The VK major league and La Liga partnership is working

In their third season in Major League Soccer, the Seattle Gulf advanced from the group stage in the 2011-12 CEB Champions League to play a quarter-final with La Liga powerhouse Santos Laguna.

It's an important opportunity for the club, which won the first leg 2-1 at home, but on the return leg it provided a common reality check for Major League soccer teams that have played la Liga MX for years. Santos won 6-1, easily beating Toronto FC in the semi-finals but losing to Monterrey in the final.

Thursday will see another all-Mexican final, with Monterrey and Club America facing off on the American continent.

It was a successful race for the Soulers, who performed better in the second year. They were out of the group stage again, but this time they changed the team's tactics, losing the first leg 1-0 away and then winning 3-1 at home to reach the semi-finals against Santos. It was a fierce match, but the Soulers were once again trailing 2-1 on aggregate.

In the decade since, Sounders' majority shareholder Adrian Hanor has grown in close relationship with chairman Alejandro Illagiri. They maintain regular communication and act as advisors to each other in dealing with similar challenges in running a professional football team.

Their relationship has also influenced collaborations between Major League Soccer and La Liga MX in recent years.

"Alejandro and I have put a lot of effort into this: getting the owners of Mexican teams and the owners of Major Leagues in the United States to know each other," Hanor said. "It's easy for people to cross the border and say, 'That's what those guys do,' but don't really understand the individuals involved.

"Eating together, meeting together, really getting to know and learn from each other (it's important). We're always trying to get our owners together more often and share best practices, as that's the foundation for building relationships and strong partnerships. It wasn't until three years ago that we really started pushing this agenda. ”

The growing cooperation between the two major alliances has never been more evident. Both alliances have clear business value. Mexican teams are eager to play in the U.S. because Major League Soccer is still more attractive on television than Major League Soccer, and Major League Soccer clubs can use games with Mexican teams to market themselves to Mexican-American fans who might otherwise not be involved.

"The truth is, we now have 60 million [Spaniards] living in the United States, and 80 percent of them are probably stuck in [football,'" Ilagli said. "They've built the strongest fan base in the United States. I don't know what the future holds, but today, the Hispanic fan base is certainly stronger than other fan bases in the United States. ”

A unique challenge facing the United States, Ira lager said, is how to transform sports enthusiasts into people who watch sports. History shows that only gradual progress is possible in this regard, and that the evolving relationship between MLS and La Liga MX is only the latest step.

"For an event like the All-Star Game, I think it just confirms that Adrian and I've been discussing things for over 10 years," Iragri said. "It could be in the short term, which is better for La Liga. In the medium term, I believe this is better for MLS. But in the long run, it's good for both sides. ”

In fact, 7 of the last 10 finals have been between two teams in La Liga MX.

The League Cup is now in its third year and the League Cup is in its second year, providing a platform for major leagues to compete more regularly against the best clubs in North American history. In the U.S. and Canada, however, this increased and growing exposure has yet to pay off on the pitch.

But in order for major leagues and their clubs to see the fruits of their labor, for the north American league relationship to transition to the midterms, they need to be more competitive against their opponents from Mexico when it matters most. Until then, they will be forced to watch La Liga MX lift one continental title after another.