Sorry Real Salt Lake fans your hopes of a RSL-Real Monarchs U.S. Open Cup final are now gone.
On Thursday U.S. Soccer announced that there would be a change to their competition bylaws banning USL teams that are currently owned by Major League Soccer franchises. The rule will take effect for the 2016 U.S. Open Cup.
The law in U.S. Soccer’s bylaws, Section 202 subsection D now states that “Any Outdoor Professional League Team that is majority owned by a higher-level Outdoor Professional League Team shall be ineligible to participate in the Open Cup. The Open Cup Committee shall review and determine team eligibility annually pursuant to this provision and report its decisions to the National Board of Directors.”
In 2015, five teams that are owned by Major League Soccer franchises (New York Red Bulls II, Los Angeles Galaxy II, Real Monarchs, S2, and T2) all competed in the U.S. Open Cup. Although each squad played reasonably well their presence made scheduling matches a nightmare for U.S. Soccer organizers as the competition looked to create brackets that encouraged geographic competition. The previous rule dictated that lower division sides could not play their upper division sides until the semi-finals.
What is not clear about this rule is how this rule impact the amateur sides. Teams from both MLS and the North American Soccer League have sides in the National Premier Soccer League and in the Premier Development League. Although the rule indicates that only professional teams are affected by this change (the PDL and NPSL are semi-pro leagues) one could see their rule extended.
The other concern is how this will impact competition. With MLS’ investment in the USL increasing (Orlando City and Philadelphia Union will be adding teams in 2015 while D.C. United, FC Dallas, and the Houston Dynamo have expressed interest in joining) the impression is that the league is attempting to abolish the third division of soccer and turn it more into what exists in Major League Baseball. This ruling does nothing to erase that stigma.
How this will affect the quality of competition will also be interesting to watch. MLS sides that like to put in reserve rosters were hamstrung this season when their development players were Cup-tied to their lower division sides. With this rule now in effect one can expect teams like the Los Angeles Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls, whose interest in the Cup in previous seasons was tepid at best, to put in all youth league players for their senior team. It is understandable that coaches would be interested in minding the health of their senior starters but it does American soccer’s second most important competition any favors.
Still there are benefits to this decision in that it does clear up the brackets some and perhaps it will give other non-MLS tied teams a chance to qualify and perhaps earn money to keep their operations running. One of the most interesting facets of this competition has always been the inclusion of sides from places that one might not have ever heard of.
If it gives the underdogs a greater chance to showcase their product to the American audience then it is a fantastic move by U.S. Soccer. But if MLS sides use this as an opportunity to tank matches it will be the detriment of all U.S. Soccer
