Growing Soccer in the US: MLS vs. Liga MX Leagues Cup Impact
Marcelino and Camila Ortiz discuss how the Leagues Cup tournament elevates both MLS and Liga MX with USA fans and its cultural effects in Los Angeles.
Video Transcript
This tournament is so important to grow the game in the United States- Yeah so much more than it is- Definitely I think this is of more benefit to MLS than- Yeah it is to Liga MX- Definitely because the reality is that MLS requires to grow as much as they can.
And, you know, dipping into the pool of fans of Liga MX- in the United States is a very clever thing to do.
And there's a deep pool here.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, I think there's We, I don't think, I know there's way more Liga MX fans here in the United States than there are MLS fans.
Well, not too long ago, I was able to go to the America versus Galaxy.
Exactly.
I was hate watching to its best- you know, undercover, because I didn't want no, to know that I was a Puma and an LAFC fan, so me van a brincar ah entre todos.
But the reality that, what I saw is that el amarillo est presente- Yep deep.
It runs deep in Los Angeles.
It was 85% America fans at Dignity Park.
Yeah.
It was a great game.
Unfortunately, America didn't win.
Galaxy won their last game in weeks.
Yeah.
But you're right.
Liga MX's fans here are some of the loudest, more committed fans.
Mm-hmm.
And it will be important to see if they show up and they dwarf- Yeah the existing, fan groups.
I think absolutely they will.
Yes.
And I, I'm actually curious to see what you think.
You know, last couple times it, you, we've seen MLS versus MLS in the final.
Mm-hmm.
Do you think that we're finally gonna see a Liga MX team take the win?
I think so.
I think that this- Yeah year we have strong teams.
We have Cruz Azul, a, a team that I think deserves to win and it will be great is Xolos.
I think Xolos- Definitely because they're a border team, their travel is gonna be less.
Mm-hmm.
They're gonna, you know, I think that they're gonna have a big opportunity to go long.
And the quality of players that we're gonna be able to see.
They do.
Lewandowski.
We, unfortunately we're not gonna see Messi and, and- Yeah well, maybe we'll see them.
Maybe we'll see them.
And maybe if they get far.
They're too close.
Yeah.
You, you know?
They, they're still close to the, the mandatory resting period for the World Cup players- that, that were in the final.
But big, big names, and some players are gonna play back against their former teams.
We have- That's gonna sting Diego Rossi going to Monterrey.
Mm-hmm.
Kuyper going to Monterrey as well.
Yeah.
So many teams in this, so many players in this transit.
Yeah.
Is there any particular game that you are excited to watch?
Oof.
I'm excited to watch, like you said, the LAFC game.
Mm-hmm.
I think that any game in LA or a city where there's, you know, a heavy Latino and Mexican population- Yeah I think it's gonna be out of the roof, the energy.
I hope there's not too many fights, but- No we'll see
