You’re not watching the Club World Cup? You’re not engrossed in every game?
No one is. And that’s a pity, because it’s a grand idea poorly executed.
Want to make it more interesting? Spread it out like the Davis Cup.
Make each game an interesting event. Africa vs. Asia. Oceania vs. North America. Have continents alternate as hosts for the early rounds. And so on until you have at least a few weeks to hype the neutral-site final.
(Which will probably be South America vs. Europe. Or a really interesting underdog story.)
This year’s tournament could’ve been:
September
- TP Mazembe vs. Guangzhou Evergrande
- Club America vs. Auckland City
Late October
- River Plate vs. Mazembe-Guangzhou winner
- Barcelona vs. America-Auckland winner
This weekend: Final.
The early games will at least be big events for the teams that are hosting. Global interest will pick up a bit with the big guns entering.
Alternate idea: Hold the Club World Cup in odd-numbered years in the summers, when we don’t have the “other” men’s World Cup, the Euros or Copa America.
Duresport.com 