Major League Soccer forced their way to reduce the number of clubs for the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup due to the fixture congestion they created by the Leagues Cup they concocted with Liga MX and CONCACAF. Or shove down our throats a plastic tournament that has no meaning whatsoever. They want to make more money for themselves, Liga MX, and CONCACAF by adding three more spots to qualify for the tournament.
A total of nine American MLS clubs, FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew, Houston Dynamo, Inter Miami, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, and St. Louis City, got involved from the first round, or the Round of 16, and many thought they would finally break through and dominate this edition o the Champions Cup.
But not so. St. Louis City lost to the Houston Dynamo in the First Round, then the Dynamo fell to the Columbus Crew, while Nashville SC went out with a whimper against Inter Miami in the round of 16. But, The Union, Orlando City, and Cincinnati also crashed out, losing to their Liga MX opponents in their second-leg matches. So, with only the Revolution defeating their Costa Rica Opponents in LD Alajulense and the Crew and Miami defeating their MLS Opponents, the conclusion would mean six of the nine MLS sides are out of the Champions Cup.
So, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Executive Vice President Nelson Rodriguez, and MLS Players Union head Bob Foose let me ask all of you one question. Where is this so-called fixture congestion? Thankfully, the Dynamo are defending their Open Cup Championship, but the other clubs who want to compete in the Open Cup will only have their league schedule till the League Cup in late July. Did you believe that the majority of the MLS Clubs in the Champions Cup would win in Mexico, where most clubs play at high altitudes? Not.
No wonder the majority of Leagues Cup matches are being played in the USA and Canada because you are scared of losing those extra three spots if any of the matches are in Mexico. You want to assume that having this Leagues Cup played on American and Canadian soil would be the great equalizer after all Liga MX sides have already begun their Clausura season on January 13th, when the MLS Season starts at the end of February. That's why the Leagues Cup is at the heart of the MLS Season because the Apertura in Liga MX begins playing three matches before shutting down.
Once again, we all know what the real reason is. MLS is no longer controlling the commercial properties of US Soccer, as they continue to bash and belittle the Open Cup. Maybe they aren't playing at spectacular crown jewels like most MLS teams do, but I know right now, the lower-level professional teams are playing where they can be at this moment. It could take many years to hammer out a deal to build a soccer-specific stadium, but the hope is that those plans are on the table to make the sport stronger.
It must be strong as a whole, not just for one league. It's getting very tiresome to see this happening over and over again. MLS is trying to have all the balls in their bag to run the sport, not the US Soccer Federation. They want to neuter the federation just like what the NBA does to USA Basketball and what the NHL does for USA Hockey. I want what makes sense and keep the Open Cup alive with all twenty-six (Soon to be twenty-seven) American first-division clubs to participate. Once again, to make this tournament what it was supposed to do, celebrate the game from the grassroots of the Amateurs to the professionals from the short seasons to the third division. The second division to the first division intertwined for the sport in our country.
Is it possible for US Soccer to move up the USL to First Division, once the USL Championship has achieved a threshold level of excellent attendance and number of soccer specific stadiums? You would think that with TWO 1st Division Leagues on the Women's side, that might also be possible for the men's side at some point in the future?