Why is MLS ATTACKING the Oldest Soccer Competition in the USA?

[@gcusato]

11 MLS Next Pro teams were entered into the Open Cup. Going into the 3rd round only 3 remain. 2 out of 8 NISA teams are left. 8 out of 12 USL League 1 teams remain. USL Championship teams entering into round 3. The MLS Next Pro squads are very young players taking on much more experienced Semi-Pro and Pro teams. Not a good look for the second level of MLS compared to USL 1 and NISA who are on the same level per the US Soccer Pyramid.

[@GeoffKimo]

Several of the USL League 1 teams competed against each other our USL League 2 teams. AFAIK, none of the USL League 1 teams lost to a MLS Next Pro team!

[@k.p.8955]

MLS Next Pro is definitely a horrible name for a league but it does speak of it's concept, the next step beyond MLS Next the MLS academy system. Also, I was furious to read/hear about MLS not participating in US Open Cup. This is outrageous imo. Moreover, they should've had the balls to enforce whatever rules are in place to make it happen. It's also upsetting to see how this couldn't just be fixed "legally". Good topic!

[@jayh3283]

Sounds like MLS was inspired by WWE's NXT to try connecting with young fans. It is indeed a stupid name.

[@PCSPounder]

A lot of MLS owners are familiar with big 4 franchises. Their expectation going in was an NBA experience, with minimal interference from the national governing body and full reign on the sport here. It’s one thing to say “they don’t have the right to be different from the rest of the world,” but USSF will always be a bit of a whipping boy. Moreover, FIFA needs only to hear the name Loretta Lynch to curl up in a ball… they’re afraid of contravening American law. To me, it’s silly to act like USSF has a leg to stand on. What’s not silly… doing what the big 4 has done required the capitulation of fans in non-home markets. Thus was created the Regional Sports Network. But those are dying. Leagues are facing a ton of uncertainty about the origin of their next paychecks right now… and even if the NBA just scored a big contract, there’s some uncertainty that the networks involved will stay solvent. And just as important, in case you’re in a current MLS market and was motivated by my initial comments and wanted to pile on… American soccer fans are too smart for that. We do know how the world works. And in places like Sacramento and Louisville, they’re having more fun following their home teams than they are subscribing to something that (the system, not season pass) is frankly on the expensive side. You’re not going to create your own RSNs, you’re not going to have credible regionality, because with this sport, we want the home team in town. I could even be convinced that, in a post-Messi environment, Apple will want to force MLS into a semblance of pro/rel simply because they’re more interested in subscriptions than ratings. Not that accomplishing this will be easy, because no organizing body will truly cross MLS. But MLS has a ceiling in their current format.

[@vaporterra]

My local MLS club San Jose Earthquakes are one of the few sending their first team to the US Open Cup but if Oakland Roots or any lower league club wins the whole thing I’ll be very happy.

[@DerekLangdon]

US open cup? Haha, Sounds like a golf tournament to me.

[@garykao3664]

This has and is continuing to backfire massively on the MLS. The MLSNP teams they sent instead have been humiliated by amateur and beer league teams. And USL and NISA have derived massive positive publicity and good will from committing to full participation.

[@spacedragon4478]

Greed ruins everything.

[@optimumfilms]

USL teams seem like the greedy ones. Just come under MLS sanctioning if they want pro/rel. Be the bigger league and step aside.

[@wizarddragon]

@@optimumfilms lol such a silly take

[@davidday2373]

U.S. Imperialism is one thing... sports is another.

[@cranjismcbasketball1638]

​@@optimumfilmsDon Garber? Is that you?

[@optimumfilms]

@@cranjismcbasketball1638 we summer at the same resort.

[@primateboogaloo]

I'd be devastated if the same thing happened with the FA Cup. It's a beautiful way of bridging the gap between elite and semi-pro teams

[@keatonlibengood7738]

MLS leaving the Open Cup is a giant f you to all lower league fans everywhere. But hey they can keep showing Messi off until he retires and most of the people watching leave & wont care again

[@davidday2373]

Why? The Open Cup still a qualifier for ConcaChampions, AND NOW every low league team has a much better shot at winning USOC and competing at the international level. What the F are you people complaining about, exactly?

[@keatonlibengood7738]

@@davidday2373 MLS is gonna fully back out of this tournament in the future and they'll revoke that qualifying spot instantly. And winning the whole damn thing isn't what it's all about. It's about David v Goliath. Lower league teams hosting MLS teams is a huge growth for the game, growth for the lower league team money and interest wise. Pittsburgh beat 2 MLS teams last year & hosted one & the whole city was buzzing for it. Sacramento made the finals a few years ago when all the MLS teams were in it anyway

[@kevpa96]

That's exactly right. You can already see how Inter Miami videos and games get a lot of views and people get up in arms about him not playing every game. It's like a false growth in the league but they're too busy riding that high to realize it won't last forever.

[@joshuabrown2134]

big fkn facts

[@r2dad282]

Yup, Garber refused to play nice so USSF gotta pound Garber in the huevos. Too bad she didn't grow a set and drop the hammer. USSF won't be respected until she does.

[@bradenhazle4378]

Not only is it the oldest soccer cup, it's the oldest annual tournament in history of US sports. Edit: team sports

[@Alexadron2]

With this cup, the Americans could prove to the whole world that they also have a long historical football tradition.

[@clubin_to5789]

@@Alexadron2but NOPE they’d rather parade Messi around till he retires and no one will care about the league after… great

[@kalmenbarkin5708]

No it’s not. The World Series is older. (As are the Kentucky Derby and the US open - both of Tennis and Golf) Pre COVID USOC had the distinction of being the oldest that never missed a year because most events missed a year either during WW2 or for some other reason. But now that the Open Cup missed a year too it lost that distinction.

[@kalmenbarkin5708]

@@Alexadron2The inferiority complex 😂 Who gives a shit if Englishmen like old things?

[@davidday2373]

Yeah, well whatever it is, it has mostly been an amateur tournament. It's not some significant tournament in the U.S. sports landscape. You couldn't even name the winningest team in USOC history..

[@AHomelessShoe]

So here's my stance on a couple of things. First, NASL is also to blame for their downfall. Instead of just trying to make their league sustainable, the decided the time was right to try to take on MLS. And look where that got them. If they had done what USL had done, they may have been around to this day. Second, as for the MLS rec leagues, I don't care. A lot of the rec leagues around me are either too pricey or fall on days I can't do. If MLS can give me an option that's either cheaper or in a better time for me, I'd be willing to sign up for it. Last, I do agree that USSF should be putting more pressure on the leagues. If they would be willing to grow a backbone, I think a lot of this would go away. Granted, expect a long lawsuit, but it would still be for the best.

[@FlyFoxPro]

I will never give a dime to MLS as long as the closed system exists and they actively try to destroy non mls clubs and leagues.

[@davidday2373]

You are part of the problem.

[@diegobroad2851]

​@@davidday2373good...hope they lose money...MLS won't even look for players from lower leagues...they need to learn MLS is not the NFL with a college farm system....this is a global sport and a closed system view will never work.

[@davidday2373]

You're part of the problem.

[@garykao3664]

I'm with you FlyFoxPro! I was a MLS supporter --until this sabotage of the US Open Cup by MLS.

[@davidday2373]

@@garykao3664 You make its worse.

[@terryfox9344]

Thank you very much for this information. As a former member of the National Council who attended something like 8-10 AGMs and ran my state's portion of the Open Cup in the 1990's, I recall when MLS first sought sanctioning as a Division 1 Pro League, before it ever played a game. At that time, the NASL was the highest level of Pro soccer in America, and if my memory is correct the USSF had recently reduced them from Division 1 to Division 2 status. At that time, the MLS was being led by Alan Rothenberg, who had recently led the LA Olympics. The USA had been awarded the 1994 World Cup, and Rothenberg ran for President of the USSF, to control both that and the organization of the MLS. I think we may have been a bit star struck, but Rothenberg was elected President in Orlando, if I recall correctly, the MLS was granted Division 1 status, and things seemed to work well in the mid-1990's. The Amateur and Youth divisions of the USSF still had voting power, but MLS types infiltrated the top executive positions. The current situation deeply pains me. I hope that US Soccer reasserts itself, but unfortunately, I am too old to help much.

[@celebrim1]

The fundamental reason is mls can't convince fans to buy tickets to the matches. They are poorly attended and don't being in revenue and the prize money to the competition is trivial. Fans don't really care, leading to the only mls teams that even try to win are usually teams struggling to give thier fans something to cheer about.

[@williamthompson2941]

I don't watch MLS - i watch USL despite my adopted team Loyals being screwed by MLS . My local team is Kingston Stockade in NY state - which used to be 160 mile round trip.

[@davidday2373]

You should support College Soccer.

[@khalilshahyd9063]

They didn't pull the D1 Sanction because doing so would've exposed that as a paper weight. D1 sanction from USSF means absolutely nothing. If it mattered, why give it to USL-WSL so easily? Why not force them and NWSL into a pro/rel structure first? USSF has ZERO LEVERAGE against MLS at this point. Pushing this fight would just lay open their weakness and allow MLS to completely abandon any pretense of control by the USSF

[@r2dad282]

...as opposed to what's happening now? USSF needs a fighter and a gameplay--they have neither.

[@davidday2373]

Because Pro-Rel would be stew-pid for Soccer in the U.S

[@greggberhalter8781]

I will call up miles robinson more often to piss off Tac

[@wuxiagamescentral]

That is a tactic and we know that you Berhalter don't know any tactics

[@inelhuayocan_aci]

@@wuxiagamescentral Except pissing off Tac.

[@teddyomararayacrooker2240]

😂 fuera Greg en español es lo mismo que: fuera tata😂 😂 😂

[@noway5976]

Chris Kessell was an excellent and knowledgeable guest on this topic. Certainly worth another appearance if you decide to do so.

[@4liferssslockedin]

I can imagine inter-Miami losing to a USL team; Legion fc got screwed and should’ve at least drawn with them in the last open cup in the quarterfinals

[@thepatsnumber1fan]

I really hope usl and the other lower leagues come together and have a partnership I doubt pro/rel happens but they need to be an alternative to mls and stand out

[@joshuabrown2134]

usl has two divisions now so watch out..

[@GabrielAlcala956]

My local USL Championship team RGV Toros completely dissolved this season 🫵🏻😭 Complete disgrace! Why? Idk but I’m sure money had a lot to do with it. As-is with all clubs.

[@GabrielAlcala956]

@@nerychristian not making enough money

[@oyaml1211]

​@@nerychristianYes. Not enough fan interest as almost 99.9% of soccer fans in the RGV are Liga MX fans and don't care about US leagues

[@theCranesUS]

Out of curiosity why did the Toros/Dynamo relationship fall apart?

[@GabrielAlcala956]

@@theCranesUS Our area just cannot support any pro or semi-pro team. How the RGV Vipers (G-League) are still active is beyond me!

[@theCranesUS]

@@GabrielAlcala956 That sucks. I had hopes for the Toros. In the 90s UT PanAm (not sure if the college is still named that) had a great team. We use to meet them in the US Open Cup usually to get out of the South Texas qualifiers. We beat them twice and they beat us once, but always good tough matches.

[@heitordalfior2246]

MLS is definitely trying to test the USL club markets like Birmingham, Phoenix, Detroit and Las Vegas with MLS Go

[@khalilshahyd9063]

Because they can. MLS controls professional soccer in the US, not USSF.

[@mikexstad1121]

This issue was the final nail in the coffin of my MLS interest for me. 10 years ago I was the biggest advocate, now it disgusts me.

[@Not_Sal]

Yeah this and the end of regional MLS broadcasting wit move to Apple TV killed MLS for me

[@jasonromage6129]

"MLS should do what's best for MLS...it is a business" What's best for MLS long term is the development of the sport.

[@DominicanStud101]

Winning the U.S. Open Cup is better than winning the Supporter's Shield.

[@wuxiagamescentral]

MLS wants power and they are using the Open Cup to strong arm their way into that power

[@inelhuayocan_aci]

MLS essentially wants to reinvent the wheel in the American way of sports league management and player development as well. Greed, power, and arrogant nationalism. Nationalism in this case meaning zero-SUM (pun intended) game of soccer purely as an investment for capital and nothing else. An injection of Freedman style Chicago school of economics. Shallow and purely paradigmatic.

[@derekkatz2875]

I really hate MLS’s Disneyland league. Why can they just adapt to the rest of the world

[@davidday2373]

Why? MLS is great.

[@vaporterra]

Same for Australia’s A League

[@KalenAlmeida]

bc traditional US Sports does a lot of things better than anywhere else, so we should tread that line of being a US style league and catering to every other soccer league

[@davidday2373]

@@KalenAlmeida Also, if people bother to take a look around at those other leagues, they're not in great shape. France had to shrink from 20 to 18 teams for financial reasons. Euro leagues are earning less domestic Broadcasting revenue across the board compared to their previous deals.

[@k.p.8955]

Yes, they really need to take a good look at themselves and realize they're going this wrong...lol

[@henryalexander3680]

Sounds like MLS is trying to essentially do what MLB did to minor league baseball in this country. Destroy buy out keep wages low. Luckily for us we have a federation that are the stewards of the game in this country, they need to step up

[@Northwest360]

Can you (if you haven’t already) do a video about that it would take to change the tide on CCC? Schedule change? DP rules, etc? My gosh the ligamx trolls are the worst. I’m ready to put up real competition

[@AlexTorres-fo5eo]

MLS needs to join the rest of the world and switch to the a fall schedule

[@dandrecollier800]

@@AlexTorres-fo5eo and fight against the NFL. Yeah that he suicidal

[@xaviersaavedra7442]

They don’t want a repeat of the 2022 Sacramento republic.

[@jaredlevin4719]

I am trying to boycott mls but the irony is the team i support the Philadelphia union prioritized the open cup over the regular season. Us open cup is the longest soccer tradition we have in the country. Shame on mls for trying to kill grass roots soccer

[@inelhuayocan_aci]

I think supporting the Union (a cool American but still traditional soccer name, by the way) will prove useful in the long-run. It certainly skews MLS support in favor of the Cup and the side of those who are like-minded. The real problem, I believe, is supporting the "franchises" who went along with MLS on their boycott.

[@r2dad282]

Garber has no shame.

[@davidday2373]

Did they really? LOL

[@jasonromage6129]

Wasn't there an update in the past couple weeks? USSF can show some backbone

[@ballakick9080]

Money is the root of it ..

[@jameshunt005]

Brilliant gentlemen!!! 👏👏👏

[@khalilshahyd9063]

Neither CONCACAF or FIFA will side with USSF against MLS. They want access to the US market. They won't bar MLS teams from CCL or FIFA Club World Cup

[@r2dad282]

USSF will have to go to the mat sooner rather than later--Open Cup was the moment but USSF full of weenies who are just there for the paycheck.

[@davidday2373]

Nor should they. This is better for USL, NISA, etc.

[@keatonlibengood7738]

Boycott Leagues Cup. MLS fan groups need to lead the charge. S/o St Louis + Orlando, plus I'm sure others Also "congested schedule" that they caused bc of leagues cup and theyre having friendlies instead. MLS is a joke

[@Rodreisstitan]

Can’t even win in the concacaf champions league and they wanna do this smh

[@APEditing270]

It's becuase it's just a business for them and they don't care about the sport or have any national pride to compete with other countries' leagues

[@davidday2373]

Every league in the world is a business.

[@samhedges3890]

In my community our mls club provides a very good structure for adult and youth soccer. It’s much needed and provides a pathway ton the first team

[@jeffaa2009]

What would desanctioning do?

[@watchgagootz]

US cup is the best and most prestigious tournament the US has to offer. The growth of MLS has been so slow that most true soccer fans had no patience for it.

[@landserkorps796]

In Germany when a 3 div team beats a 1 div Team in the Cup....the hole country mocks the 1div Team....pure Fun 😂😂

[@jordanramirez1491]

Comparing MLS to other soccer leagues is fundamentally misunderstanding how American sports leagues operate. You don't see NFL, NBA or MLB teams doing anything like the US Open Cup. I'm not saying that it's right, but understanding how these owners and front offices operate will make everything at least understandable

[@mesoanarchy]

My guy, it’s not hard. It’s called, “Franchising.” From there, build as one, enter into a profit-sharing contract to ensure no team lose money regardless of attendance, and seek to use media to freeze out any competing-burgeoning leagues. It’s bs. It is antithetical to the lie of “competition” the U.S. so loves to promote but behind the scenes a small band of the wealthy laughs all the way to the bank. How about, instead of not understanding telling people how they don’t understand U.S. sports works, seek to work the way the rest of the world works. Oh, and by working his they do every facet of U.S. soccer, from introducing the sport to children right through its MLS player feeder leagues, including colleges is controlled by the “big boys” of MLS. And THAT is why we will never see our best athletes play the game that is THE easiest to learn to play no matter their economic status, or living conditions. Just think if, name the top 6’5” and over college or NBA player playing goalie instead of basketball. Just think of, name the NBA point guard or NFL wideout playing… ANY position on the pitch other than goalie! But. THAT IS NOT what US Soccer wants -- AT ALL.

[@r2dad282]

Americans love their socialized sports leagues!

[@jordanramirez1491]

@r2dad282 Ehh I just prefer my super teams to come from earned success

[@teddyomararayacrooker2240]

alguien me podría responder? Crece o no crece el fútbol en Estados Unidos? qué jugadores se bán este verano a Europa?

[@davidday2373]

Qué chingе su madre Europa.

[@dLifeHD]

It’s not hard to understand why they’re partially leaving US Open Cup, Leagues Cup makes much more money for them than USOC. Ya’ll are always complaining about how terrible the quality of the league is but then hate when MLS makes money. You NEED money to grow the quality of the league! You can’t have it both ways. I’m all for MLS making as much money as they can so they can improve the quality of the league.

[@Jaco059]

The league isn’t getting much better though competitively they still get destroyed by a struggling Mexican league one championship isn’t going to make the people start really watching the sport more people watch the premier league in the US then the MLS.

[@dLifeHD]

@@Jaco059 That's simply not true, the league is getting better every year. I've watched this league religiously since pretty much '98. We were playing in huge stadiums that weren't ours, a lot of the teams have their own stadiums now. We were playing in front of largely empty crowds, we now have the majority of teams playing in front of packed houses week in and week out. We couldn't take the ball out of the back of the pitch, we can now do that, on the ground, with confidence! Most goalkeepers were terrible with their feet, they can now control the ball pretty well. There were barely any counter-attacks in the game, we now have exciting counter-attacks. There were barely any exciting young international players, we now have quite a few of those! Each team now has soccer academies producing some promising young talent. We're getting results at home vs Mexican teams, we weren't doing that before. For the record, I still think a full strength Miami (w/Messi) or Columbus (w/Cucho) can get a result in Mexico this year. The league is growing! Probably not as rapidly as people want it to but it's growing nonetheless! This stuff takes time, chill, relax and enjoy the game while it grows!

[@r2dad282]

@Jaco059 If MLS was so good, you'd think at least one starter on the USMNT was an MLS player. Nope!

[@JonathanCLacy]

I don't think they left due to being scared they'd lose to lower teams. Not to say that that wouldn't happen, but (as was the case last year) when they lost no one caring because their 2nd or 3rd team was playing. Also, while people online say how much they care about this tournament, the stadiums say something very different. This isn't to say MLS should pull out or the cup shouldn't be given love, it's just to say that there's no stakes to the tournament. It's like winning the supporters shield. It doesn't mean anything. Therefore the average person isn't going to care to watch it.

[@davidday2373]

Most of their arguments don't stand up to scrutiny.

[@ichigo2012hollowmask]

There are no stakes in the tournament because MLS under SUM has done bare minimum in promoting the tournament. That has been by design because MLS doesn't want non-MLS lower divisions to profit. Did you just gloss that over when they said that? US Soccer made MLS a lot of money underselling their media rights with MLS (through SUM) receiving a huge percentage of the media rights profits. That's why US Soccer decided to leave SUM and go on their own because does it make sense for you to make money, only for your "partner" to take a giant chunk of it?

[@oyaml1211]

Saying MLS left USOC because it is scared of losing to lower leagues when it is MLS that has won the USOC straight since 1999 is like saying Liga MX is scared of MLS in the CCC that's why they prefer to leave and play in Libertadores 😂

[@davidday2373]

@@oyaml1211 And a lot of MLS teams don't even send their A-team to US Open Cup as it is, so that's how "afraid of losing" they are.

[@oyaml1211]

@@davidday2373 MLS would send bench and some academy players and would still win lol

[@matttyes]

Generally appreciated Garber for his work with the league...but he has truly blown a nasty fart with this one! 🤢

[@derred723]

Honestly. Most people don't care. As evidenced by the paltry attendance.

[@massivedealcloser7680]

Not full of shit! Tac is a very smart man! Perhaps even smarter than Trump!

[@tombowers6713]

This reeks of super league vibes 😢

[@davidday2373]

What.

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

They don’t want their spot in the champions cup or not??

[@benb3306]

US need a cup game. MLS is a joke, Premier League plays 2 cups! MLS scared of lower leagues.

[@TMAC803210]

If only all the “actual” fans of US soccer who are outraged about the USOC actually went to USOC games and supported their local clubs, this wouldn’t be an issue!

[@ichigo2012hollowmask]

400% increase in Open Cup interest this year btw. People do care, while you sad MLS fanboys keep hyping up your joke league with no stakes, no soul with a 40 yo Messi doing bare minimum on field.

[@yetekt6953]

@@ichigo2012hollowmaskYou realize MLS essentially is pro soccer in the US?

[@TMAC803210]

@@ichigo2012hollowmask “interest” yeah sure, where has that interest been the last decade? How many USOC games have the USMNT content creator community streamed or done match reviews for?

[@BillJohn-jg2fg]

@@ichigo2012hollowmask MLS boot lickers are genuinely a cancer on the sport.

[@marcosmoraes2418]

Lets be honest, the American way to do sports just doesnt work for "soccer". Because soccer is a real global sport, unlike American Football, and even tough baseball, hockey and basketball are played globally, its nowhere near to soccer, and USA doesnt have the main soccer league in the world unlike those sports, and its not even close from having it. So the way MLS does business, the american sports way, with franchises, no relegation, 30+ teams in a League, where mediocrity is rewarded with the best pick and not punished, putting money first, with owners only looking for profits, just doesnt work to make USA better at soccer. American kids have to PAY to play, I never saw that, go to "soccer camps", that doesnt work for soccer, just look Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, England, France, etc, soccer is free, you can just walk in a club and play or play on the streets, on bad fields, with a ball made of anything, thats why those countries are the best in football. Do you know what the american soccer system does? It makes spoiled players, who cant play in adverse conditions, it makes players mentaly weak, because they dont feel pressure, and pressure is an essential part of soccer, you know what real pressure is? Is having to fight to stay in the first division or people will lose their jobs, not the players, normal people who work at the club. Pressure is having a whole city behind you, chearing but also DEMANDING, and thats the american soccer fans fault also, you cant go to a soccer match like its a party and be indifferent if the team win or loses, also you cant be polite to the other team or just boo, you need make them scared, and lets be honest no MLS stadium or fan base makes anyone scared, specially when they play clubs from Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, etc, thats why MLS clubs always lose to mexicans, they cant play in a full Azteca or in Guadalajara with real fans cursing you all game, they piss their pants. You know what happens in Brazil when a team is reallyy bad? The fans go to the airport, to the training ground, to protest and press the players, in USA is just "oh we will be better next time or next year". So there is looooots to improve on USA to be better at soccer, and it starts from the top in US Soccer, going down to the Leagues like MLS and USL and all the way to the fans, who need to start feeling soccer, feeling your club and stop treating it like going to the cinema is.

[@NickP-n4g]

I have found most of your guest to be knowledgeable and forthright about soccer, but in this case as someone who has been familiar with MLS since its founding in 1995 and US soccer during the dark 1980 and early 1990s the information being presented is conspiracy rubbish and misinformation. US Soccer through most of its lifespan has been a amateaur organization lacking many even basic professional competencies. US Soccer was a small organization with very few paid jobs that relies on volunteers. Even up through the 1994 World Cup there was very little expertise in running a major organization. FIFA had to both provide significant aid to US Soccer and require the creation of a US Division 1 League as conditions of granting the World Cup to the US. This would not have happened had not the Olympics a few years earlier demonstrated there was a potential market for Soccer in the US; FIFA saw the US as one of the few really significant growth markets for the game. US was a backroom, amateaur organization focused on the youth and amateaur game with a very, small semi professional voice mixed in. MLS was founded in a landscape of failed professional soccer. The USSF had minimal involvement with the professional game other than the loose governance they had been granted in the US under FIFA. The major product of the USSF was the US Men's National Team which had failed decade after decade under the USSF until 1990 and would have again if not for a great goal by Paul Caligiuri. The US Open Cup was the other property which had very little value outside the local teams which competed in the competition. I played in many of these competitions in the 80s and other than wives and girlfriends NOBODY came to these games even in the late stages. It was only through the involvement with MLS in both the US National team and the Open Cup that either developed any value and even today that value is very, very limited. I remember for many years going to Open Cup games to watch DC United play various teams and despite every kind of promotion and support the interest in these games was minimal at best. DC could not play the games at RFK because the game would draw 2 to 4 thousand fans even when these games were included as bonus games in season ticket packages. DC United lost a ton of money playing in these games. They had to move the games to the Maryland Soccerplex 4k stadium and even then they could not fill the stadium. The USSF was in charge in these games and they demonstrated their lack of expertise in running events. I haven't even gotten to SUM and how that organization enabled a steady stream of income into USSF at a time when Media organizations were just not that interested in stand alone USMNT games and the US Open Cup. Even today, the USMNT embarrassingly does not draw and relies on opponent fan basis to get even some fans into stadiums. The US Open Cup as much as I care about the competition both as a past player and fan over decades recognises that outside of a small core of fans the general and even soccer public just doesn't care.

[@r2dad282]

MLS/SUM was in charge of marketing for years--you'd think they might have done a better job of it. But USSF took away Garber's toy and now Don's gone and thrown a fit. Don: "If you don't let me have my way I'm going to hold my breath and pass out". Cindy: "Don't do that sweetie, you'll bonk your head and kill yourself. I guess we'll just let you do whatever you like". Don wins, the country loses.

[@oyaml1211]

​@@r2dad282Who was in charge prior to MLS/SUM and how did that work out? 😂 It's a 100 year old tournament after all so it should be very popular by now, no? Even this year if you look at viewership numbers some don't even pass the 500 people watching! 😂 all that out rage for what if no one still don't watch

[@NickP-n4g]

@@r2dad282 The massive flaw in this thinking is that you seem to believe that domestic soccer in the US whether national team or professional club is an easy sell to the networks or streaming services. The reality is quite different. Domestic soccer is only 3rd in soccer audiences in the US behind the Premier League and LigaMX. Call it whatever you want but the fact is they are not willing to put the money into the game that you think is there for the taking. There are some very smart and knowledgeable marketing people in SUM and they had major hurdles to get networks interested. If you think USMNT is such a great product look at what they draw at games not including the other teams fans.

[@ethanreconz6063]

No wonder Football isn’t popular in the states, it’s all corporate business, no purity whatsoever

[@kalmenbarkin5708]

That must explain why NFL is so popular in the US cuz not corporate or something 😂

[@davidday2373]

MLS is "Attacking" the US Open Cup by sending less MLS teams to participate in it. ??? Ironclad premise there 😂

[@optimumfilms]

What the USOC eats don't make the MLS s#¡+...

[@mnemonija]

Ima guess it’s about money.

[@mnemonija]

Mls decided they want to own their cup competition. This soccer cup has no teams and cant support teams year round. Youth teams seems about the correct level for it.

[@davidday2373]

It's better this way. If you are a fan of a USL team this give you a much better chance of WINNING USOC & QUALIFYING for ConcaChampions! Thank you, Don Garber 🙏🇺🇸 ⚽

[@waynebender1032]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@davidday2373]

​@@waynebender1032lol... it's funny cuz it's true.

[@andymullins84]

U.S. Open Cup will survive without MLS. It's a grass roots tournament and MLS is a entity of it's own. I don't blame MLS for pulling out. They should. They are looking at competing with Liga MX. They can't do both. And keep up with their huge MLS schedule. And the travel for MLS schedule is huge. East and West shouldnt even play each other

[@csmith6583]

Open cup will survive but the top league not being in it hurt the prestige. MLS needs to focus on domestic play over trying to make mx vs mls a thing. Domestic play develops the fan base in the states which

[@anlerden4851]

Your old USA Jersey is so beautiful for me Dear Filippo. I really do not have any idea about MLS I love MLS but I only follow LA Galaxy in MLS.🥰😍🤗

[@1stutterafter]

Elon musk just needs to buy the whole pyramid and make promotion/relegation. Or just have Tesla sponsor the open cup

[@njace0075]

I see an anti trust lawsuit coming in the future

[@campionatotv3477]

MLS doesn’t want to play because they don’t want lose to superior teams which would hurt their brand. Because let’s be honest, all they care about is a brand not the football. This is why I don’t take mls serious. I can buy season tickets to see Napoli for $600 but mls wants a consumer to pay that to see the revs and Miami. lol

[@Warum.2439]

Great video and insight from Chris! Don Garber is the problem with soccer in this country. He must be voted off the Federation Board of Directors! He created a rotten system with rotten incentives for owners

[@stronkveak5917]

MLS delenda est

[@davidday2373]

Make more videos about how bad MLS is for Soccer. Here's more fodder for your vitriol: - MLS sponsors nearly 700 academies (U13-U19) - The Generation Adidas Cup pits academy teams from Concacaf, Conmebol, Uefa against each other

[@rq7284]

Don Garber won't sleep with you, no need to kick his boot everywhere on KZbin

[@mesoanarchy]

It’s not hard to understand the mechanics of MLS as a league. It’s called, “Franchising.” From there, build as one, enter into a profit-sharing contract to ensure no team lose money regardless of attendance, and seek to use media to freeze out any competing-burgeoning leagues. It’s bs. It is antithetical to the lie of “competition” the U.S. so loves to promote but behind the scenes a small band of the wealthy laughs all the way to the bank. How about, instead of not understanding telling people how they don’t understand U.S. sports works, seek to work the way the rest of the world works. Oh, and by working his they do every facet of U.S. soccer, from introducing the sport to children right through its MLS player feeder leagues, including colleges is controlled by the “big boys” of MLS. And THAT is why we will never see our best athletes play the game that is THE easiest to learn to play no matter their economic status, or living conditions. Just think if, name the top 6’5” and over college or NBA player playing goalie instead of basketball. Just think of, name the NBA point guard or NFL wideout playing… ANY position on the pitch other than goalie! But. THAT IS NOT what US Soccer wants -- AT ALL.

[@davidday2373]

Argentina's "Open Cup" has only been played about a dozen times ever. So lets not pretend that these tournaments are "oh so important" to the success of a country/ it's leagues.

[@FAITHandLOGIC]

Right but the FA Cup is and it's important for the health of lower divisions, not Premier League or MLS. MLS knows that USL has the potential to be a competitor somewhere down the road and they have enough competition with other American sports and international soccer leagues. Argentina isn't really a fair comparison.

[@Alexadron2]

you're wrong. South America has no tradition of holding open cups. I myself became interested in why they are carried out all over the world, but this is not the case in South America. modern attempts to lead them

[@davidday2373]

@@FAITHandLOGIC Most/many MLS teams have been sending their B-squads to USOC for years. So that "logic" doesn't hold up. MLS is concerned with LigaMX, with catching up to the NHL, with signing Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann types... not with the USL, or with NISA, or with the Canadian FB League. And what is not a 'fair comparison' is actually anything in regards to EPL/ FA Cup/England's Pyramid. Brazil has State Championships, no? Germany has 50+1, except for Bayern, right? Mexico has 2 Seasons in one year. Lots of countries/leagues do their own thing. We do our thing.

[@davidday2373]

@@Alexadron2 Copa Argentina has very little history/ relevance, that is my point.

[@Deeznutz29828]

MLS and USL both suck, I might just stick with the USMNT and Europe/South America.

[@wadeflores6978]

"A better coach for the national team"....wtf are you guys on. Berhalter has a 66.67% won rate. This is the best that our national team has been ever...PERIOD!

[@stevemarsan5381]

Boycott MLS for one year, than see what happens

[@stevenygabbyperez695]

This channel is so childish. No one cares anout US Open Cup. It is the WNBA of US soccer.

[@TacticalManager]

I made a video on it with different perspectives from different guests, is that as childish as your comment?

[@davidday2373]

Get on board and start backing MLS if you care about the success of Soccer in the U.S. This kind of mentality is a drag on us moving forward... USOC, Pro-Rel, none of that is important in the grand scheme of things.

[@keatonlibengood7738]

USOC is way more important than MLS. That shit has been around for over 100 years before MLS. Why would I support MLS when I have no teams near me, they're corporate af, they don't let commentators or people criticize the league because they're too soft to handle it. Don Garber & MLS is a joke

[@Jaco059]

Spamming comments is a crazy way to try to get people to like your league especially the way you are doing. The truth is the product has to get better or nobody will care the nhl has all of the revenue from being Canadas most popular sport

[@kalmenbarkin5708]

@@nerychristiangood news. They are

[@r2dad282]

@nerychristian You're only suggesting this about MLS, $ and marketing is because you don't know how youth development works in the US. MLS can't/wont do it because it's a money loser. But DA was starting to gain traction so Garber had to blow that up.

[@davidday2373]

@@r2dad282 MLS now sponsors nearly 700 Academies from U13 to U19, including MLS NEXT. MLS Academy teams get to compete against Academies from across CONMEBOL, UEFA, CONCACAF in the GA Cup/tournament.