Champions Cup: A Milestone in the Strategic Alliance between Liga MX and MLS
The Champions Cup is not just another match on North American soil. It is also not an InterLiga or another preseason tour. The announced match between the Liga MX champion and the MLS champion is the first step in a strategic alliance that benefits both leagues.
Toronto will host the first edition of the Champions Cup right after the anniversary of Mexico's Independence. An open stadium in Canada, instead of the typical sterile dome in North America, adds a certain authenticity to the trophy. This indicates that the aim is to establish a credible competition and not just to charge more dollars to Mexican communities in the United States.
The plan is based on four pillars: competition, social responsibility, social media and marketing, as well as sharing best practices in grassroots and training development.
In terms of competition, the Champions Cup is just the first step. It is also planned to hold a mini summer tournament between four teams from each league. This summer, it was decided not to do it due to the World Cup and the oversupply of international tours by European teams in July and August across North America. I repeat that we are seeking firm steps and not the usual friendly matches.
The announced All-Star game will have an interesting component by bringing together the best foreign and national players of our league representing the same league to face the figures that the MLS usually attracts to live the American dream.
It will be interesting to see how joint work is carried out in terms of social responsibility. This work is usually carried out by clubs with nearby communities to strengthen ties in a genuine way. Generating an impact beyond the border with the enormous Mexican community in North America is an effort to be applauded.
In terms of social media and marketing, we have a lot to learn from Americans and that is why I say that this alliance is a win-win for both leagues. The structures of Mexican clubs are much smaller than those of MLS clubs. This additional human resource allows for greater specialization and greater contact with the fans. With that vision, the video conference to present the project was a good example of how technology is considered in this alliance.
Another interesting pillar is sharing and adapting best practices in grassroots and training development. The NCAA, NFL, NBA, and in general all American leagues are specialists in generating high-performance athletes with power and size to dominate the world of sports. If Mexican footballers can benefit from the transfer of knowledge in this area, our league will literally grow in all aspects.
It is clear that Mexican teams are delighted with the idea of receiving more dollars. The initiatives of Juan Carlos Rodríguez from Univisión have provided significant economic benefits to Liga MX teams. Among these initiatives is one of the precursors of this alliance: the Liga MX Champion of Champions trophy.
It is important to mention that they are not fooling us, since in this alliance MLS and Liga MX are partners; with SUM as the operator of the events. The money that will be distributed in the future is another source of income for Mexican clubs.
Therefore, although criticized by those who have certain broadcasting rights to international competitions and praised by the networks that own others, this alliance is a great achievement for Enrique Bonilla and his team. With it, Mexican football obtains an additional source of financing that will help to have healthier finances and reduce dependence on ticket sales, sponsorships, and broadcasting rights.
I reiterate that this is not another friendly match, nor another brilliant idea with good intentions. The announced alliance is a project that has been worked on for some time at the Mexican Federation with very serious and professional people working on the Mexican side, including capable Mexican expatriates from SUM like Pablo Zárate.
The criticisms of this project have the same vision as Trump with the wall, not understanding that borders and prejudices are only in the minds of each person and that it is not necessary to build walls to demonstrate ignorance. This alliance and the Champions Cup could result in an eventual merger in which everyone wins, and it is incoherent that despite wanting MLB, NFL, and NBA franchises, we are so protectionist that we want to isolate ourselves from our neighbors in football matters, believing that we are superior to them.