Hey Everyone,

Hope you've all had a solid week. I'm an avid follower of teams throughout the various leagues/tiers within US soccer and think that the US Open Cup is a phenomenal competition. The fact that all tiers of US soccer have the ability to compete for a trophy is awesome and I think it is something that must be protected at all costs.

We've all been working on the fact that a majority of the MLS teams pulled out of the US Open Cup, only to now participate in the Leagues Cup. While I am not personally a fan of the move, I can find some merit in why they did so (even if I don't agree with it). I think the sole argument that holds weight here is that attendance of US Open Cup matches pales in comparison to traditional MLS matches.

I saw a quote from Don Garber that the Atlanta Utd vs. Indy Eleven match only had 1400 attendees, which is a very low number for a quarterfinal tie of the cup. I think that would mainly be in part because it was hosted at Atlanta United's secondary stadium and it was a mid-week match. There is also the fact that fans are unwilling to go watch their MLS teams play against non-MLS opponents. Those are three key planning factors that I believe play into the lack of attendance at many of the US Open Cup matches.

Before I continue, I want to knock down a common straw man argument that is usually brought up for the lack of US Open Cup attendance. What I have heard and reviewed in a bunch of comments and posts is that "American fans can't comprehend/understand the US Open Cup. The tiers playing against one another is different and the nuances of unique matchups in a tournament that doesn't result in winning the League is lost on American and MLS fans." The nation-wide acceptance of March Madness is my counter to this. March Madness in essence is the same thing as the US Open Cup, in that teams from various conferences throughout the country all play in a tournament with unique match ups and fans turn up in droves. It is rare that you'll get to see a Duke vs. Mercer match up, yet fans show up to support both sides. I don't believe that there is some inherent "lack of soccer knowledge" or "fans just don't get what a tournament is like this" when March Madness is as popular as it is within the US. Granted, it isn't a true 1 to 1 comparison, since the tournament is based on NCAA D1 schools. I'm using the differences in D1 conference strengths as a parallel between tiers of American soccer, for the sake of drawing an equivalence to something that is relevant within the brains of most if not all Americans.

I think there's a way forward that will increase attendance of matches and bring stability to the US Open Cup. I believe that solution is for the Lowest Ranked Team to host matches*. That is with a heavy * which I envision to have two parts: 1. Lowest Ranked Team at the time of the draw. 2. There should be a finite moment where the host is not determined by league position, but I don't believe that should be present until later on in the draw.

I think that the prospect of bringing large teams to smaller grounds will greatly increase attendance at these matches. A great example is the 2022 US Open Cup Match between Cal United Strikers (NISA) and the LA Galaxy (MLS). Cal United hosted the match and it was alleged that they had a sellout crowd. The MLS team didn't get "cupset" but it helped nurture the sport in the greater Irvine, CA area and the fans were left with an unbelievable memory. I'm not blind to the fact that the MLS brand is massive and that something similar would likely happen to most other non-MLS teams that would host MLS opponents within the cup. I am relying on that assumption for the stance of this argument. If that stance in and of itself is flawed, then so be it.

I think that there is a viable way forward to bring back all US-based MLS teams that left the US Open Cup this year. I think there is a way for it to not be a financial burden on those clubs, while propping up the lower echelons of US soccer along the way. What we should take a look at is the generosity of Tottenham when they played Marine FC in the 2021 FA Cup. Tottenham were 160-league places above Marine FC at the time of the draw, a position that isn't too dissimilar to what MLS teams would find themselves in if they lined up against lower league sides from USL League 1, NISA, USL League 2, etc. Tottenham didn't vote to leave the FA Cup following the draw, nor were they financially burdened in the slightest in sending a squad to play against Marine FC. They played the match against the minnows that are Marine FC, and stories have it that they even donated some of their ticket sales to Marine FC as a gesture of good faith.

I think having the lowest ranked team *up until a point*, host the match will help nurture the US Open Cup both financially and ethically. Financially in that there will likely be an increase in ticket sales, attendance, beverage and merch sales from larger clubs going to smaller ones. Ethically, in that it keeps the spirit of the US Open Cup present and alive. Those moments where lower league supporters see their teams have one-off battles against MLS opponents are to be treasured. I love what New Mexico United did this year when they went to LAFC. That is not the standard by any means, but something that I'm sure those fans will cherish forever. I'll also fondly hold onto my LA Galaxy vs. SD Loyal memory as well.

Sorry to pour a manuscript out here, but what does anyone else think? Should there continue to be a draw for teams that will host the US Open Cup draws, or would choosing the host based on their league position help keep the spirit and financial stability of the Cup present? Am I completely wrong for thinking that the Cup should be preserved?

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