CONCACAF Champions League Underway

by Jon Azpiri | September 17, 2008 at 09:04 am

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With the UEFA Champions League grabbing the attention of much of the soccer world, the first CONCACAF Champions League, consisting of 32 teams began on September 16. The new league is an attempt to duplicate the success of the UEFA Champions League and hopefully raise the profile of soccer teams throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.

An enlarged UEFA Champions League replaced its predecessor, the UEFA Champions Cup, in 1992 precisely to involve more teams playing more games and generating more money.

Now CONCACAF, led by cash-conscious President Jack Warner, has followed suit, replacing its Champions Cup (the last ever version was finished a scant few weeks ago) with a larger Champions League format for exactly the same reason.

Still, much as the UEFA Champions League has served to educate and familiarize Europeans with the game in neighboring nations, the CONCACAF version has the potential to do the same here.

Regularly playing relatively rich and talented Mexican teams can not only help improve the quality of soccer in places like Honduras and Jamaica, but prod parochial MLS suits into a greater appreciation of the most international of sports.

During the first day of competition, Saprissa of Costa Rica soundly defeated D.C. United of the M.L.S. 2-0. UNAM Puma of Mexico and Panama's San Francisco played to a 1-1 draw while fellow Panamian side Tauro lost 2-1 to the Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL.

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