ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Ale rips new U.S. Open Cup format with 8 MLS teams | ESPN FC

ESPN FC’s Sebastian Salazar and Ale Moreno discuss the U.S. Open Cup announcing a new format that will feature just 8 MLS first teams.
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[@Kyleterp1]

They say it’s Fixture congestion but mls created a tournament which has more games than they would have had in open cup. They expanded the playoffs which is more games and drags the season even longer. Lmao

[@davidday2373]

Leagues Cup is actually fun and compelling though. Sports is not a charity... I don't just give you my attention, you have to EARN IT. US Open Cups is not interesting.

[@StylistecS]

@@davidday2373league cup is trash

[@davidday2373]

@@StylistecS It was awesome. I was paying attention to games/matchups/teams that I never cared about before. It was fun to watch even as a neutral. Just facts. I went to the SoFi Stadium for the LC "Showcase" game in 2022... outstanding experience! Double-header, 4 fanbases filled 71,000 seats. We had smoke, pyro.. EPIC. Meanwhile, there've been time that USOC was going on, and I didnt even know my team was playing in it.

[@Kyleterp1]

@@davidday2373 leagues cup isn’t even fair for Mexican teams. It’s actually a major disadvantage for them and a waste of their time. Us open cup is a good way to give opportunities to younger/fringe players, gives you exposure to different markets and gives platforms to “smaller” clubs of their players standout and can sell those players

[@logirex]

Shame really since this cup competition is one of the only ones with real long history. I say take $20-30 million away from the MLS clubs and give it to the other clubs 😉

[@shawnevans26]

The FA Cup is good enough for the premier teams, so the US Open Cup should be good enough for MLS!!!!!!

[@davidday2373]

Argentina's "FA Cup" has only taken place 12 times (really only began in 2011).

[@aidenroqz]

The reason was said at the end. Its all about the money. The US Open Cup is not runned by MLS or Apple so it has no monetary benefit to them. League's Cup, which is already a joke in itself, and whatever stupid friendly they do in season makes them money that goes all in their pockets. They dont care about USL or other teams that are in the lower leagues. All MLS and Apple care is filling their pockets and US Open Cup doesnt do that. Seb said it in their podcast when the news first dropped, if US Soccer cared about the game and if they truly cared about continue to grow the game, they would've threatened MLS with taking their D1 certification, which they can legally do, if they don't play US Open Cup. Do you think ManCity, ManU, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, or any top club in England or Europe for that matter wants to or needs to play their domestic cup competition? No. But they still do because is tradition. Its not as important as it was in the oast but they take these games and play reserve teams or young players, many young players and players who ride the bench get a chance to play in these cup games and if the perform they a chance in the first team or a move to another team that sees something in them. MLS and Apple don't care about the growth of the game, they just care about money. It's angering and sad tbh.

[@davidday2373]

EVERY sport, EVERY league, EVERY tournament is ABOUT THE MONEY. Wake up. In other news, Santa Claus isn't real.

[@thejackofalltrades5171]

Preach!

[@user-nv9ig6po1d]

I'm sure your rant will reach a lot of people. Haha

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

Every league is supposed to make money.

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

@user-qb3og5iu3r America is far different from Europe in every way. A country where most people have no idea who won the last World Cup but can easily name the last Super Bowl Champion is not easy to operate soccer in and make money. This is tough to get Americans to care about soccer and MLS is slowly doing it.

[@Bighawkeye46]

MLS and US Soccer should be ashamed of what they are doing to the US Open Cup... this is disgraceful

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

People don't go to the games. Most MLS owners are operating these clubs at a loss and not a gain. The value is high but very few clubs are making an actual profit right now.

[@solpricetrojan1626]

MLS should send its 1st teams to participate in this tournament. As an MLS fan, shame on Garber and the owners.

[@PoofyPidove]

@@solpricetrojan1626Does MLS and USSF even promote the Open Cup? If they don’t that would explain why they have such disdain for it. I think Don Garber has called it pointless before.

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

@@PoofyPidove I don't know about the league but my club, Atlanta United promoted their US Open Cup games a lot but I just didn't care to go. I spend enough money as it is on the main MLS season tickets for their games.

[@PoofyPidove]

@@MichaelWalker-wu2pq That’s why I MLS the organization doesn’t want US Open Cup to exist

[@jackied962]

This is the most coverage the US Open Cup has ever gotten on ESPN.

[@mrjimi]

I guess you forgot that the US Open Cup was once on ESPN+

[@davidday2373]

Don Garber has done more for the US Open Cup (awareness) in the past month, then the US Open Cup (and it's fake supporters) have done in the past 100+ years.

[@davidday2373]

@@mrjimi Never even knew! That's part of the point LOL

[@RamiParadise]

So true. It’s nothing but pure hypocrisy. This is unironically better for the USL because that league will get more eyeballs. I want to see two competitive leagues.

[@kylerodriguez2384]

"Shout out Anthony Precourt". Brilliant.

[@Kbandz313]

All MLS teams have to do is expand their roster and bring the young guys up to the senior team for the Open Cup or just forfeit. Don’t complain about match congestion when MLS added the Leagues Cup. Don’t complain about not being able to play youth when MLS/MLSPA refuses to expand the roster. If Barca threatens to pull out of the Copa Del Rey and sent Barca B instead there would be uproar. That’s what MLS wants to do.

[@davidday2373]

What about Copa Argentina? Stop making comparisons with "Copa Del Rey" and "FC Cup". We don't care about tournaments like US Open Cup here in the U.S.,.. other tournament are NOT that important in Argentina or Brazil either.

[@MetroAH01]

lol ESPN FC should give more coverage to the US Open Cup going forward. Its all cute to complain now, but then its not to not give it coverage the rest of the year.

[@Bighawkeye46]

I'll be finding a USL team to root for against MLS this year, but I can't bring myself to root for or support Chicago Fire II playing in a tournament the Fire proper should be playing in

[@christopherwilliams2351]

Memphis 901FC will take all the support we can get!

[@Kbandz313]

Detroit City will welcome everyone with open arms

[@viewingstorm8930]

Root for Charleston, passionate fan base, and the oldest professional soccer team in America, black and yellow!⚫️🟡⚫️🟡

[@davidday2373]

Good. Looks like Don Garber is helping USL's growth.

[@erickbyarushengo4726]

By now I’m just going to find any way to support a USL team, or basically support the USL in general. With that being said, I’m more than grateful that my community will be getting a USL team starting next season in 2025. They will be in USL League One. I was at the Crest and team name reveal the other evening. Based on the turnout for that event I can see that getting a team has brought a lot of interest and support from the community. But MLS’ moves the past few years has shown that they only care about money. They don’t care about the growth of the game in this country. And that’s beyond disappointing. Their decision to disregard the oldest soccer tournament in this country, and the history behind it, just shows their true colors.

[@ilovevegimite]

Is the US Open Cup supposed to be like the FA Cup or League Cup in England?

[@bryseisme2]

It's our version of the FA cup. Basically the only cup with actual history. Unlike the Prem in England, MLS just sees other leagues as competition for viewers & revenue, and has zero interest in growing the sport. It's all about the money.

[@juanantoniogomezdelpulgarg2273]

@@bryseisme2 as a european Growing the sport in USA would be the mls model no? I mean for americans to watch soccer they need to have something similar to the leagues they like (nba, nfl, mlb) which is what mls is trying to be I don't thnik most americans would want to see an fa cup or something similar to the european model

[@Steve-606]

As an American, I can tell you, if permanently regulating forever every non-MLS team in a 330 million person country forever isn't enough to kill off interest, than not even allowing there to be a tournament where everyone can compete for a universal title certainly is. This is simply billionaires monopolizing every possible aspect of this sport and the most effete regulatory bodies caving in. Everything about soccer in this country from pay-to-play at the elementary level to the professional league is about one's capital and not performance or ability. @@juanantoniogomezdelpulgarg2273

[@davidday2373]

I don't know what FA Cup or LeagueCup is, but what I do know is that the US Open Cup has never had any relevance in U.S. sports landscape EVER. It's an old tournament that has features AMATEUR Teams for most of it's history.

[@temiomo-loto4122]

@@juanantoniogomezdelpulgarg2273the problem is the American model doesn’t translate to football. The draft system only work in a closed league like the nba where it offers the most money and no other competition outside the USA for viewers

[@chriswhetton3584]

Preach! This annoys me to no end. At the very least let the teams prioritize on their own if fixture congestion is really the issue.

[@irfaddafri8217]

Inter miami should been there, more coverage more fans will come

[@BGALUM]

OH and BTW... Here is an important fact...The US OPEN CUP is among the oldest in the world (including the second-oldest continuously operating). Ya'll commenting need to really put a bit more thought into things.

[@davidday2373]

Proper perspective: Amateur tournament, which 99.99% of sports fans could not name the winningest team of that tournament (including the people in this Comment section).

[@Vuvuizy]

Sad 😢

[@BabsW]

I can't and never will take a league with a closed, franchise system seriously. Don Garber and the MLS are just proving what I already know- they just care about money rather than truly growing football in the US. This is why the pay-to-play system still exists in the US.

[@JarrettMehldau]

I don't get the generalization in this comment. Doesn't the closed franchise system work quite well for Basketball and American Football?

[@BabsW]

@@JarrettMehldau I never watch American gridiron football and only sometimes watch the NBA playoffs.

[@JarrettMehldau]

@@user-qb3og5iu3r I don't believe that, because for example there are basketball leagues in every European country and they even have the EuroLeague as a equivalent to the UCL in football/soccer, but European club basketball can't compete with the NBA.

[@Bernardo_Labrada7]

This here is bad why are they only 8 teams why not la galaxy inter maimi new york city we need all mls teams for the us open cup

[@bhekuwenza]

Great clip, Great Discussion. Would like to see more "real" insights on the state of our game.. on top of the player/team/game analysis etc

[@MrManie777]

I agree with Ale

[@erikv5654]

Fr they complain about congestion but its their own fault 💀 abolish leagues cup

[@Sweetloveturner]

just fine the teams or disallow any continental play if they don't abide

[@davidday2373]

When did the US Open Cup winner ever playin Continental competitions...before MLS? Name those teams.

[@Sweetloveturner]

@@davidday2373 Concacaf Champions Cup

[@JohnnyBodhi]

Who is this commentator, he’s hysterical. He tells it as it is with zero BS.

[@MyselfTheThird]

Alejandro Moreno! Former Venezuelan national who plied his trade primarily in MLS.

[@pottermusLAG]

Its dictator Don saying his way or noway

[@davidday2373]

Silly story you tell yourself. The guy cant do anything without the owners* say-so. Wake up kid.

[@forzajuve4845]

it's all about control from the ground up..always has been ..the youth clubs are the same way. it's never for the good of the sport

[@davidday2373]

@@forzajuve4845 Building smart.

[@DOLeao_]

Ale is 100 percent right

[@thevitaminclinic9035]

The Leagues cup has devalued the USOC

[@davidday2373]

USOC has devalued itself.

[@davidday2373]

USOC didn't have much value to begin with. THE WOODEN SPOON "WINNER" had won USOC the same year! And that goes double for the Canadian Cup and the MLS Wooden Spoon.

[@EpicGammingCrew]

Such bs. Supremely disappointed. The open cup is the most important tradition in soccer. I really don’t know what this league is turning itself into anymore. Been supporting this league for close to 15 years, and I’m really getting done w it. Was considering the season pass on Apple TV, but that ship has sailed. No more paying to watch games. No more buying new jerseys. I might go watch a few games in person this year, but I’m done monetarily supporting this league in all other facets. I’ve defended these owners for over a decade for propping up the league when it was in the struggle years. But I’m starting to think it may have been better for soccer in the long run if mls folded in the early 2000s and the leagues w an actual soul took its place

[@davidday2373]

Stop lying. The USOC has meant NOTHING for 100 years.

[@signoresantinoburnett1169]

MLS has a brand to protect. They don't want to end up like Bayern Munich losing to a third division team in a domestic cup competition. It's all about money or protecting their money

[@davidday2373]

MLS teams/players/fans don't care about the US Open Cup, win or lose, participate or not participate. And ALL SPORTS LEAGUES are a business, don't be naïve, kid.

[@terryfox9344]

Unfortunately, from its very founding, MLS never cared about football in America or developing the game here. The MLS was about one thing, and one thing only, money for its rich owners. As an individual who has spent considerable time on developing the game in America and is aware of our history which is both longer and richer than most people think, it is sad that the country's best league is a taker, not a giver, to the sport that brings it money.

[@anatoliybakaev600]

You need the league, the cup, and the first 4/6 in the league to participate in the Libertadores.

[@HT-xt4cn]

Why the Libertadores?

[@PoofyPidove]

Are you seriously comparing the US Open cup to a competition with various South American countries’ teams?

[@giampieroviteri1023]

Well said Ale

[@xquantex]

Well Said!

[@davidday2373]

Well, said.*

[@kentmartin9289]

It all started with the bogus Leagues Cup. With Liga MX, MLS created Leagues Cup to try to eliminate CONCACAF Champions League/Cup. As a result, to try to appease those leagues CONCACAF decided to give them a ridiculous number of spots in the Champions League, over saturating the competition with MLS and Liga MX teams. Now the 1 spot that US Open Cup gets for Champions League is much less valuable, because all the teams have the "Champions League without those pesky other countries involved" Cup, and if they do want to play in Champions League/Cup they still have 8 other ways to get in.

[@sactyb]

Make America Great Again!!

[@vortexathletic]

BOYCOTT LEAGUES CUP!!!

[@khalilshahyd9063]

Absolutely ... it's a farce

[@davidday2373]

That'll show em! LOL

[@davidday2373]

1.33 MILLION ATTENDANCE last year.

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

Fans have been boycotting the US Open Cup for years.

[@davidday2373]

@@MichaelWalker-wu2pq _Got em_

[@BGALUM]

I don't always agree with Ale, but he is 100% right on this one. SO if it really is Messi that is driving this, then sorry, Messi is hurting the future of US Soccer more than he is helping it and send him to Saudi! . NOBODY and I mean NO star is worth that. I guess we just never want the US to get to the next level of soccer.

[@davidday2373]

Joke of the Day - "Messi is hurting the future of US Soccer more than he is helping it "

[@AkosBeres]

I agree with the guys when comes to killing the competition but when did tradition ever matter in US sports or in society ever? Ask any franchise that was moved to a new city, any stadium that has been abandoned or torn down. Ex players who are left broke and broken after their career was over. Look at all the buildings that have been torn down in any city in the name of progress ... the tradition argument will never work in the us because the majority of people could care less

[@alanwatts7434]

MLS is a for-profit circus. Amusing to watch it trying to masquerade as a professional football league.

[@davidday2373]

All sports leagues are "for profit". And in other news, Santa Claus isn't real, kids.

[@thebrunostrange]

MLS insists on remaining a joke league

[@davidday2373]

Nearly 13 million in attendance... Average Team Payroll DOUBLING every 5 years... Reigning Ballon d'Or winner in the league... 6th most World Cup players of any league in teh World....

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

They actually are trying to evolve into a top 10 league. Fans of MLS were not going to the US Open Cup games.

[@thebrunostrange]

@@MichaelWalker-wu2pq Im not an MLS hater and I hope the league does evolve, but cutting themselves off from the rest of American soccer in this way is not the best way to grow the sport in the country imo

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

@thebrunostrange Eight clubs are still sending their multimillion-dollar 1st rosters out there. Understandably, some owners don't want to risk losing their top players in a tournament that has abysmal attendance. USSF needed to do a much better job marketing this tournament.

[@ganaed9954]

And the MLS wants to compete with the Premier lmao. If they dont take their own football serious why would anybody else?

[@davidday2373]

What does the worthless US open Cup do to improve MLS?

[@ganaed9954]

@@davidday2373 I don't know don't really care tbh according to Ale it helps smaller clubs. All I'm saying is that all this makes the MLS look unserious and disorganized

[@davidday2373]

@@ganaed9954 Yeah well Soccer is just weird like that. I don't understand why they're forced to play amateur, and semi pro teams.

[@Backpackfiles]

Wow. This is bull$#!+

[@shawnevans26]

I’m very upset that Orlando City is not in this tournament!!! I’m all for MLS, about I’m against them on this

[@michaelhalpert5518]

Everyone is upset but no one will do anything about it. They’ll buy tickets to the leagues cup games or watch it on Apple TV while at the same time posting about how awful it is. I’ve been trying to contact supporter groups across the country to organize a boycott but only one has even replied.

[@shaizadamji3338]

@@michaelhalpert5518 to those who responded did they agree with the boycott? Hopefully more do.

[@ya2u]

I'm not watching MLS anymore after this

[@davidday2373]

Makes you a plastic fan

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

You're not someone who wants the league to grow and make money. More money means better pay for the players and coaches.

[@jamesjames4565]

After Messi went to US, I've watched MLS, leagues cup and the us open cup. Leagues cup was amazing, I didn't like the us open cup at all.

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

Asking MLS to put there multimillion-dollar rosters in a tournament that hardly ANY fans attend is an example of how soccer is different from all other sports in the US. Imagine MLB participating in baseball tournaments that don't field crowds. 😂😂

[@JDTheKobe24]

haha that's why us is so weak in international competition. just like all european teams has the kind of setup of competition. and this US teams are a joke. even a 3rd tier team of EPL will destroy an MLS team haha

[@Adamdidit]

By 3rd tier EPL team do you mean a bottom feeder in the actual Orem or a League 1 team? Becauae only one of those is even remotely reality. ​@JDTheKobe24

[@asapaul7671]

It’s more cause they are scared of losing to who they consider “lesser” clubs, which happens every year. MLS are cowards and want no other league that makes money they they don’t get

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

@JDTheKobe24 The US is a giant nation that traditionally ignored this sport. The market for it has always been small here. We see what happens when you get the U.S. population to care about a league. NFL is the largest league in the world by revenue. MLS can be a top 10 league if they even somehow can get a small portion of the American population to care about soccer but that's not easy. It's so foreign to how American sports work.

[@karookpoto7323]

This is why the MLS would never be taken seriously. Only stars at the end of their career would be coming to the league.

[@davidday2373]

LOL, why? Because of the US Open Cup. You're so silly.

[@davidday2373]

Petar Musa will leave FC Dallas, go back to Benfica, after hearing this news about US Open Cup. LOL

[@karookpoto7323]

@@davidday2373 What is going to happen to mls after Messi is gone? I know the league is young when compared to other football leagues or even the other leagues in america. However, the league is not consistent, chasing after money before establishing a culture and in all honesty, relying old stars to be drawn foreign even local viewership.

[@davidday2373]

@@karookpoto7323 I never heard of Gareth Bale before he joined my LAFC. Never heard of Zlatan before he joined the Galaxy (he was the perfect "villain" in our Rivalry). I dont watch European leagues, I am not a LigaMX fan. I'm one little sports fan, but i represent the growth of MLS/Soccer in the U.S. Messi is a stepping stone for MLS, like David Beckham was. He broadens the horizon for MLS, nothing is guaranteed, but MLS benefits from Messi's gravitas, his draw; he adds credibility. Messi/Miami will be playing against Fluminenza, the Libertadores winners! After Messi, it's the 2026 World Cup in North America! That'll bring another new horizon to Soccer in the U.S. (again, nothing is guaranteed but it's beneficial). I predict that a handful of stars from the World Cup will join MLS come 2027.

[@davidday2373]

Bold Prediction: Pulisic to Chicago Fire by 2027

[@imy_mac]

You can tell Ally doesn’t watch MLS. The eight teams are actually probably the best teams in MLS.

[@venericanone]

Not last year according to standings. You must not watch either

[@imy_mac]

@@venericanone yea actually no one does it’s pretty trash

[@venericanone]

@@imy_mac ok at least you admitted it

[@Jesusisyhvh1]

mls is not a very smart org

[@davidday2373]

Why, cuz they want to cut dead-weight?

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

Placing expensive multimillion-dollar rosters out on the field for a tournament that has abysmal attendance is not smart. Imagine a DP getting paid $5 million a year and getting injured in a tournament that MLS fans don't even care about.

[@davidday2373]

MLS had the 3rd largest total attendance of any league in the world (Soccer-Football) in 2022-23.

[@votewomensrightsgunscontro8617]

Ale is a TOOL!

[@pierrecardenas566]

Tournaments like the FA cup work for leagues that aren’t playoff based leagues (nearly every league but the MLS). The MLS playoff system needs to end.

[@davidday2373]

That's redarted. England needs to add College Basketball, Spain has to add a Salary Cap to La Liga, Germany needs to end the 50+1 rule, first... then maybe MLS eliminates the Playoff system.

[@franklerch1012]

US still thinks football is optional. They just don’t get it. 😂

[@vaibhavpatil6488]

American top Basketball players don't even participate in World Cup, they can't deal with real rules😂. That's just dumbness.

[@user-ez6qt9oz4p]

Tell them Ale!!! MLS one step forward two steps back!!!US Soccer Federation are weak!!! Please stop killing the only Soccer history we have!how Messi should feel?

[@viewingstorm8930]

USL is the only serious league in the states, in the USL teams don’t just move cities, in the USL pro/reg is actively being discussed and hopefully will be adopted, the USL actually cares about soccer

[@Adamdidit]

"If coaches want to send their 2nd team thats a decision on them" Yeah thats what they were doing. Til the Open Cup got mad about it. That's what this entire issue is built on. 5 minutes of ranting about how terrible it is just to accidentally side with MLS.

[@scottb.435]

All MLS teams should be in the US Open Cup!. Limit the Leagues cup to the top 8 from each league.

[@davidday2373]

For what? That makes no sense.

[@PBLeagues22]

Problem: There are too many games. Solution: Reduce the regular season by 3-5 games. Reduce the playoffs by 4-5 games. Save the Leagues cup for non-Gold Cup / non-Copa years. Yes, let the MLS teams send their 2nd teams, but up the incentive for winning.

[@davidday2373]

What "problem"?

[@TitoFuentez]

Woww disappointed

[@MsKristy1001]

Its sad ale is right. If the FA cup good enough for some big club in premier league ls why not join? This why u.s soccer suck

[@davidday2373]

If College Sports system is good enough for the NFL and NBA why not have it in England and Spain and Italy, etc? European sportsr model sucks.

[@PharmacyAve]

MLS is a joke of a league

[@Luis-hk1gd]

Please fire Alejandro Moreno. He's so cringe and has zero ball knowledge.

[@tonyrc49]

MLS and ussf leaders .... Lazy. 🤦‍♂️.

[@davidday2373]

MLS has the 3rd largest Attendance of all Soccer leagues in the world. Only the EPL and Bundesliga had more Total attendance in 2023 (2022-23). MLS Attendance has DOUBLED since 2011. You think this MLS' growth just happened out of nowhere? The NWSL just landed a TV deal bigger than MLS's previous TV deal, on a per team basis (inflation notwithstanding). And CONCACAF is starting the Women's ConcaChampions _this year,_ just recently announced. The creation of Leagues Cup provided an additional 1.33 Million attendance out of thin air -- meanwhile the European Leagues, and their leadrs, are bringing their big-name Clubs to the U.S. for the "Summer Champions Tour" which overlaps with Leagues Cup.

[@bbbeezy]

Everybody here talks about how great the US Open Cup is and how important it is to US soccer and tradition and on and on. Yet no one goes to these matches. No one. Stadiums are nearly empty for these games, even at places that normally pack the stands. Fans barely show up to CCC matches (which are far more important), so it’s not surprising that MLS doesn’t care about this competition. MLS fans certainly don’t, so why continue it? Tradition? Please. MLS clubs (including my own) have historically never put any weight on these matches, largely playing their bench or even second team squads because no manager wants to risk their starting 11 playing FC Nobody for a trophy that means nothing.

[@barry_8740]

Mls never markets it plus its unfamiliar to casual fans

[@davidday2373]

Yeah, all of those people are lying. They're "virtue-signaling." And its so fake, it's disgusting. Meanwhile Leagues Cup was fun AF, they cant admit that it was a good idea. Leagues Cup had 1.33 Million in attendance.

[@MichaelWalker-wu2pq]

​@@barry_8740it's not their job to market someone else's tournament. 😂

[@temiomo-loto4122]

@@MichaelWalker-wu2pq that’s the problem right there. It’s shouldn’t be seen as some useless tournament by theses teams if you want to grow your club’s reputation

[@barry_8740]

@@MichaelWalker-wu2pq ot actually was until recently they got money out of it and guess what they marketed the tournament poorly. Some of MLS best teams got there move to mls by having good open cup play like fc cincinatti

[@davidday2373]

Does England have the NFL, NBA, MLB, College Football, NHL, College Basketball? Whenever England gets all of those leagues/sports, _THEN_ we can make the apples-to-apples comparison. Until then, SHUT THE Front Door about England, the FA Cup, the EPL and any other foreign sports format/system.

[@davidt3956]

You do realize none of those leagues is the global sport and refusing to look at the way it's played by far better leagues than the MLS is childish nonsense.

[@davidday2373]

@@davidt3956 Don't miss the point: MLS has to COMPETE WITH ALL OF THOSE GIANTS within their own country for viewership, for media space, for fans time and support, etc. It's not as simple as comparing things with England/EPL/FA Cup. Secondly, the USOC is not at all engrained into the sports culture here. Not even a little. MLS is trying to make inroads, and if they think cutting dead-weight is the right move, I don't blame them. The US Open Cup has very little significance.

[@temiomo-loto4122]

@@davidday2373 why should the mls compete for the eyes of people who are occupied in other sports. America has a large population of people from countries where their national sport is Football(not soccer) and the way the MLS is structured should have been catered to those people not to the people who’ve already chosen a different sport.

[@davidday2373]

@@temiomo-loto4122 What do mean, that is what MLS is up against. Whereas England/EPL don't have to contend with 5 or 6 other GIANT SPORTS LEAGUES with generations of history. BTW, I myself am one of those sports fans who only recently became a Soccer fan, since LAFC came along. I didn't care about Soccer-Association Football for most of my life, now, LAFC is right up there with my USC Trojans, my L.A. Clippers, Dodgers. I never watched Messi before coming to MLS.

[@temiomo-loto4122]

@@davidday2373 The Epl wasn’t always in as popular as it is now it had the Seria A and Laliga to compete with yet is now the most popular league in the world. 2. If you’re just watching MLS your view on what quality football looks like is bad. And the fact that it took LA fc to become a winning team for you to pay attention is why the sport wouldn’t grow in the US.

[@carljacobs1260]

So let's take a step back and admit a few things. 1. The FA Cup is not comparable to the US Open Cup because most Americans don't even know the US Open Cup exists. 2. MLS receives no tangible benefit from participating. None. At all. 3. "Growing the Game" in this context means "Increasing the Status of USL" because USL is by far the biggest beneficiary of this competition. USL is responsible for growing USL - not MLS. 4. Yes, it's all about money. Lots of people want to use the popularity of MLS to vector money to USL. These are the same people who want to build up USL as a D1 competitor in order to create leverage over MLS so that they can try to change the behavior of MLS - especially the Pro/Rel cultists. Why would MLS want to subsidize that effort? 5. There was never any chance USSF was going to pull the D1 status of MLS. This outcome was inevitable. Be grateful MLS is participating at all.

[@bhekuwenza]

absolutley 0 creativity. 100% "gain" ...

[@fsshue8657]

It’s interesting on the revisionist history of the USOC. Original NASL didn’t participate. Between 1995 and 2005, it was optional for MLS clubs to participate. From 2006 to 2011, all clubs participated but MLS decided who would play thru prior season performance and a preseason tournament held by MLS (in 2011: 6 were auto bids, 2 went thru via preseason tournament). Only since 2012 (a little more than 10 years) is the sanctity of full participation. I’m not agreeing with MLS but USOC is not some holy, unchangable tournament. It’s going back to 2011’s format in a way

[@davidday2373]

Dude, they don't want your logical approach to mess with their "virtue-signaling"

[@davidday2373]

6. USMNT does not care about the growth of MLS. 7. If these same people actually had conviction, they would be advocating for College Soccer teams to be included in the US Open Cup. But instead, they actually trash College Soccer any chance they get. 8. Sports is not a charity.

[@viewingstorm8930]

@@user-qb3og5iu3rexactly, MLS is for young players to go to Europe and old players to retire and it’s going to continue like this. until one of three things happen MLS absorbs the USL (not going to happen), USL overthrows the MLS (most like,y won’t happen,or MLS cooperates with the USL and other smaller leagues

[@lovo908]

Bro let the second team play against grown men and develop it will be better for us soccer and mls

[@davidday2373]

Now that's a plan.

[@Photosoflife]

Anyone else feel like Ale just looks for any reason to be “outraged”?

[@shaquillefraser500]

Yup

[@javiercota9494]

It’s tv

[@evilkhamzat]

No we should care about tradition and parity unless you want MLS to continue to be a monopoly

[@michaelclayton9658]

Facts

[@perfectgogeta]

Absolutely. This is one of them

[@alistairfannell6694]

The US Open Cup is far more important than this Stupid League Cup. Everyone should Boycott this.

[@davidday2373]

The most watched league in the U.S. is Liga MX. There are 40 million Mexicans/Mex-Americans living in the U.S. The Mexico-U.S. rivalry in Soccer is among the best, internationally. The total attendance for Leagues Cup was over 1.3 million. So in truth, Leagues Cup serves as a much more important tournament than the historically amateur USOC tournament.

[@davidday2373]

Imagine if NFL teams were forced to play against XFL teams, and amateur teams. LOL. Stop making every comparison with England. This is the U.S. We're not trapped by old, antiquated, competition formats. PLAYOFFS > Relegation. LEAGUES CUP > u.s. open cup.

[@temiomo-loto4122]

And you’ll continue to not grow your league

[@barry_8740]

We need relegation this is not England but there is a model for soccer/ football and mls is just trying to make a monopoly better lower leagues creates betyer homegrown talent and in turn better national teams thats the whole point.

[@davidday2373]

@@temiomo-loto4122 MLS is already looking at Serie A and Ligue 1 in the rear-view mirror in attendance. Total MLS attendance was nearly 13 MILLION in 2023 (MLS+Playoffs+LC). MLS average Payroll has been DOUBLING every 5 to 6 years. La Liga is crying about the EPL "doping" their Payroll...Euro leagues are getting LESS and LESS in their domestic Broadcasting rights deals... Ligue 1 has trouble even getting a Broadcasting deal (they're offering to host Ligue 1 official games in the U.S.)

[@brando7266]

​@@temiomo-loto4122attendance has never been higher, and the league is getting better each yr, even without the us open cup, besides ,id rather see mls teams play against Mexican teams, it will help them get better,

[@davidday2373]

@@temiomo-loto4122 P.S. MLS is adding teams. Ligue 1 is subtracting teams.

[@Clubamerica1fan]

😂😂😂😂 MLS is exactly where it belongs 😂😂😂😂

[@davidday2373]

Top 3 league in the world of Soccer-Football in Total Attendance (2023)! (1) EPL, (2) Bundesliga, (3) MLS, (4) La Liga...

[@randallhill8039]

It's one tournament. Why is the MLS being such a little b****