I just saw USL Championchip announced their 8 teams for Open Cup. Abbreviated format is: 4 Amatuer teams (USL-2, NPSL & Local qualifiers) 4 D3 Teams - 2 from NISA & 2 from USL-1 8 From USL-C 8 MLS 1st round May 4-5 4 Amatuer teams (USL-2, NPSL & Local qualirifiers) 4 D3 Teams - 2 from NISA & 2 from USL-1 vs8 From USL-C Not 100% clear if this will be random draw or as shown no USL-C playing each other 2nd round May 18-19 8 winners vs 8 MLS (Again not clear if random draw or if MLS will not play each other) May 25-26 QF June 15-16 Semis June 29-30 - Finals Not clear about who will host. So chance Crew could have home game or 2 on may dates. Could we see soft opening of New stadium if we get to June games? 4 games for MLS teams to win it all. I like our chances.
Ticket Rep told me yesterday that Season Tickets include USOC Games through the semifinal this year. That to me says we're are in the Open Cup this year.
https://theathletic.com/2427931/2021/03/04/mls-open-cup-sam-vines/ Behind a paywall - but basically says MLS is considering determining who qualifies for the US Open Cup based on their results in the first 3 regular season games this year. Complete nonsense! So they'll probably do it.
So the year the Crew wins MLS Cup is the year they decide not to send the best team in the league to USOC. And people wonder why everyone thinks USSF is a shit organization.
If they do anything not based on last year's results I'll go out on a limb and predict it will be ATL, Seattle, Portland, LAFC, LA Gals, Miami, NYCFC & one of Austin/Nashville/FCKY.
I also love how they are thinking about basing it on the first three games of a schedule that hasn't been released yet. MLS: "So lets see we want Atlanta in there. Lets start them off with three home games....."
Yeah, I noticed that. Sure not making it easy for us, scheduling us against the Shield winner 3 days after a CCL game. mL$ gonna mL$.
I mean, it’s a Philly team who is not as deep as the Crew, also playing on short rest, after selling two of their best players in the offseason.
Stop whining. You think Philly is thrilled about playing on the road week one against the defending MLS champions on short rest after their CCL game?
Amen. Look, I am ticked that in two years where we have an awesome team, our ability to add trophies was lessened by the USOC being cancelled last year and the field limited this. And the fact that this 3 game proposal hurts us because we have CCL games. But then again, so does Philly. So no real disadvantage there. Hardly MLS screwing us. Plus, having a two game head start may help us bit sharper and fitter than other non-CCL teams early on.
Something like that has been done before in the USL. There is a slightly easier way--use the first game of the season as a Open Cup qualifier. That knocks it down to 12 teams with one game (pretty fast) and preserves the "knockout" style format. If a team plays a Canadian team, they get a bye. There are a couple of ways to get down to 8 after that.
We also get to start practicing earlier (2 weeks? or just one? I can't remember). Obviously not an advantage against Philly who is in the same situation, but should be against the others. While MLS has done us dirty plenty of times, this doesn't appear to be one of them. Being a really good team certainly helps us avoid some minor traps. Our biggest issue may be our inability to win on the road. Based on the club statement that they plan to have 13 or 14 games at the new digs, the first 3 games of our season very likely includes 2 road games. If we need to go 3-0-0 or 2-0-1 to get into the Open Cup, we're going to have to bag a win or 2 on the road early. Being more fit and game-blooded may be a boon there.
If the score is tied after 90, it would be a point apiece in the MLS standings but do they play OT in USOC or go straight to PKs?
PKs. It's a qualifier not a full USOC game. Would be fun for the fans too. But the odds of the Federation and/or MLS doing this are slim.
It actually has been done before. Might have been 2001 but there was an MLS game that also counted for USOC advancement.