New North American league sets 2010 debut
November 11, 2009
A new seven-team North American professional soccer league will begin next April after several clubs withdrew from the United Soccer Leagues first division to begin a club owner-operated circuit.
The Vancouver Whitecaps, set to join the premier-level Major League Soccer in 2011, will be part of the as-yet-unnamed league in 2010 along with teams in Miami, Atlanta, Carolina, Montreal, Minnesota and St. Louis.
“We have united some of the best owners, teams and markets around a new vision for a professional soccer league in North America,” Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo told the Miami Herald.
Saputo, set to chair the new league’s board of governors, said in a statement released by his club that talks remained ongoing with United League officials but the new league had to move so it could seek approval from US and Canadian soccer officials to keep the breakaway option viable.
The circuit would be a division two level just as the United league, one step below MLS.
MIAMI (AFP)
Tags: Atlanta, breakaway, canadian soccer, Carolina, club owner, joey, league officials, Major League Soccer, Miami, miami herald, Minnesota, mls miami, Montreal, montreal impact, new vision, North America, North American, professional soccer league, s board, saputo, soccer officials, ST. LOUIS, U.S., united league, united soccer leagues, Vancouver, vancouver whitecapsRelated posts
US adds Hejduk to training camp lineup
October 7, 2009
Veteran defender Frankie Hejduk was added to the United States training camp roster on Wednesday for two last qualifying matches for the 2010 South Africa World Cup.
One day after the Americans announced veteran midfielder Clint Dempsey would not play Saturday against Honduras and was questionable for next week’s home match against Costa Rica. Hejduk will start US team workouts on Wednesday.
Hejduk, 35, has seven goals in 84 caps, the second-most appearances of any US player on the Honduras match roster.
Columbus Crew captain Hejduk has played 17 times for US teams in World Cup qualifying, including scoring the equalizer in a 2-2 March draw at El Salvador.
A shoulder sprain will sideline Dempsey, who ranks second in US 2010 World Cup qualifying with five goals.
The Americans face Honduras on Saturday at San Pedro Sula, where the hosts are 8-0 in World Cup qualifying, and face Costa Rica on October 14 at Washington. A victory in either match would ensure a US trip to South Africa.
MIAMI (AFP)
Tags: africa world, caps, captain Hejduk, Clint Dempsey, columbus crew, Costa Rica, El Salvador, equalizer, frankie hejduk, home match, Honduras, hosts, Miami, san pedro sula, shoulder sprain, sideline, South Africa, training camp, U.S., United States, victory, Washington, workouts, World CupRelated posts
Real bosses consider Disneyland-style theme park
September 4, 2009
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is considering the creation of a Disneyland-style theme park dedicated to the Spanish giants, according to press reports here on Friday.
The park, which Perez hopes will attract up to three million visitors a year, would be situated near the club’s training grounds at Valdebebas, north-east of the capital, sports daily AS reported.
The cost of undertaking such a project is estimated at 150 million euros (214 million dollars) with Real having already spent 100 million euros on their new Valdebebas training centre where they plan to construct a new basketball centre.
Perez is reported to have contacted city officials in Beijing and Miami to propose local offshots of the theme park devoted to Real Madrid, which could prove popular with the club’s fans in China and the United States.
The Madrid club, whose estimated budget this year is expected to top 415 million euros, have already splashed out 250 million euros on new players. They sold their former training ground near the city centre in 2001 for nearly 500 million euros.
MADRID (AFP)
Tags: 100 million, basketball, Beijing, budget, China, china and the united states, city officials, disneyland, florentino perez, giants, MADRID, madrid club, Miami, million dollars, real madrid, sports, style theme, theme park, United StatesRelated posts
Cummings goal gives Jamaica 1-0 win over El Salvador
July 11, 2009
MIAMI – Omar Cummings scored with a flick of his right foot in the 70th minute and Jamaica beat El Salvador 1-0 Friday to keep alive its hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The result clinched a berth in the final eight for Costa Rica, and left Jamaica third in the group with three points ahead of El Salvador, which was eliminated. Two teams from each of the three groups advance along with the two best third-place teams.
The Caribbean champion will have to wait for the results of the other two groups Saturday and Sunday to see if it advances.
Canada finished atop the group with seven points, three ahead Costa Rica. Jamaica finished ahead of El Salvador due to Friday’s victory.
Neither side created much in the game, generating only a handful of chances each in the finale of Group A.
Jamaica started with a bit more possession, but both sides seemed mired in a midfield battle on the artificial turf at FIU Stadium.
Cummings had probably what was the best chance for either team before the goal, working free near the top of the penalty area before unleashing a right-footed shot that Salvadoran goalkeeper Miguel Montes had to stretch to tip it wide of the far post.
Jamaica went ahead when Luton Shelton created space on the left, turned and curled a low, bouncing cross to the near post, where Cummings had worked inside Alexander Escobar and just managed to redirect the ball between Montes and the upright.
El Salvador, which would have advanced with a draw, had its lst chance in the third minute of injury time when Montes’ free kick from 19 yards struck the left post.
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Tags: A., Alexander Escobar, berth, Canada, Caribbean, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, Costa Rica, cummings, El Salvador, far post, FIU Stadium, flick, free kick, Goalkeeper, handful, injury time, Jamaica, Luton, luton shelton, Miami, midfield battle, Miguel Montes, montes, Omar Cummings, quarterfinals, right foot, saturday and sunday, seven pointsRelated posts
Canada draws 2-2 with Costa Rica
July 11, 2009
MIAMI — Patrice Bernier and Marcel de Jong scored 3 1/2 minutes apart in the first half and led Canada to a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica on Friday, sending the North Americans to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup as the Group A winners.
Canada already had assured itself of a berth in the final eight and finished with seven points to earn a match against the Group B runner-up July 18 in Philadelphia.
Costa Rica improved to four points, and advanced to the quarterfinals when Jamaica beat El Salvador 1-0 in the second game of the doubleheader Friday
“Two-two was a fair result. Both teams played to win the pace of the game changed after the first goal,” Costa Rica coach Rodrigo Kenton said. “Canada is a good, calm organized team.”
The first 20 minutes of the match were listless with both teams getting comfortable with the artificial turf surface and the humidity.
But then both teams exploded for four goals in 11 minutes.
Costa Rica opened the scoring in the 23rd minute thanks to two mistakes by Canadian goalkeeper Greg Sutton on the same play.
Sutton’s goal kick went right to Costa Rica’s Armando Alonso, who headed the ball back into the Canadian zone. Striker Andy Herron ran onto the ball and lofted a shot over Sutton who ventured out too far and stumbled while trying to retreat into his goal.
Two minutes later, Canada tied the game when midfielder Josh Simpson drove down the left flank and found an unmarked Bernier, who volleyed the ball into the goal.
De Jong put Canada ahead in the 28th. His free kick from close to 45 meters was cleared back toward him. He settled it and then launched another attempt that skipped once before deflecting off the inside of the left post past goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez.
But Costa Rican captain Walter Centeno, the Miller Lite Man of the Match, equalized in the 34th minute, driving a curving free kick from 30 meters over the wall and found the inside of the goalpost
Costa Rica suffered from suspect defending and shoddy goalkeeping for much of the first half.
Despite the breakdowns, the Ticos sent a wave of pressure at Canada in the second half looking for the winner. Celso Borges sent a bicycle kick by the right post early in the half.
Then Canada got a lucky break when the ball off a corner kick hit Canadian defender Richard Hastings’ hands in the 73rd minute, but American referee Terry Vaughan didn’t call a penalty.
Five minutes later, Borges headed Centeno’s corner, but Canadian midfielder Jaime Peters cleared the ball off the line.
In the 84th minute, Centeno sent a header from 10 yards out just over the crossbar.
That’s as close as Costa Rica could get as Sutton and the Canadian defense prevailed.
“Canada was just sitting back and the result was good for them,” Herron said. “They didn’t mind if they just sat there and went forward, so they just defended the whole time trying to get in good position to try to attack us and we just tried, they defended well.”
“The coach was trying to make a couple of changes to get us close to the goal. I mean we tried we tried to do our best, but Canada did a good job defending.”
With injuries and players tagged with cautions, Canada manager Stephen Hart rested five of his regulars.
“I had no choice. I had no choice,” Hart said. “If any of the players were carded they would out been out of the quarterfinals. And we had injuries. I had no choice.”
Julian de Guzman, captain Paul Stalteri, Ali Gerba, Mike Klukowski, Dejan Jakovic and Josh Simpson all began the match on the bench. Jakovic was injured, while De Guzman, the Gold Cup 2007 MVP, could have been suspended for the quarterfinals with another caution. Inserted in their place were Jaime Peters, Andre Hainault, Simeon Jackson, Richard Hastings and de Jong.
“For us this game in particular there were too many changes we just couldn’t find a rhythm,” Hart said. “In the second half we did marginally better, but overall what we had to do tonight was suffer and we got the result of a point, but at least with three games and now we have a few days to recuperate and head to the quarterfinals.”
By: By Vijay Setlur
Tags: ali gerba, Andre Hainault, Andy Herron, armando alonso, artificial turf, Canada, canadian zone, captain Paul Stalteri, captain Walter Centeno, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, Costa Rica, doubleheader, El Salvador, free kick, goal kick, goalkeeper ricardo, goalkeeping, goalpost, Greg Sutton, Herron, Jamaica, josh simpson, julian de guzman, left flank, marcel de jong, Miami, Mike Klukowski, North Americans, patrice bernier, Peters, Philadelphia, quarterfinals, ricardo gonzalez, Richard Hastings, Rodrigo Kenton, second game, seven points, Simeon Jackson, stephen hart, Terry Vaughan, Vijay Setlur, Walter CentenoRelated posts
Costa Rica downs 10-man Jamaica 1-0
July 8, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Celso Borges scored in the 64th minute against short-handed Jamaica for a 1-0 victory in the second match of Group A play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Tuesday.
Costa Rica improved to three points while Jamaica lost its second straight with one match remaining.
Borges got the goal off a service from Pablo Herrera, who entered the match 11 minutes earlier. Herrera’s cross from the right flank found an open Borges for a volley from 6 yards. Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts got a hand on the shot but could not stop it.
With Jamaica pushing for the equalizer, Costa Rica had several chances to ice the match but Warren Granados could not get on the end of a Herrera pass in the 81st and Ricketts saved a shot from Walter Centeno the following minute.
Those misses nearly cost Costa Rican in the 90th minute but Jamaica’s Demar Phillips failed on a volley deep in the penalty area after a service from Omar Cummings.
The match was scoreless at the half but there was plenty of activity with each side getting three shots on goal and a straight red to Jamaica’s Rudolph Austin in the 35th minute. He was sent off by referee Jair Marrufo after his challenge on Borges near midfield. Austin appeared to kick Borges as he was on the ground.
Costa Rica looked for cracks with the extra man and found one in the 43rd minute when Froylan Ledezma’s side volley near the penalty spot was on target only to be saved by Rickets. He also snuck behind the defense on the left side for a near-side shot that Ricketts denied in stoppage time.
The Jamaicans made two changes to start the second half with forward Ricardo Fuller coming off for midfielder Jason Morrison and midfielder O’Neil Thompson replacing Nicholas Addlery.
Costa Rica countered in the 53rd minute when Granados came on for Ledezma and Herrera spelled midfielder Armando Alonso in a swap of midfielders. Cummings squandered a glorious opportunity for the game’s first goal in the 51st when he had a solo attack on Gonzalez. Cummings waited for support then tried to dribble and shoot around the keeper but Gonzalez was able to smother the attempt.
Jamaica had control early and produced four corner kicks in the opening 15 minutes. Ricardo Gardner had a shot deflected over the crossbar in the 13th and the ensuing corner resulted in a shot by Cummings. A minute later Cummings’ strike from 22 yards was saved by Gonzalez.
Costa Rica found its form in the 19th minute and Armando Alonso found himself open on the right side of the box for a low drive that Ricketts knocked aside for a corner. Costa Rica kept pressuring and Centeno followed with a header that skimmed the crossbar.
Costa Rica, the leader in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying was beaten 2-1 by El Salvador on Friday in Los Angeles, while Canada downed Jamaica 1-0.
Group play ends July 10 in Miami at FIU Stadium with Costa Rica facing Canada and El Salvador playing Jamaica.
By Craig Merz
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Tags: armando alonso, Canada, COLUMBUS, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, Craig Merz, demar, donovan ricketts, El Salvador, extra man, FIU Stadium, froylan ledezma, glorious opportunity, Gonzalez, half, Jamaica, jamaicans, jason morrison, Los Angeles, marrufo, Miami, midfielders, Neil Thompson, nicholas addlery, o neil, O'Neil Thompson, Ohio, Omar Cummings, pablo herrera, ricardo fuller, Ricardo Gardner, Rudolph Austin, solo attack, stoppage time, target, Walter Centeno, Warren GranadosRelated posts
Another Gerba goal gives Canada 1-0 win over El Salvador
July 8, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ali Gerba’s goal in the 32nd minute gave Canada a 1-0 win over El Salvador Tuesday night and all but assured it of a berth in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The goal before a partisan El Salvadoran crowd at Columbus Crew Stadium was Gerba’s sixth in Gold Cup play, eclipsing the Canadian record of Carlo Corazzin.
It also was Gerba’s fifth goal in four games and 15 in his 26 matches.
More importantly, it moved Canada to the brink of the knockout round. Canada became the first team to reach six points, but with no draws yet in the tournament has not clinched a spot in the final eight.
Since Stephen Hart took over April 17 on an interim basis, Canada has won four in a row and appear poised to repeat its Gold Cup run of 2007.
In the earlier game, Costa Rica avenged its 1-0 loss to El Salvador with a 1-0 win over Jamaica, all but eliminating the Reggae Boyz.
Gerba, who was signed by Toronto FC last month, was added to bolster the Major League Soccer club’s finishing and demonstrated his knack for positioning for the second straight game.
Defender Paul Stalteri’s cross from the right side was headed away by defender Manuel Salazar, but only to the top of the penalty area. Patrice Bernier hit left-footed bouncer that Gerba was able to redirectwith an extended toe from the edge of the six-yard box.
El Salvador had two opportunities in the second half to equalize, but couldn’t finish.
Canadian goalkeeper Greg Sutton stretched to stop Salvador Correas’ high drive from 30 yards in the 55th minute.Two minutes later, William Reyes’ header sailed just wide of the post.
El Salvador trained to attack the center of Canada’s defense with its speed.But the Canadian midfield, led by Julian de Guzman, stifled those efforts.
De Guzman, Bernier and Atiba Hutchinson were instrumental in keeping the ball away from the Salvadorans in the first meeting between the two countries in 10 years.
After an uneventful 15 minutes with Canada controlling possession, the game opened up midway through the half.Gerba struck minutes later to give Canada a lead it would not relinquish.
El Salvador will face Jamaica on Friday, while Canada will face Costa Rica in Group A finale at Miami.
By Vijay Setlur
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Tags: ali gerba, atiba hutchinson, Canada, Carlo Corazzin, COLUMBUS, columbus crew, columbus crew stadium, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, correas, Costa Rica, El Salvador, fifth goal, Greg Sutton, Hutchinson, interim basis, julian de guzman, Major League Soccer, manuel salazar, Miami, Ohio, patrice bernier, paul stalteri, Reggae, reggae boyz, salvadorans, six points, soccer club, stephen hart, straight game, toronto fc, Vijay Setlur, William ReyesRelated posts
In defence of Giuseppe Rossi
June 18, 2009
American soccer fans aren’t noted for their nastiness but the reaction to Giuseppe Rossi, New Jersey native, scoring twice for Italy against the U.S in their 3-1 Confederations Cup defeat on Monday has been surprisingly vitriolic.
What has upset U.S fans is that Rossi was born and bred in the U.S. but chose to play for another country and then — to add insult to injury — celebrated when he scored twice against his country of birth.
Rossi has Italian parents (his father was a soccer coach) also holds Italian citizenship, moved to Parma when he was 12 and was part of the Italian club’s youth scheme before joining Manchester United aged 17. He has represented Italy at youth level before joining the full national side. He now plays in Spain for Villarreal and is the subject of some pretty intense speculation linking him with a move back to one of Italy’s top clubs.
There is now a facebook group with nearly 400 members called ‘We Hate Giuseppe Rossi’ which features a picture of the forward with the word ‘Scum’ superimposed on it. Twitter contributors have labelled Rossi a traitor and there is worse out there.
The word “traitor” is entirely out of place in describing Rossi. In the modern, globalised world it is nothing at all out of the ordinary for players to have dual nationalities. It happens all the time. In fact, if my wife were to give birth to a son here in Miami, he would be eligible to play for four different countries (including, like Rossi, the U.S and Italy). These sort of situations are going to become more and more common in the future.
But it is particularly unfair to attack Rossi for his choice.
First of all, there is the matter of identity. With two Italian parents, Rossi clearly has a strong affinity for Italy.
Secondly, having left the U.S at the age of 12, he has not been part of the U.S youth coaching set-up and so owes nothing to U.S soccer (the bitterness would be more understandable had Rossi benefited from years of American coaching and soccer academies and then as an adult chosen to play for Italy).
Thirdly, he moved to Italy before he was even a teenager and received five years of coaching, schooling and development with Parma and the Italian Football Federation’s coaches, so he owes them much more than he owes U.S Soccer. I mean, he even played for Italy’s Under-16 team.
Often players choose to ‘adopt’ a country in order to gain an easier chance at becoming an international player. But Rossi can hardly be accused of that. As the online magazine American Soccer News puts it:
“In fact, the decision to play for Italy was a big risk if he ever wanted to have a national team career of any sort. Winners of four World Cups (including the most recent edition) and home to one of the best professional leagues on the planet, competition for Italy’s national team spots is fierce. Personnel decisions are analyzed meticulously by the country’s soccer-mad press. The pressure on players fortunate enough to don the national team kit is intense.
“Every mistake is scrutinized at great length in the papers and cafes and grottos and wherever else people gather. Many players’ lives (and those of their families) are ruined as a result. Why would any young man make the decision to expose himself to this maelstrom when he had a far easier, safer choice available to him?
“Rossi would have been all but guaranteed a starting spot for the US, probably for as long as he wanted, where he would not have been subject to anywhere near the same scrutiny.”
Indeed, to add to that, Rossi could find himself, in a year’s time, if his current excellent form deserts him, not making the Italy World Cup squad and be sat at home watching the U.S playing in South Africa and knowing that he would have walked into their team.
So why the bitterness about someone who hasn’t lived in the U.S since he was 12? I think it shows, above all, the deep disappointment among North American fans who have been waiting and waiting for a genuine world class talent to emerge.
While the U.S has produced scores of decent professionals, they really haven’t found anyone who would attract the likes of Manchester United or AC Milan to get their chequebooks out.
The all-time top scorer for the U.S national side, Landon Donovan, has had three tries at a career in the Bundesliga and failed to make the grade on every occasion. Freddy Adu was hailed as the first American global soccer star and although he is still only 20, his career so far in Europe has stuttered along.
Rather than vent fury at Rossi, American fans would do better to ask themselves whether Rossi would be the player he is now if he had chosen to stay in the United States and spend his formative years with a junior club here and then join a Major League Soccer team?
The sad truth is that if Rossi had stayed in the U.S, we probably wouldn’t be arguing about him now — he’d be just another no-name in the MLS, getting the occasional outing in the national side, playing with the anonymous lack of flair and style that is unfortunately typical of players coached in the U.S system.
PHOTO: Italy’s Giuseppe Rossi celebrates after scoring against the U.S during their Confederations Cup match at the Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, June 15, 2009. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
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Tags: affinity, american soccer, Birth, bitterness, confederations cup, Europe, freddy adu, Giuseppe Rossi, giuseppe rossi new jersey, insult to injury, intense speculation, italian club, italian parents, Italy, landon donovan, Manchester, manchester united, Miami, Milan, nastiness, New Jersey, North American, soccer coach, soccer fans, South Africa, top clubs, traitor, U.S., United States, World CupRelated posts
D.C. United-Chalatenango to open 2009-2010 CONCACAF Champions League
June 17, 2009
MIAMI – Returnee D.C. United will host El Salvador’s Chalatenango on Tuesday, July 28 to start the 2009-2010 CONCACAF Champions League, one of three Preliminary Round matches scheduled to open the tournament.
The Canadian champion, either the Vancouver Whitecaps or Toronto FC, will host the Puerto Rico Islanders and Guatemala’s Jalapa will be home against Pachuca of Mexico in later games. San Francisco FC of Panama will be home against San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad on Wednesday, July 29, with Liberia Mia of Costa Rica hosting Honduran side Real Espana later that day.
The schedule was announced at the second annual CONCACAF Champions League Summit at the Intercontinental West Miami hotel, a gathering of all 24 participating teams to acquaint them with the other clubs as well as the tournament’s rules, regulations, requirements and protocols.
The first leg will finish on Thursday, July 30, with W Connection of Trinidad hosting the New York Red Bulls, followed by Cruz Azul of Mexico at home against Costa Rica’s Herediano, and Olimpia of Honduras against Arabe Unido of Panama.
The second leg will begin a week later with the Puerto Rico Islanders at home against either Vancouver or Toronto, and Chalatenango facing D.C. United in El Salvador on Tuesday, August 4.
The following day, the New York Red Bulls will travel to Trinidad to play W Connection; Pachuca will play at Jalapa; and Hereidano will play Cruz Azul in Mexico City.
The Preliminary Round will conclude with Arabe Unido at home against Olimpia of Honduras, San Juan Jabloteh hosting San Francicso, and Real Espana welcoming Liberia. The winners will advance to the Group Stage, which will begin with the first round of games the week of August 18-20.
PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE
(All Times USA Eastern; home teams listed first)
(Provisional)
FIRST LEG
Tuesday, July 28
D.C. United (USA) vs. Chalatenango (SLV), 8 p.m.
Vancouver Whitecaps or Toronto FC (CAN) vs.
Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR), 10 p.m. Jalapa (GUA) vs. Pachuca (MEX), 10 p.m.
Wednesday, July 29
San Francisco (PAN) vs. San Juan Jabloteh, 8 p.m.
Liberia (CRC) vs. Real Espana (HON), 10 p.m.
Thursday, July 30
W Connection (TRI) vs. New York Red Bulls (USA), 8 p.m.
Cruz Azul (MEX) vs. Herediano (CRC), 10 p.m.
Olimpia (HON) vs. Arabe Unido (PAN), 10 p.m.
SECOND LEG
Tuesday, August 4
Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR) vs. Vancouver or Toronto (CAN), 8 p.m.
Chalatenango (SLV) vs. D.C. United (USA), 10 p.m.
Wednesday, August 5
New York Red Bulls (USA) vs. W Connection (TRI), 8 p.m.
Pachuca (MEX) vs. Jalapa (GUA), 8 p.m.
Herediano (CRC) vs. Cruz Azul (MEX), 10 p.m.
Thursday, August 6
Arabe Unido (PAN) vs. Olimpia (HON), 8 p.m.
San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) vs. San Francisco (PAN), 8 p.m.
Real Espana (HON) vs. Liberia (CRC), 10 p.m.
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Tags: canadian champion, chalatenango, concacaf champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Costa Rica, cruz azul, d c united, D.C., El Salvador, group stage, Guatemala, herediano, Honduras, Intercontinental, jalapa, Liberia, Mexico, mexico city, Miami, miami hotel, New York, new york red bulls, olimpia, pachuca, Panama, Puerto Rico, puerto rico islanders, San, san francicso, San Francisco, san juan, san juan jabloteh, slv, Toronto, toronto fc, Tri, Trinidad, USA, Vancouver, vancouver whitecaps, W. Connection, west miamiRelated posts
Champions League Team Summit baptizes new teams, reviews for returnees
June 17, 2009
MIAMI – Some clubs made the trip last year; others were making the excursion for the first time.
The returnees to the CONCACAF Champions League Team Summit were there to refine their procedures; the newcomers were in Miami to get up to speed.
“With having done it before, this year we were able to include the Champions League in our season ticket packages and it improved branding to get fans interested,” said Jonathan Yardley, Houston’s communications manager and one of three representatives from the Dynamo, who advanced the quarterfinals of last season’s event.
“The team did well last year and we’re looking to do better this year. We have some off weekends this year so the schedule should not be as intense.”
The summit, held Monday and Tuesday at the Intercontinental West Miami hotel, was staged to give officials of teams making their debut — and remind the returnees — of the protocols, procedures, requirements and general plans for the tournament, which will begin its second season after replacing the Champions Cup on July 28.
After general welcomes by CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer and Deputy General Secretary for Marketing and Television Italo Zanzi, Deputy General Secretary for Operations Ted Howard spent Tuesday morning outlining areas ranging from television production to financial reporting to game operations.
Press officer Ben Spencer laid out media guidelines while Manager of Business Partnerships Pamela Galvis briefed the team representatives on sponsorship and the various programs surrounding the tournament. Director of Television and Production Broadcast Services Dario Boronat explained how the international television feed will be generated and maintained, with control monitored from CONCACAF’s television studio at its headquarters in Trump Tower in New York City.
Representatives from the 24 qualified teams were introduced to the various CONCACAF staff members, from the New York headquarters to the satellite offices in Miami and Guatemala City, who will interact with them throughout the season.
“This meeting served to answer the questions and doubts that we had,” Cruz Azul team manager Carlos Villar said. “As Chuck said, the tournament has improved a lot from the first year and will continue to do so as it progresses. It will continue to become more relevant, especially in Mexico.”
Blazer finished the session encouraging the teams not to be pre-occupied with all the rules, regulations and requirements swamping them in less than 24 hours.
“We’ve taken the initiative to show you the way to make it better,” Blazer said in remarks to teams to close the summit. “It’s so you will be able to say, ‘I was there in the beginning, and I remember the early days, and it makes a difference now.”
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Tags: Ben Spencer, broadcast services, business partnerships, Carlos Villar, champions cup, Chuck Blazer, city representatives, concacaf champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, deputy general, galvis, game operations, guatemala city, Houston, Intercontinental, international television, italo zanzi, jonathan yardley, Mexico, Miami, New York, new york city, Pamela Galvis, s communications, season ticket packages, team representatives, team summit, ted howard, television feed, television studio, trump tower in new york city, west miami, york headquartersRelated posts
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