated, or displayed in any stadium where a CCL match is being played. 
• There will be a 'Sponsor Logo Bar' - the collection of official sponsors for the Champions League -- and only those sponsors will be displayed in the advertising signage in the stadium and in the promotional materials associated with the match.
• The home team receives all of the gate receipts (minus CONCACAF's 5% cut) and is reimbursed for costs incurred by shuttling CONCACAF referees and officials around (Sect. 4.4, 4.9, 4.12).  
• Teams have to submit for pre-approval pricing plans for CCL matches within 14 days of the match schedule being released (Sect. 4.10).
• No more free tickets to pack the stadium -- now home teams will have to get approved any plan to give away more than 1500 complimentary tickets (Sect. 4.11).
• Also, no promotional materials will be handed out to fans entering the stadium (Sect. 12.16), such as signs, shakers, or thundersticks. I especially liked the 'no-thundersticks' rule.
• The away team is partially reimbursed for travel (Sect. 4.4).  This is a difference from the Champions' Cup, where the away team was wholly responsible for its travel expenses, making participation in the Cup very expensive for MLS and Caribbean clubs.
• There are no clauses on how the revenues generated by the CCL are distributed to the participating clubs and National/Regional Associations.  For example, UEFA distributes 75% of the Champions League revenues to the clubs and national associations, and retains the rest.  That issue of revenue distribution needs to be resolved quickly; if the only money that Champions League teams will receive are home gates plus some travel reimbursement, CONCACAF is wasting everyone's time.

The next part of this series will go into what CONCACAF gets for free from the clubs in this competition.  And the answer is, "a lot".

CCL Regulations Document: The Competition

I've read the Rules and Regulations document for the Champions League a couple of times since they were released on Monday.  They answer some questions but leave some critical issues unresolved.   It's going to take several posts to summarize the competition and state all of the comments that I want to make. 

One important disclaimer is that I AM NOT A LAWYER.  I say that because there are some terms and clauses in the R&R document that have raised questions in my mind, and I am not certain how they could be interpreted.  I will back-reference to the document and I invite comments.

Anyway, here are some new details about the competition that haven't been revealed before:

• Teams must submit a 30-man roster at two opportunities: at the start of the Champions League season, and between the end of the Group Stage and the start of the knockout rounds.  Once someone is on the roster list, they cannot be removed, and they're cup-tied as well.
• From that 30-man roster, a 23-man squad list must be released 48 hours before kickoff, and there can only be a maximum of seven substitutes on the bench.
• All games will be played at night, at times/dates fixed by CONCACAF.
• Away goals count in the knockout rounds, unless the series goes to extra time.
• In the group stage, ties on points are resolved:
  • Points won in head-to-head results
  • Goal difference in head-to-head results
  • Away goals in head-to-head results
  • Goal difference in all group matches
  • Away goals in all group matches
  • Draw lots
• After the group stage, there will be a second draw for the knockout rounds with the complete bracket announced at that time.
• Group winners host the second leg of their quarterfinal round series.
• Teams from the same country are NOT kept apart after the group stage.
• The winner of the Champions League does NOT get automatic entry to next year's competition.  (Pachuca, last season's Champions' Cup winner, didn't qualify as champions or runners-up, so they won't be participating.)

My next post on the R&R document will discuss the financial regulations.  To give a brief summary, CONCACAF controls all revenue streams associated with the CCL.  The home team receives all of the gate receipts (minus CONCACAF's 5% cut) and is reimbursed for costs incurred by shuttling CONCACAF referees and officials around.  The away team is partially reimbursed for travel.

UPDATE (7/31): I'm looking through my posts on the CCL Regulations and I didn't mention refereeing (Section 14).  It didn't quite fit into the other posts, and there's not enough material to merit its own post, so I'll just place it here:

• For each match, there are two referees and two assistant referees, appointed by the CONCACAF Referees' Committee.
• The refereeing crew must be from a country whose club is not in the same group as the match being played (Sect. 14.2).  So assuming that all four of the American and Mexican teams in the preliminary round advance, there will be only be referees from Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean in the Group Stage.  
• The fourth official, however, can be selected from any country, including that of the host team (Sect. 14.3). 

The Champions League field is complete

The last entrant to the CONCACAF Champions League is complete, as Montreal Impact held Toronto FC to a 1-1 draw to win the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.  Rohan Ricketts opened the scoring for TFC after 16 minutes, but Ricardo Brown equalized for Montreal ten minutes later.  The Impact had to soak up a lot of pressure from the MLS side but with the help of Matt Jordan in goal obtained the golden point to advance to CONCACAF's highest club competition.  What a huge victory for Montreal, which salvages a poor season, and what a moment for the USL who now have two teams in the Champions League.

Montreal will now play Real Estelí over two legs in late August and early September for a spot in the group stage. 

An apology to Crew fans

I was able to read more on what had happened in Columbus Sunday night -- from the Times of London (two articles -- thanks Jonathan), from BigSoccer (thanks Chuck), and from the Crew's official website.  I recommend reading the comments from the Times and BigSoccer; they're very illuminating.  Based on what I've been able to read, there was much less to the incidents than what was reported by the AP, and what happened is not any more serious than what happens at a typical match in the NFL or some other professional sports league in America.

So I'd like to express a heartfelt apology to Columbus Crew supporters for taking on face value a severely inaccurate news report and jumping to some very strong conclusions.

There's more I'd like to say about stadium security during soccer matches, but that's for another post.

You bet I'll claim credit

A few days ago I inquired why specific information on the CONCACAF Champions League was slow in coming, and then showed the regulations of the other continental competitions to shame the federation into action.  It must have had some effect, because today some underling from the CONCACAF office placed the Champions League regulations on the official website. 

So once again, Hexagonal Blog gets results at the CONCACAF office!  I know they're reading, so I'd just like to say, thanks for your prompt response.  I'll go over that document very thoroughly and give my thoughts in a couple of days.

I guess it can happen here after all

My first response when I read this was...Dude.

A halftime brawl between more than 100 fans marred an exhibition match Sunday between West Ham United of the English Premier League club and the MLS’ Columbus Crew.

The fights, which overshadowed West Ham United’s 3-1 win, began when a handful of West Ham supporters, some wearing the team’s claret and blue colors, entered the northeast corner of the stadium where the Crew’s most boisterous supporters typically gather.

Crew supporters began directing chants toward the rival fans, and fights quickly broke out between more than 100 Crew fans and at least 30 West Ham fans. Columbus police officers and Crew Stadium security staff eventually separated the groups.

I know that MLS doesn't have any jurisdiction over a friendly match (at least, I don't think they do), but either the League or the USSF need to come down very hard against the Crew and its supporters.  This is something that the sport in this country does not need. 

UPDATE:  Please read this post.

Ariel Ortega to FCD?

Argentine sports daily Olé is reporting that FC Dallas is making an offer to former Argentina World Cup midfielder (and current River Plate player) Ariel Ortega.  Olé links to this story on the Dallas Morning News website, but from reading the article it appears that Ortega is part of a group of players at River that John Ellinger will take a look at.   Ortega had fallen out of favor with Diego Simeone and the River Plate management, but relations are much better now and I doubt that they would let him go.  I would rate FCD's chances of signing him under 25 percent.

Even if they managed to get him, FC Dallas would be taking a gamble with Ariel Ortega, almost as big as the one they took when they signed Denilson.  Ortega has been one of the most gifted Argentine midfielders of his generation, and when he was at his best he was one of the best midfielders in the world, but his recurring problems with alcohol have started to take a toll on him.  Looking back, that fiasco of a transfer to Fenerbahce was the turning point of Ortega's career.  Dallas would serve as a change of scenery that could be beneficial to him, but the Hoops need to go into this decision with eyes wide open.

FC Dallas is also receiving offers from Steaua Bucharest for Juan Toja, and if he goes they would need to sign a midfielder and striker during the transfer period.

UPDATE: This article says that Ortega has ruled out a move.  And as I surmised yesterday, there's more to Ellinger's visit than just Ortega.