Other than a nice shiny trophy , is it really worth teams spending hundreds of thousands if not millions to compete in the Open Cup?
Given that required travel (particularly for MLS teams, who don't even participate until the quarter final, IIRC) is minimal, I'd say yes, particularly as success in this leads to qualification for the Concacaf Champions League, where an additional prize of up to $500K can be earned. I think your estimate of the costs required to participate are rather higher than actual cost.
What’s so great about the Concacaf Champions League especially when MLS teams never win it? Heck if the Quakes win it all, they won’t even make enough to pay Vako. Aside from that, their Mexican opponents will be at home at Avaya and their fans will root against us!
Just speaking truth. For as long as I remember, I don’t ever recall a Mexican team coming to San Jose where fans root for the local side. I don’t see what’s great about playing road matches at home.
I, personally, enjoy being in the minority. Anecdote: I attended the Quakes match in Toronto in 2008, back when BMO Stadium was smaller in size but still sold out. One end zone was essentially a free standing beer garden, akin to LOBINA but not nearly as fancy, and only offering Carlsberg. I was packed in there toward the front railing. A large drunken TFC fan standing next to me shouted loud enough for the whole end zone to hear: "Twenty thousand people and one f*cking San Jose fan, and I have to be standing right next to him." The crowd erupted in laughter. I was so proud I might as well have received a standing ovation at the Oscars. Shortly thereafter Joe Cannon saved a PK right in front of me and preserved the road draw.
It was interesting to read that Seattle wanted take the competition seriously when they first came into league. They tried to win the trophy and help grow the fan base in the early years. They won 3 in a row between 2009-2011, lost in the finals in 2012, and then won again in 2014. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._Open_Cup_finals) In recent years however, I noticed that they've been fielding a lot of reserves in the Open Cup (incl. in 2017 when they lost at Avaya).
In most European countries other than maybe England, the Domestic Cup isn't all that big anymore. England actually has two Cups, the FA and the League. Never understood why though. Traveling for those teams is light though and they aren't dealing with a nation this size. I believe many teams through Europe also use their reserves during the tournament. I think the if and when CCL turns into something big, maybe it will be more interesting but its far from being a big Uefa or Copa Libertadores like competition.
I've told this story before, but this time I am including an image. Below is something like the t-shirt I first saw in Germany at WC 2006. I was wondering why this avowed DC United fan was wearing a t-shirt with a picture of an ape on it. It took me a couple of hours to realize it was Bruce Arena... I swear the one I saw was more simian. Anyhow, apparently it is called the Che Bruce Arena t-shirt.
Sport Mediaset: #ChelseaFC decide to replace Maurizio Sarri with Frank Lampard https://t.co/12nDdqfoY4 #CFC #DCFC #EFL #ASRoma #ACMilan #Juventus pic.twitter.com/hAut9w0mbA— Football Italia (@footballitalia) May 15, 2019
The Athletic wrote an article on how DC United is using a service called FanCam that photographs everyone in the stadium at a resolution high enough for fans to pick themselves out in the crowd. Check out the fancam The article discusses how fans don't know this is happening, privacy concerns, etc.