Posted by In the last few weeks, professional soccer has ground to a halt as a result of the worldwide health emergency caused by COVID-19. Major tournaments such as Euro 2020 and the Copa América have been postponed to next summer, while almost every domestic league around the world is suspended.
The situation is no different in Mexico. Liga MX, the country’s top division, was suspended after round 10 of the Clausura 2020 finished on March 15. With social distancing guidelines in place until at least April 30th and the peak of the COVID-19 curve in Mexico not expected to arrive for a few weeks, it is unknown when Liga MX will restart.
In an effort to give fans some entertainment in these soccer-free weeks, various eSports competitions have filled the void. Electronic Arts, makers of the popular FIFA series, organized the Stay and Play Cup, which runs from April 15 through April 19 and will see players from clubs like Liverpool and Real Madrid face off against each other. Professional players also participated in the La Liga Santander FIFA 20 Challenge, which was hosted by Spanish internet celebrity Ibai Llanos and included live commentary from famous announcers like Manolo Lama. More importantly, both of these tournaments incorporated a philanthropic element. EA will donate $1 million to COVID-19 relief, while the La Liga Santander FIFA 20 Challenge raised over $152,000 to fight the virus.
Although it lags behind Europe’s top leagues in terms of quality, Liga MX is at the forefront of the eSports movement during the COVID-19 outbreak. Their eLiga MX, which began on April 10, stands out amongst the litany of virtual soccer tournaments. ELiga MX is a mirror image of the Clausura 2020 calendar, with all 18 Liga MX teams, represented by three first-team squad members, participating in 17 rounds of regular season play, followed by the traditional Liguilla play-off among the top eight finishers from the regular season. In contrast, most other tournaments employ a single-elimination format. Furthermore, tournaments like the EA Stay and Play Cup allow teams that would not otherwise meet in domestic or international competition to go head-to-head. For example, Djurgårdens IF of Sweden will play Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16 of the EA Stay and Play Cup.
Beyond the unique e-format, eLiga MX strives to replicate the Liga MX experience. All eLiga MX matches are televised on the same stations that have the rights to Liga MX games. Univision/TUDN, which televises Liga MX in the United States, uses the same play-by-play and color announcers for their eLiga MX coverage. The games are also broadcast on the official Liga MX YouTube channel, which produces highlight packs of the matches. There is even an official eLiga MX website, complete with updated statistics, previews of upcoming matches and post-game reports.
In a world starved of professional soccer, eLiga MX allows fans to interact with their favorite players, and provides a crucial respite from the anxiety provoked by COVID-19. Furthermore, it is likely that Liga MX will be positively impacted by the initiative. The league has received a lot of negative press in recent years over events ranging from the disaffiliation of Veracruz to rising fan violence. The COVID-19 outbreak has created further problems, with the Mexican second division, known as the Ascenso MX, in danger of disappearing over economic concerns. These stories damage the image of Liga MX, and inhibit efforts to make Mexico’s top flight one of the best leagues in the world. Although the success of eLiga MX will not directly influence the quality of Liga MX, the league can use the goodwill generated by the initiative as a springboard for future growth.
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