Suggest that the US Open Cup be coverted to a format that makes it open to the USL and USASA teams only. Since all 4 spots for the 2003 CONCACAF Champions Cup are going to MLS teams, (The Galaxy (MLS Cup champions), the New England Revolution (MLS Cup finalists), the San Jose Earthquakes (second best record in MLS) and the Crew), it doesn't seem like the lower division teams will get the opportunity to participate in the larger stage. If the winner of the Cup could not move forward to the CONCACAF Cup due to financial problems, then the runner up would go. If they couldn't, then the MLS team with the next highest record in MLS would go. This gives the lower division teams a showcase of their own. But, the bottom line is this: the USSF *must* do a better job promoting the cup.
no if they did remove the mls teams from the open cup then I doubt that the winner would still get a spot in the champions cup .
When MLS started, everybody was thrilled that they would participate in the Cup because the old NASL teams did not. It gave the Cup a real boost as a legitimate domestic cup competition. Just because MLS teams are usually in the final doesn't mean the lower-division teams don't get the thrill of participating earlier on. Just the idea that a USASA or D3 or PDL team might have a shot at an MLS team is what makes it great. If you take that away, the thrill is gone for those teams. My local PDL team has never even gotten past the qualifying rounds, but I tell you, this past May, when they had the CHANCE to qualify if they could just win one game at home, it was quite a thrill. Losing that game was one of the biggest disappointments I've had for a while.
If no MLS teams take part in this cup then there is basicially nothing A-League clubs could look forward to besides the league season. Every A-League fan hopes to face a MLS club in a match that matters and not a freindly and usually the attendences are pretty good. Besides, I love upsets and if no MLS teams take part, then USOC Champion will not be the Champion of USA. Give it some years and teams will begin to care.
no MLS should remain in the US Open Cup. The US Open Cup is to a lesser extent the FA Cup (English domestic cup) here in the US. It is open to any soccer team in the US. And when saying that how often do you see the leader of the English first division in the finals of the FA Cup. You don't see it that often. Then looking at the idea of the A-League getting a CONCACAF Champions Cup bid: if you move MLS from the US Open Cup, and an A-League team gets it, then you are looking at what would probably be a bad thing for US soccer as the A-League team would be competing against first division teams from around the region, and even though they may be able to compete with some there is no way that they could compete against all. And this leads to US soccer looking bad in the region because the other teams will be like "this is the best the US has to offer?" Now if an A-League team were to win the Open Cup like Rochester did a few years ago then I am all for them getting a bid, just don't do it just because you want the A-League to compete at the highest level.