The CONCACAF Champions League has provided a wealth of new opportunities for MLS teams to cut their teeth on the international stage since its 2008 inception, but as fans of teams lucky enough to be in the tournament will tell you, those opportunities are not the only benefits North Americas premier club competition offers. <\/p>\n
Along with the added exposure for the teams, the greatly expanded competition (from eight to 24 teams, including preliminary rounds), has offered MLS fans a new way to travel to places they might otherwise never consider going. <\/p>\n
Upon arriving, the first thing I remember was wondering, What the heck am I doing here? Sounders fan John Neuharth recalled after arriving in El Salvador. I had spent the last couple weeks convincing my friends and family that no, I was not crazy for traveling to a third-world country with a history of unrest in order to watch a Sounders match. In reality, the country was a wonderful experience. <\/p>\n
By virtue of three straight US Open Cup wins, the Seattle Sounders have been regular participants in the competition since 2010. To book their debut appearance in the competition, the Sounders had to travel to El Salvador holding a slender 1-0 lead over Isidro Metapn in the preliminary round, and a small group of fans made the trip to Central America along with the team. <\/p>\n
Once we deplaned, we stayed at the airport for about an hour because we'd heard the team flight was right behind us and we wanted to welcome them with scarves up and some songs, Sounders fan Aaron Reed told to MLSsoccer.com. The looks on their faces were priceless when they realized that we were there. <\/p>\n
Though Metapn are based in the northwestern Santa Ana province of El Salvador, their stadium did not meet CONCACAF standards, meaning the game was played in San Salvadors Estadio Cuscatln, El Salvadors national stadium and the largest venue in Central Ameica. <\/p>\n
Once in the stadium, though the Sounders fans encountered something completely unlike what theyd seen in away venues across MLS. <\/p>\n
We got some light heckling when we first arrived at the stadium, but most people just looked at us like we were from another planet, Reed recalled. <\/p>\n
The security guard [who was carrying a gun] led us through three empty sections, each separated from each other with a chain link fence and barbed wire, until we got to our section for the match, he continued. We were in a true terrace. It was large concrete slabs with no seats. There was a moat, a chain link fence and an armed guard between us and the pitch. <\/p>\n
Having come from Seattle, the ECS members were no strangers to wet weather, yet they were still shocked at the conditions presented by Central Americas rainy season, where torrential rain is the norm throughout the summer. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Supporters Week: CCL gives fans unique way to travel world<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The CONCACAF Champions League has provided a wealth of new opportunities for MLS teams to cut their teeth on the international stage since its 2008 inception, but as fans of teams lucky enough to be in the tournament will tell you, those opportunities are not the only benefits North Americas premier club competition offers. Continue reading