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Catching up with SuperLiga

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Lost in the shadow of the Confederations Cup (at least on SBI) has been the third-annual SuperLiga Tournament. We have largely ignored the MLS vs. Mexico competition and while we've been asleep at the wheel some MLS teams have had good showings vs. their neighbors to the south, with MLS holding a 2-1-1 record against the Mexican clubs.

The Chicago Fire is leading the competition with a 2-0 record, while New England stands at 1-0-1. Kansas City has ties in both of its meetings while Chivas USA stands winless at 0-2.

We will have four inter-league match-ups this weekend that should go a long way in establishing which league will wind up with bragging rights. Here is the weekend SuperLiga schedule:

TONIGHT

  • Chicago Fire vs. Tigres UNAL at Toyota Park (8pm, Telefutura)

  • Chivas USA vs. San Luis at Home Depot Center (10pm, Telefutura)

SUNDAY

  • New England Revolution vs. Atlas at Gillette Stadium (4:30 pm, Telefutura)

  • Kansas City Wizards vs. Santos Laguna at Community American Ballpark in St. Louis (6:30pm, Telefutura)

If you don't have Telefutura, or are away from your TV for these matches, you can also watch them on the SuperLiga website.

Have you been following SuperLiga? Has the action been as exciting as in year's past, or do you think this year's version isn't up to par? Too distracted by Confederations Cup to notice?

Share your thoughts on SuperLiga below.

Comments

  1. I look forward to Superliga each year. The past two years, the games have been very competitive and entertaining. It’s good for your team to get to play against some different styles and tactics. As the level of play here gets better, and playoff spots become more precious, opportunities like Superliga will carry more significance. Too bad it does get overshadowed by the champions cup, but they’re good games nonetheless.

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  2. This tournament is a joke. The CCL is a truer measure of how good a league MLS is in CONCACAF.

    Essentially the CCL destroyed Superliga because only best teams from MLS and MFL play in CCL and the second tier teams play in Superliga. This is essentially an MFL pre-season warm up tournament, so if they don’t care about it, why should I.

    I suspect after the TV contract runs out for Superliga it will be rightfully put out to pasture.

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  3. I’ve had to watch the replays on the website, due to the Confederations Cup glory, but I have enjoyed it as always. If you love the sport, you love the sport. If not, you need some “meaning” – as if any sport has any meaning beyond diversion. I liked seeing the different venue in STL and think that the more international competetion our average Joe MLS players get, the better.

    I think it should continue (I agree with Utard), as it will, at least, expose more people to MLS. Also, can we not expect too much from a very young league (MLS) and an infant tournament (SL)? Each MLS season that I have watched in its entirety (from 2005) has gotten better and better.

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  4. It’s weird how a lot of people support the CCL more than the Superliga just because it has Jack Warner’s official blessing. It’s just as much of a money-grab. Shows you how much people respect authority.

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  5. Okay, now I’ve had a little coffee 🙂

    I will give Superliga a thumbs up for providing free video of all the games, with archives. living in Japan, I don’t get to see much MLS. I’ll watch a little and decide if the quality is worth it, but having sat through years of the most horrible dross just to follow my team, I expect I’ll be happy enough just to see a few faces to match names I can only read about otherwise.

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  6. “How about this provocative brunette solo gal fingering her own hot wet
    spot and making the glue for your eyes out of this process?”

    Better drink my coffee…thought that was someone’s half time suggestion to boost ratings til I reached the word “fingering…”

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  7. Forgot one thing: the entire point of the tourney in my opinion (at least from an american POV) is to prove to the hispanic population living in America that the teams here are good, even good enough to beat the top teams that they have followed for years… and now that they are in america, it is worthwhile to follow an american team.

    It’s all about gaining the hispanic fanbase for MLS, IMO. So the tourney need so continue and needs to be exciting and needs to to on spanish-speaking television. But for those out there that don’t speak spanish, the games need to be broadcast live on television in english.

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  8. They need to get the games on English speaking television for me to care at this point. The games are generally very, very exciting, but watching on the good ole’ laptop gets old after a while.

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  9. I tried to watch a match but between spainsh only coverage and crowds that left twice as many empty seats as filled ones, and backup lineups being played. I only survived about 10 minutes.

    Sorry this thing is just a joke as SUM tries to get some advertising and TV money from fans of the Mexican league, because it sure looks like US fans are paying little attention.

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  10. Of course its complicated because of Mexicos 10 seasons in a year

    Posted by: mike ruze

    Mike, what do you mean by that? I really know little about their league, and am foggy as to the terms clausura, aperatura, etc. fill me in if you can.

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  11. Superliga should be like a superbowl with MLS champs playing Mexico champs.

    Of course its complicated because of Mexicos 10 seasons in a year

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  12. Houston sent their reserve team to play a game in Mexico in the CCL, so it’s not like sending a B team is unique to this tournament.

    Posted by: Matt | June 27, 2009 at 01:32 PM

    Fair point. Part of that, I think is that MLS teams are not as deep and they have to “give” somewhere.

    the CCL is perhaps a fuller expression of the superliga concept. The MLS needs to fare better in that, too. I guess since the SL is just boiled down to US/Mexico, it has my attention.

    But not as much as tomorrow’s Brasil/USA

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  13. No one cares about this tournament. It doesn’t even mean anything.

    Posted by: Mentz

    Mentz, the question is WHY doesn’t it mean anything? From a conceptual standpoint, it should: league teams from hostile rivals playing each other: will Mexico continue to dominate, or will MLS teams start claiming even club superiority.

    It only means nothing if the teams treat it like nothing, or if you expect instant classic status on a 2 or 3 year old tourney. The point it is COULD be a great little Liga.

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  14. I’ve been to the Revs games. They looked pretty decent, especially coming back against Santos, w/o the likes of TT, Ralston and even Joseph. However, the Mexican teams have been less than impressive; except for a 20-minute spell against the Revs, i’ve seen nothing from Santos and I think that Atlas brought their B-team.

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  15. Houston sent their reserve team to play a game in Mexico in the CCL, so it’s not like sending a B team is unique to this tournament.

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  16. I actually really like the SuperLiga concept. I haven’t seen many games, as I don’t have cable. Confed Cup would trump it.

    I don’t know HOW you can’t see it as an exciting set up–but if they are sending youth squads, etc, that devalues it majorly.

    You wonder: are they sending a youth squad now that the MLS is starting to compete better? “well, yeah, we lost, but we see it as a development opp.”

    You wonder about making contractual agreements part of the Liga: bring your A team, or you are out.”

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  17. Tournament has lost luster cause its a alot of blah teams from Mexico. No AMerica, Chivas or Pachuca.

    Plus Tigres only brought their Bteam. even their coach stayed at home.

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  18. Brian, a more than a bit presumptuous to declare “no one” takes an interest in SL, just because you don’t follow it.

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  19. I followed it more closely the first two years but the Confederations Cup is taking all of my soccer interest currently. I will probably watch the matches after the group stages. I hope the KC and Chicago fans are getting into it a little bit since their teams weren’t in any tournaments last year.

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  20. I could care less about the Superliga, however its not going anywhere as long as SUM and Mr. Garber keep making money from it. It seems like it should be a good concept but no one takes it seriously including myself.

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  21. I watched a couple of matches last weekend. The tournament does seem to have lost some of its luster. Either the newness is wearing off, or it has just been overshadowed by the Confederations Cup. Tigres even sent their youth team! This tournament will need some changes to survive.

    One big improvement is that MLS teams play each other in the second group match instead of the third. There were problems last year with accusations that teams would throw a match to help out another team from their league. At least the organizers are listening and making changes.

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