Got it. It just said "FULL SCHEDULE" at the top with the next match's tickets and I missed the option further down the page to go to Fall Season. Thanks. As for US Open Cup attendance, as a rule Wednesday night games are only reasonably popular if the host club is playing a team at least one division higher (this year's obvious exception is Rayo hosting Energy). We got a crowd of 4,578 for our first US Open Cup game hosting Energy FC while last year's Roughnecks FC open cup game hosting Energy FC midweek was lucky to get half that but no attendance figure was given -- I walked by ONEOK last year after Wed night choir rehearsal around the 75th minute and other than the two supporters groups the crowd looked pretty sparse. You could get rid of at least one midweek round by having USL and NASL enter in the same round. Or get rid of two midweek rounds by having MLS enter alongside USL and NASL, making sure those first round games are regionalized with the lower division PDL/NPSL/USASA club hosting the USL/NASL/MLS clubs whenever possible. Also, finish off getting rid of all MLS/USL/NASL affiliated clubs (including U23's) and move another game that would normally be played on Wednesday night to Saturday (or maybe Fri? Sun?). My two cents.
That is how MLS got by in the first place. I'd imagine most investment in this sport began in a similar fashion. Shirt sponsors took awhile to catch the eye of MLS as a source of revenue. I get the USSF is the driver behind the seat, that doesn't mean they have the best roadmap. The finals will always draw the biggest interest, and the lower divisions cannot draw as well at present. A cost-benefit analysis of expanding the tournament's publicity most likely falls off considerably -or rather entirely- after the third division. The market forces could change that in the next few years. Not quite the same as my rationale, moreso, if you raise the salary cap you may attract better players in the future. Of course this doesn't improve the play of domestic players perse, it ought to improve the level of play across the board. I think MLS got it somewhat right with the DP stuff to achieve this. Translated to the cup; a bigger purse and a sponsor ought to drive interest. Granted the infrastructure below the MLS is not where it needs to be to broadcast, market/sell the product effectively, it is getting better.
The problem with any of these wish list items Footy as that it is USSF run. I know their workings....I used to be involved back in the day. I had real sources until several years ago. These are not highly qualified, business experienced, soccer savvy individuals we are talking about here. It's mostly people who did the job when no one else would, for virtually nothing, when the game meant little here. They are entrenched and not giving up their power. There are no checks and balances, no one to answer to. It's political through and through. It's how FIFA became hopelessly bureaucratic and corrupt. Just look at the mess since Sunil was named Pres. Youth failures across the board, omnipotent power to a coach with a very limited resume, with no TD abilities, who has zero accountability, no matter how poorly he does or what ever stupid/non sensical thing he says or does. Sunil recycling his buddies from NJ over an over again...cronyism at it's best. MLS was started as a business by individuals who would be held accountable or who would lose tons of money. Thank goodness Phil and Lamar stuck it out and had the will. They hired a businessman to lead them...not a soccer guy. Folks truly don't understand how limited much of the USSF is skill wise when it comes to business and the game of soccer itself. If you are looking for the USSF to lead the charge in a bold, professional, and aggressive manner, using thought and ingenuity, don't hold your breathe.
If we (fans of the sport, specific team, league, The Open Cup, etc.) want the Open Cup to grow in stature, then we need to go to the games. We need to actually plant our asses on our couch and watch the final when it is on TV. We need to watch the streams on YouTube. That is the only way investors and USSF will take notice, and start to give a crap. We're starting to see it a bit with some MLS teams (SKC, Seattle, RSL, Portland, & Philly in recent years) fielding nearly their top starting 11 in all or most rounds. Though for each of those teams there are more that won't bother to send their coach to a midweek game. Often times, the LA Galaxy would field an LA II side during those midweek trips to Carolina all those years. RBNY didn't bother to turn up in Hempstead one year and got embarrassed, The Revs seem to be indifferent to the competition, ditto Columbus. Those examples aside, we're starting to see more MLS teams take this competition seriously. Let's face it, there are two trophies to win for MLS teams: MLS Cup and the Open Cup. The Shield isn't as prestigious now that a CCL spot goes to each Conference Winner and not the MLS Cup Runner Up. So MLS teams should start to take the competition more seriously each year, especially as the league grows and expands to 24 teams and beyond. Legitimate chances at Silverware will only get tougher.
Ah, yes, the Quarterfinal round. Or, as I like to call it: St. Totteringham's Day for the Pro/Rel crowd.
Aren't "rivalry games" supposed to draw more people? We could have our first sub 1k game on our hands.
Regarding Fort Lauderdale, is the stadium or its location an issue? Doesn't look like the worst place to watch a game of football.
2011 - 3,985 2012 - 3,615 2013 - 4,265 2014 - 3,825 2015 - 4,471 This year's drop off is really off a cliff. Miami FC joining the league is probably impacting them negatively. However Miami's attendance outside of their opener has been equally poor. The experiment of putting two NASL teams in the same market is off to a poor start. Unless something changes, I wouldn't be surprised if the combined 2016 average attendances of Miami and Ft Lauderdale ends up lower than the Strikers' 2015 average.
I don't think it has much to do with Miami FC. The drop off happened in the second half of last season. I put this on marketing and sales.
Something of note, both Ft. Lauderdale and Miami FC increased their attendance from their previous home games. Ft. Lauderdale was +249 and Miami FC was +608. I'm not holding my breath, but hopefully these are the first signs of positive changes.
4,118 in OKC The Derby game the other day may of had a small effect and stopped OKC attendance slide. At least for now.
Remember when Miami was going to be great because they actually play in Miami and Nesta and blah blah blah blah? Good times.
Great to get the first home win. Also good to get it with a very depleted side. I think it might lead to some serious discussions about roster moves leading into the break.
One might see it the other way round and say it is great that fans showed up TWICE in 4 days to see their Rayo despite the home loss in the USOC Only the future will tell
Sorry, but when this is what NASL teams draw in the Open Cup: OKC - 4,385 TBR - 3,455 IND - 2,145 CAR - 1,769 JAX - 1,200 NYC - 984 MIA - 300 FTL - 200 Nobody is going to step up and just sponsor the tournament for the good of the order. And no one buys tickets because of who the sponsor is. Again, weeknight, usually a non-sexy opponent, short sales cycle....all of these things are valid reasons why the tournament doesn't draw particularly well. But it's also the market saying it is not hugely interested (yet) and sponsors and money follow interest, they don't create it.