Our Biggest Soccer Match of the Year
I always watched a lot of sports and even played pro sports, but now that I work in pro sports I spend a lot of time studying the business of sports.
In this article, and in a lot more of my articles moving forward, I’m going to analyze the world of sports wherever it crosses over with business and finance.
If you like, leave a comment or share them.
This is the most prestigious international soccer tournament in the North American region.
The Concacaf Champions Cup
The “CCC” crowns the best of best soccer club from North America and Central America.
The tournament showcases 27 of the top teams from 10 different leagues including:
▪️MLS
▪️Liga MX
▪️Canadian Premier League
+ leagues from countries such as:
▫️Suriname
▫️Nicaragua
▫️Dominican Republic
▫️Costa Rica
▫️Guatemala
▫️Jamaica
▫️Argentina
According to the CPL website, “30 different teams have won the tournament, from nine different countries,” including 38 of 58 championship trophies going to Mexican clubs.
FORMAT
The lone club left standing after 5 rounds will earn the right to hoist the trophy.
Rounds 1 to 4 are 2-legged “Home & Home” series, followed by a single-game winner-take-all final.
AGGREGATE SCORES
Each round, the team that scores the most total goals in the two legs (combined) wins.
If both teams have the same number of goals, the victory is awards to the side that scored more goals while “Away”.
BUSINESS IMPACT
Aside from competitive balance, the 2-leg format is a significant financial benefit for smaller clubs.
Hosting an international opponent capable of drawing big crowds can do a lot to improve a clubs bottom line.
For example:
🗓️ CPL clubs play 14 Regular season games.
If all else remains equal (average ticket price & total attendance) Cavalry and Forge FC would open their 2024 season with a 7% head start on their total season revenue target thanks to their CCC matchups.
And that’s not even counting prize money.
Clubs earn progressively larger sums of money depending on how far they go in the tournament. All of the amounts are undisclosed, except for what’s paid to the Champions...
$5 Million.
Final Thought
Any chance to win a trophy is welcomed, but for smaller clubs these tournaments are a huge deal. They are a chance to gain exposure and a chance to get ahead financially in a significant way.
I’ve always loved sports and the thrill of competing, but now when I consider everything that’s on the line from the business side of the game it’s all even more exciting.
CS