The Answerman, Soccer 365's Football journalist Jerrad Peters, takes a moment to explain the CANADIAN Champions League.

What is this Canadian Champions’ League tournament all about?
-Mark, Montreal

The inaugural Nutrilite Canadian Champions’ League will kick-off when Montreal Impact host Toronto FC at Stade Saputo on Tuesday, May 27. The competition will also include Vancouver Whitecaps and will run until July 27. After each of the three sides has completed a home-and-away series against both opponents, the winner will be awarded the Voyageurs Cup and will represent Canada in the qualification phase of the upcoming CONCACAF Champions’ League.

In other words, the Canadian Champions’ League is the process by which a professional, Canadian soccer club can participate in a competitive structure with a route to the annual FIFA Club World Cup. If, for example, Vancouver Whitecaps won the tournament, they could, conceivably, be lining up against the likes of Boca Juniors and Manchester United in December, 2009.

The centerpiece of the 2008 Canadian Champions’ League will be a Canada Day fixture between Toronto and Vancouver at BMO Field. And while the hosts will surely be favored as the lone Major League Soccer outfit in the competition, they cannot afford to take their rivals lightly. Whitecaps, after all, have one of the strongest traditions in North American soccer. They won five major trophies between 1988 and 1991 and were the United Soccer Leagues First Division champions in 2006. Currently, they sit fifth in USL First Division – just four points adrift of first-place Charleston Battery.

Montreal, meanwhile, are eighth in USL First Division with seven points from seven matches. They play in the comfortable, soccer-specific Stade Saputo and are hoping to join Major League Soccer within the next few years. Joey Saputo, the club chairman, has already discussed the matter with Montreal Canadiens and Liverpool FC owner George Gillett Jr. With the 13,000-capacity stadium filled for most home matches, a plan to expand the grounds by 5,000-seats is already in the works.

If marketed properly, the sky is the limit for the Canadian Champions’ League. Having already acquired a title sponsor in vitamin giants Nutrilite, the tournament has the potential to unite soccer fans throughout the country. With millions of Canadians preferring to follow their old-world soccer allegiances rather than support a local club, this competition offers the priceless element which is sure to attract new fans while appealing to old ones – upward, competitive mobility with the FIFA World Club Cup as the ultimate reward.

Unfortunately, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has completely missed the Champions’ League boat. While they frequently drum up excitement for their coverage of Major League Soccer and are currently overwhelmed with both the Stanley Cup Playoffs and upcoming Olympic Games, the public broadcaster seems to have vastly underestimated the popularity of this competition. It is to their own detriment. With the competent play-by-play of Nigel Reed and various other talent including commentator Jason de Vos and host Mitch Peacock, the CBC has considerable talent on which to build its soccer franchise. It is already doing so with Toronto FC and MLS. That it dropped the ball with the Champions’ League is inexplicable.

Fixture schedule for Canadian Champions’ League. All matches will be broadcast on CBC Television.

27 May Montreal Impact v Toronto FC
17 June Montreal Impact v Vancouver Whitecaps
25 June Vancouver Whitecaps v Montreal Impact
01 July Toronto FC v Vancouver Whitecaps
09 July Vancouver Whitecaps v Toronto FC
22 July Toronto FC v Montreal Impact

Have a question about football? Email your query to jerradpeters@gmail.com.

Jerrad Peters is a football journalist based in Winnipeg, Canada and a correspondent for Soccer365.com. His weekly column for the Winnipeg Free Press is the largest of its kind in the country. A regular contributor to ESPN Soccernet and Soccer Three-Sixty, his work has also appeared on TheMirror.co.uk, Canadian-soccer.com, Footy247.co.uk, Foot2ball.com, and Squadinfo.com.