An idea that has long been floated around in soccer circles in North America was brought to the top of the headlines over the weekend after an influential president made a bold statement.
Santos Laguna and Atlas owner Alejandro Irarragorri stated in an interview that he thinks the best solution for raising the prestige of both Major League Soccer and the Liga MX would be to join the two leagues in a sort of North American super league.
Major League Soccer and the Liga MX became partners in 2018, collaborating in various initiatives and competing in the Campeones and Leagues Cups against one another.
According to Irarragorri, this partnership could be beneficial for both leagues and for the profile of the game in the North American continent as a whole if the leagues also began competing in games against one another.
Irarragorri said, “It’s probable that the possible creation of a North American super league is best for MLS in the short term and for Liga MX in the medium term, but over the long term it is best for both and the potential to add value and create jobs is immense. Without a doubt it is an alternative that should be explored and analyzed.”
The Mexican owner pointed out that a large share of MLS’s revenue comes from Mexican fans, and that the American league’s ownership and growth model creates more revenue on average for teams than his country’s model.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has worked to hurt both leagues, this idea could gain even more traction in the coming months.
