With the rrelease of the 2011 MLS Schedule, all kinds of different aspects of the season are starting to come into better focus. One of those things, according WV Hooligan, may be the demise of Super Liga. In looking at the schedules of the Columbus Crew, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake and San Jose Earthquakes - the teams most likely to compete in the tournament - he sees that their weekend schedules are booked in July and August - the time of year those matches are usually played.
More Evidence Of Super Liga’s Demise In New Schedule?
Admittedly, this is not a guarantee of anything. If MLS, the Mexican Primera and Soccer United Marketing decide this is a tournament worth saving, there’s no reason to believe the parties won’t find a way to make it happen. But taken in conjunction with all the rumblings we’ve been hearing for more than a month, including Crew Technical Director Brian Bliss voicing his doubt about the tournament taking place and the simple fact that we’ve yet to hear an announcement, it’s starting to look like the not-so-popular tournament may have run its course.
If this is, indeed, the end of SuperLiga, there probably won’t be many tears shed. The qualification process has changed almost every year the tournament has been held and the final rounds are all played at MLS sites. None of those things give the tournament the feel of legitimacy. As CONCACAF Champions League now seems to be the international tournament MLS teams focus on, and there’s never been a sense that Mexican teams take SuperLiga particularly seriously, the tournament doesn’t seem to serve a clear purpose aside from creating extra opportunities for MLS teams to play trumped up friendlies.
That said, if SuperLiga is to continue, it would be good for it to move forward with a more fair framework. At the very least, MLS teams should have to play matches in Mexico. If the parties involved aren’t interested in making it a real tournament, with rules that don’t change regularly, maybe it’s best that it be allowed to go away.
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