Mexico Heads North of the Border

The United States is a new province in Mexico.

One could come to that conclusion after the Mexican Football Federation released the venues for the five games its national team will play leading up to this summer’s World Cup. San Francisco, LA, Dallas, Chicago and Pasadena will all host Mexican matches.

Does anyone else find this odd? Can you think of another situation where a nation would choose to play its home matches on its rival’s soil? Dutch games in Germany. I don’t think so. Brazil matches in Argentina. No way. How about some Italian friendlies in Spain? Not a chance. What about the reverse, with the US playing its matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Oaxaca? Not gonna happen.

So why is Mexico electing to play north of the Rio Grande? Two reasons. First, according to the US Census Bureau there are more than 18 million people who marked their ethnic origin as Mexican in 2000. This was a 58% increase from 1990. Not only is this a huge, growing market, but it is one that is increasing in affluence. The Mexican market in the US is more attractive for sponsors than the domestic market in Mexico. Sponsorship dollars and pesos are what drive the decisions made by football federations.

Second, while there is a rivalry on the pitch and for marketing money between the US and Mexico, the rivalry has yet to extend to the stands. You can bet that in each US city in which it plays there will be a decidedly pro-Mexican crowd. Whereas in other countries crowds might show up to whistle and boo their rival’s every kick, US supporters will largely stay at home, choosing instead to watch their tapes of the United States’ victory over “rival” Mexico in the 2002 World Cup.