Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell (13) holds up the trophy after winning the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final against Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium last season. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
MLS clubs opting out or fielding second-tier sides are not a good look in support of the nation’s oldest soccer tournament
The ongoing feud between Major League Soccer and organizers of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup continues as what appears to be a slow phase out of MLS teams sending their first teams to compete in America’s oldest pro-am soccer tournament is well underway.
On Wednesday, ESPN soccer reporter Jeff Carlisle tweeted that just eight MLS clubs plan to enter their first teams in the MLS portion of the tournament. There was talk previously of clubs sending their contingent of MLS Next Pro teams to vie for the trophy, which many feel and have a strong argument towards would ultimately neutralize interest since essentially you’d have amateur and semi-professional clubs playing against second-tier MLS rosters.
I’m told US Open Cup format could be released as soon as today, but more likely in next day or two. As of now, top 7 Supporters Shield finishers not in CCC will enter their 1st teams, plus Houston as defending champs for total of 8 MLS 1st teams. Still not “done-done” but close.
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) February 28, 2024
All of this is due largely to the League looking to steer interest towards Leagues Cup, the upstart tournament that pits MLS clubs against Liga MX competition. Leagues Cup had strong interest when it first landed last July with excitement growing exponentially after Inter Miami and Lionel Messi in his first year ran through teams en route to collecting the inaugural trophy.
The history of MLS in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is well documented. An MLS club has won the tournament every year since 2000, with Seattle and Kansas City boasting the most Open Cup titles (four) in the MLS era.
Would MLS intentionally drag out & muddle the US Open Cup planning process to reduce promotion time because they want to minimize the legitimacy/value of the Cup and the participating non-MLS clubs? Probably! pic.twitter.com/RrcmYTU5YF
— Green Mountain Bhoys (@GreenMtBhoys) March 1, 2024
Additionally, there are teams like New York City FC and Hudson River rival in the New York Red Bulls that its said don’t plan to participate in the U.S. Open Cup this year. These types of omissions don’t help the case that teams are seeing value in playing in the Open Cup — or could it be solidarity in that they wouldn’t field essentially a “B” team against other clubs.
MLS may want to pull out of the US Open Cup but plenty of MLS players think it would be a terrible idea.
“If you want to build the game in this country how are you going to get rid of the nation’s tournament ? That’s like getting rid of England’s FA Cup”- @johntolken #VamosPod pic.twitter.com/k83khI5LwR
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) February 23, 2024
We’re guessing its the former and hoping for the latter. Non-MLS clubs and their fans all competing for entrance into the tournament will wait and see which MLS teams get pulled, and which ones will field No. 2 teams.
Either way, the drama isn’t over and by the looks of it might even get more toxic.
