League Cup Final in the states?

[NHH]

I've heard some rumours that one idea about this Game 39 thing which has been talked of is that the Legaue Cup Final could be played in the US.

I know senior officers from the League were in the states recently chatting to the MLS and the MLB about various issues such as salary capping etc (which is good to see them thinking about these things and talking to other leagues).

But part of me wonders if they also exploring the idea of the League Cup being played abroad. I was thinking that the chances are that they'd play in one of the stadia often used for visiting European teams, and wondered if any US posters had heard anything in their own necks of the woods which might give us some info on whether this has any legs?

[Sam]

League Cup Final in the states?

I'm not one of our US posters, of course, but I'm going to poke my nose in anyway.

I think it'd make more sense for them to start out doing it with a genuinely completely meaningless game - the Charity Shield (I know it's not longer called that). Given that the FA have to pay for Wembley, though, I can't imagine them actually taking any 'showpiece' matches - perceived or otherwise - away from the national stadium for a while yet.

[mirko bolesan]

League Cup Final in the states?

NHH wrote:

if any US posters had heard anything in their own necks of the woods which might give us some info on whether this has any legs?

Probably two, one in LA and the other in New York.

[Incandenza]

League Cup Final in the states?

I haven't heard anything about this other than idle conjecture when Game 39 was first floated.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

League Cup Final in the states?

in 2003, the italians played their version of the charity shield in New york, so I don't see it as being impossible

[West End Zuma]

League Cup Final in the states?

Any chance of MLS teams competing in this English "Tin Pot II" tournament? Otherwise I can't really see the sense. Also, if nobody in England takes it seriously why should we? Or am I mistaken about nobody taking it seriously?

You'd have to "rebrand" the Community Shield and link it with a sponsor. The Bud Cup has a certain ring to it.

[David Agnew]

League Cup Final in the states?

SamLKelly wrote:

I'm not one of our US posters, of course, but I'm going to poke my nose in anyway.

I think it'd make more sense for them to start out doing it with a genuinely completely meaningless game - the Charity Shield (I know it's not longer called that). Given that the FA have to pay for Wembley, though, I can't imagine them actually taking any 'showpiece' matches - perceived or otherwise - away from the national stadium for a while yet.

The League Cup isn't one of the FA's showpiece matches.

[Sam]

League Cup Final in the states?

Not one of the FA's, no. But it's a showpiece match (i.e. a final) and it puts bums on seats and sells tickets, generating revenue which helps to pay for that vastly expensive stadium. I can't see why they'd take such a match and play it elsewhere when they've still got a massive bill to pay off for Wembley.

[danielmak]

League Cup Final in the states?

An interesting piece about the reasons why the League Cup still matters (money from Europe).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2008/nov/12/carlingcup

I can't see people in the US really caring about matches played by reserve sides, especially if the games happen outside the major US cities. The best option might be something akin to the North American Super Liga, where Mexican club teams play US club teams. But this won't work with EPL sides because the US teams would get crushed. Maybe league 1 sides.

[ursus arctos]

League Cup Final in the states?

As Aiatl notes, the Italian SuperCoppa has been played in the US (actually twice, the first time in Washington DC in the early 90s); it's also been played in Tripoli, Libya, and there were fairly serious discussions this summer over it being played either in the US (Giants Stadium, most probably) or China (Shanghai).

Unlike the League Cup Final, however, the SuperCoppa is a notoriously poorly attended match (and one that has only been contested since the late 80s), and like NHH, I have a hard time seeing why the FA/League would abandon Wembley in these particular circumstances.

[anothergoal]

League Cup Final in the states?

All I want to know is who would care about the League Cup Final in the United States especially if it is like a Burnley-Stoke type of matchup.

[imp]

League Cup Final in the states?

It's not "the MLS." It's just MLS. Major league Soccer. You don't say "the Major League Soccer" so you don't say "the MLS." [As you were. Just something that drives me mad more than it ought to].

[Incandenza]

League Cup Final in the states?

It seems to be a British usage thing to put "the" in front of MLS, but not in front of team names when most Americans put "the" in front of them. So you'll get a sentence like "David Beckham, midfielder for Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS."

But plenty of Americans that don't follow MLS also put "the" in front of MLS.

[EIM]

League Cup Final in the states?

imp wrote:

It's not "the MLS." It's just MLS. Major league Soccer. You don't say "the Major League Soccer" so you don't say "the MLS." [As you were. Just something that drives me mad more than it ought to].

I hate it when people say ATM machine.

[Sundeporino]

League Cup Final in the states?

The League Cup belongs to the Football League while the Premier League were the ones considering the "39th game".
The "39th game" was a "stalking horse" which will lead to the founding of "official premier league mini tournaments" played around the world during pre-season.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

League Cup Final in the states?

All I want to know is who would care about the League Cup Final in the United States especially if it is like a Burnley-Stoke type of matchup.

Or indeed an Arsenal - Spurs matchup.

[ale]

League Cup Final in the states?

while the League Cup never managed a Burnley v Stoke 'match up' it regularly offered Notts Forest Villa & Leicester a Wembley final not to mention including Oxford Sheff W Norwich Blackburn & Boro as winners in the last 20 or so years...hell it was even the last credible trophy Man City won...

not sure how this affects the argument but imagine Boro & Bolton getting to the final and the fans having to travel to the US to see what may be their only chance in a lifetime of support to be present when a major trophy is won ...

as for those those of us with even greater imaginations and who support NUFC ...

[NHH]

League Cup Final in the states?

Whilst game 39 is a PL affair, never forget that the League under Mawhinney have floated ideas such as ending draws; Mawhinney is made for being seen as 'innovative' and if his 'innovation' also worked to the advantage of the PL, then that's a happy benefit.

The thing which seems to negate it to me is that the FL have a contract to play the game at Wembley which would mean that not only would they have to pay to hire the stadium in the states, they'd need guaranteed revenues to pay the costs in the states, pay a penalty clause with Wembley and end up with as much if not more from Wembley to give the other clubs in the League. Tall order given the exchange rate.