Comments on: How to Save the U.S. Open Cup http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Thomas Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-147 Thomas Dunmore Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:45:42 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-147 I'm sorry, ursus, I can't find it anywhere on the admin side. Apologies for that, certainly not intentional. I agree entirely with your point though! I’m sorry, ursus, I can’t find it anywhere on the admin side. Apologies for that, certainly not intentional.

I agree entirely with your point though!

]]> By: ursus arctos http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-146 ursus arctos Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:18:47 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-146 Not that it was timeless prose, but might you have an idea what happened to my prior comment? It wasn't there, then was, and now has "disappeared" again. In any event, I think that a properly-organized and promoted Open Cup could well provide an alternative point of entree to "households that wouldn't have cared before". One shouldn't under-estimate the appeal of "giant killings" and "Cinderella stories" to the casual sports fan who may not now give a crap about the national team or any MLS franchise. In a media landscape that gives wall to wall coverage of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, there is clearly room for the Open Cup. Not that it was timeless prose, but might you have an idea what happened to my prior comment?

It wasn’t there, then was, and now has “disappeared” again.

In any event, I think that a properly-organized and promoted Open Cup could well provide an alternative point of entree to “households that wouldn’t have cared before”.

One shouldn’t under-estimate the appeal of “giant killings” and “Cinderella stories” to the casual sports fan who may not now give a crap about the national team or any MLS franchise.

In a media landscape that gives wall to wall coverage of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, there is clearly room for the Open Cup.

]]> By: Fire’s Cup Run Ends Before It Begins - Team News - The Offside - Chicago Fire MLS Soccer Blog http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-145 Fire’s Cup Run Ends Before It Begins - Team News - The Offside - Chicago Fire MLS Soccer Blog Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:25:03 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-145 [...] cannot laugh, as I for one was looking forward to another run at the Cup by the Fire, a tournament I’d really like to garner more attention and one that Chicago has a proud record [...] [...] cannot laugh, as I for one was looking forward to another run at the Cup by the Fire, a tournament I’d really like to garner more attention and one that Chicago has a proud record [...]

]]> By: Thomas Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-144 Thomas Dunmore Mon, 16 Jul 2007 03:35:50 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-144 It might be the least of worries, but if you could create a showcase event on ESPN, you'd be reaching new households. I also think growing grassroots soccer is important, and it provides great exposure for USL teams. There are lots of reasons it should be marketed better, but it's certainly true there are other priorities too. Still, if MLS teams are going to enter the Cup, why not ensure the tournament is as fun as possible and reaches as many folks as it can? It might be the least of worries, but if you could create a showcase event on ESPN, you’d be reaching new households. I also think growing grassroots soccer is important, and it provides great exposure for USL teams.

There are lots of reasons it should be marketed better, but it’s certainly true there are other priorities too. Still, if MLS teams are going to enter the Cup, why not ensure the tournament is as fun as possible and reaches as many folks as it can?

]]> By: Max J. Rosenthal http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-143 Max J. Rosenthal Mon, 16 Jul 2007 03:23:48 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-143 Someone at the DC boards at BigSoccer asked a decent question: is there any compelling reason other than our love of the FA Cup that this tournament should matter? I frankly think there are several, and that it should be taken more seriously, but I think there are decent arguments to be made that the USOC is the least of US Soccer's worries. For one, both them and MLS have larger issues to face in getting the Nats and MLS teams into households that wouldn't have cared before, and only big victories and international affirmation are going to do that in a lot of cases. Someone at the DC boards at BigSoccer asked a decent question: is there any compelling reason other than our love of the FA Cup that this tournament should matter?

I frankly think there are several, and that it should be taken more seriously, but I think there are decent arguments to be made that the USOC is the least of US Soccer’s worries. For one, both them and MLS have larger issues to face in getting the Nats and MLS teams into households that wouldn’t have cared before, and only big victories and international affirmation are going to do that in a lot of cases.

]]> By: Bob http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-142 Bob Fri, 13 Jul 2007 19:12:19 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-142 A tournament is an interesting idea, but the majority of USL First Division teams don't begin training camp until March. Some even start camp in early April. The shorter their preseason training the less they have to pay their players. One simple way to increase interest is to schedule the games on weekends. This would disrupt the MLS and USL schedules, but would improve the attendance at the games. Sign a deal with FSC or ESPN to cover one game per round and that would help too. One difficulty is that MLS and USL are different entities with different agendas. They aren't on the same page a lot of the time and the perception I have is that USL folks sometimes find MLS hostile to their efforts. A tournament is an interesting idea, but the majority of USL First Division teams don’t begin training camp until March. Some even start camp in early April. The shorter their preseason training the less they have to pay their players.

One simple way to increase interest is to schedule the games on weekends. This would disrupt the MLS and USL schedules, but would improve the attendance at the games. Sign a deal with FSC or ESPN to cover one game per round and that would help too.

One difficulty is that MLS and USL are different entities with different agendas. They aren’t on the same page a lot of the time and the perception I have is that USL folks sometimes find MLS hostile to their efforts.

]]> By: Bill Urban http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-141 Bill Urban Fri, 13 Jul 2007 18:56:06 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-141 Tom: The article to which you linked makes no mention of the ultimate "responsibility" for the organization of the Open Cup: US Soccer. My general beat at ussoccerplayers.com is Major League Soccer, so the piece has a definite MLS slant. Nevertheless, a criticism that it is the USSF's ultimate responsibility to promote the Open Cup is a legitimate one which others who have read the piece have made. Taking that into account, the awarding of a spot in the SuperLiga is well within the capability of MLS to arrange, since that tournament is organized by Soccer United Marketing. It would be easy to arrange; a snap of Don Garber's fingers and it would be made so. As to whether that will actually happen... Probably not. As you noted, USL sides might lack the marketing appeal of an MLS club, although the league might do well to market such an event as its three top teams and a cinderella squad, like occasionally occurs in the Final Four in college hoops. Because the money from ticket sales is the bottom line in the SuperLiga, not organizing a competition to "improve US soccer," as SUM surely spins it, a pot in the tournament for the Open Cup winners is unlikely to be arranged. But doing so would help the Open Cup's market appeal, and would certainly cause MLS clubs to play more of their starters in the Cup, rather than their Reserve sides. The simple fact is that friendlies against "big" clubs sell more tickets than Open Cup matches, but somehow the Open Cup contests are cited as "schedule clogging" matches, whereas MLS clubs competing against teams from Europe on summer vacations in meaningless matches enthrall large groups of supporters who frankly should know better. This is the reality in US soccer, and this is why the Open Cup ranks a distant fifth in relative match importance for soccer supporters behind MLS matches, friendlies, (and in some cases the order of those two is reversed) the SuperLiga and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Kind Regards, Bill Urban ussoccerplayers.com Tom:

The article to which you linked makes no mention of the ultimate “responsibility” for the organization of the Open Cup: US Soccer. My general beat at ussoccerplayers.com is Major League Soccer, so the piece has a definite MLS slant. Nevertheless, a criticism that it is the USSF’s ultimate responsibility to promote the Open Cup is a legitimate one which others who have read the piece have made.

Taking that into account, the awarding of a spot in the SuperLiga is well within the capability of MLS to arrange, since that tournament is organized by Soccer United Marketing.

It would be easy to arrange; a snap of Don Garber’s fingers and it would be made so.

As to whether that will actually happen…

Probably not. As you noted, USL sides might lack the marketing appeal of an MLS club, although the league might do well to market such an event as its three top teams and a cinderella squad, like occasionally occurs in the Final Four in college hoops.

Because the money from ticket sales is the bottom line in the SuperLiga, not organizing a competition to “improve US soccer,” as SUM surely spins it, a pot in the tournament for the Open Cup winners is unlikely to be arranged.

But doing so would help the Open Cup’s market appeal, and would certainly cause MLS clubs to play more of their starters in the Cup, rather than their Reserve sides.

The simple fact is that friendlies against “big” clubs sell more tickets than Open Cup matches, but somehow the Open Cup contests are cited as “schedule clogging” matches, whereas MLS clubs competing against teams from Europe on summer vacations in meaningless matches enthrall large groups of supporters who frankly should know better.

This is the reality in US soccer, and this is why the Open Cup ranks a distant fifth in relative match importance for soccer supporters behind MLS matches, friendlies, (and in some cases the order of those two is reversed) the SuperLiga and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Kind Regards,

Bill Urban
ussoccerplayers.com

]]> By: Dave's Football Blog http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/comment-page-1/#comment-140 Dave's Football Blog Fri, 13 Jul 2007 17:18:58 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/2007/07/13/how-to-save-the-us-open-cup/#comment-140 I actually offered the same SuperLiga bid suggestion on FanHouse today. http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/13/mls-needs-to-be-improved-not-saved/ I also think the U.S. Open Cup would mean a lot more if the prize pool was bigger. The Open Cup winner gets only $100,000 and a nice trophy. Compare that to 2M pounds for the FA Cup winner and 2M euros for the Copa Del Rey winner, not to mention the UEFA Cup bids. Oh, and the SuperLiga winner gets $1M. The three MLS teams that tanked their Open Cup games (D.C., L.A., Houston) are all in Superliga. Why put the effort into a $100,000 knockout tournament that nobody watches when it's worth much more to focus on a $1 million tournament that will actually be on TV somewhere? If the Open Cup brought the winner even $500,000 and a SuperLiga bid, MLS clubs might take it much more seriously. I actually offered the same SuperLiga bid suggestion on FanHouse today.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/13/mls-needs-to-be-improved-not-saved/

I also think the U.S. Open Cup would mean a lot more if the prize pool was bigger. The Open Cup winner gets only $100,000 and a nice trophy. Compare that to 2M pounds for the FA Cup winner and 2M euros for the Copa Del Rey winner, not to mention the UEFA Cup bids. Oh, and the SuperLiga winner gets $1M.

The three MLS teams that tanked their Open Cup games (D.C., L.A., Houston) are all in Superliga. Why put the effort into a $100,000 knockout tournament that nobody watches when it’s worth much more to focus on a $1 million tournament that will actually be on TV somewhere?

If the Open Cup brought the winner even $500,000 and a SuperLiga bid, MLS clubs might take it much more seriously.

]]>