2012 U.S. Open Cup finalized. Rowdies begin play on May 22nd in second round.
Here it is! The tournament starts on May 15th with 32 amateur and semi-pro teams facing off. The Rowdies will enter on May 22nd, one week later, in the 2nd round. If we advance, we are guaranteed a game vs. an MLS side in the third round! Lot's of good semi-pro teams out there and we'll need to be careful, but it should be expected for us and the rest of the NASL to advance.
Pairings will occur regionally, which limits the number of teams we could potentially face. What this format also means is that no local rivalries are possible for us unless both ourselves and our rivals advance to the fourth round.
What's everyone think? Ready for this? We got snubbed last year because of the sanctioning fiasco, but it is ON in 2012!
The big question should be whether or not our ownership plans to pursue a home game. I think they should, especially if we reach the third round. And they should really promote the hell out of it. I also hope that if we travel in the 2nd round it is somewhere a little closer than Texas so we can possibly have a Mob road trip.
http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Lamar-Hunt-U-S-Open-Cup/2012/01/2012-O...
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Matthew Cox on -
Are the "tournament standards" posted anywhere? If ALF meets the requirements, I'd love to see a MLS team come to town
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Permalink Reply by Jake Nutting on -
There goes my long shot hope of seeing the Rowdies come to New York or anywhere in the Northeast. Although I suppose if they make it to the 3rd round it could potentialy happen. I hope the team takes the Cup seriously as it really only has positive potential for lower division teams. Exposure never hurts us.
I hope Al Lang meets the USSF requirements to host matches. But if it doesn't is there a chance the team could find another venue in the area? It would be an incredible shame if we lose out on any possible home matches.
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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on -
I agree. It'd be interesting to know whether or not we pass muster.
And definitely, the Rowdies should take the cup seriously. Because of how alot of MLS teams treat the early rounds, all lower division sides have a great shot at advancing deep. The reward for reaching the final is pretty nice for any club, in particular lower division and semi pro teams.
Plus being the top side in your division earns you a small reward of 10k. It's something at least!
The Rowdies have every reason to take this cup seriously and we should pressure them to do so.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Martin on -
Some of us that follow the USOC closely have heard some serious rumors for a while that they were going to change it up this year. Turns out they really overhauled the entire system, except for the bidding in the later rounds. I would love to see the Rowdies paired up in the second round with either the Fort Lauderdale Schultz Academy or even better Orlando City U-23 (both in the PDL).
As someone who supports both the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Chicago Fire, I hope the Rowdies staff and players look to the Fire's 2011 USOC run as an example of how to do it. To go from having a mediocre season to being in the USOC final hoping to win their 5th cup, it was truely inspiring as a supporter to root for them against the Sounders. Ask any New York Red Bulls fan what it's like to have their front office/team not care about the US Open Cup (NYRB @ Chicago, no head coach and only 15-ish players were sent, they lost 4-0).
I hope and pray that the Rowdies take this with the utmost importance and seriousness. We NEED to go far in this tournament.
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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on
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That was ridiculous. They flew on game day and didn't even send the coach or a full team. Too bad they can't be fined for that kind of crap. Borderline bringing the game into disrepute, isn't it? Probably not even borderline, totally disrespectful of the fans, the club and the tournament.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Martin on
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And just a fun fact about the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup:
The 1989 US Open Cup (then called the National Challenge Cup) was won by none other than an amateur team called the St. Petersburg Kickers. Hmm...why am I envisioning a sign that has the years 1989 and 2012 on it?
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Permalink Reply by Jake Sillick on -
as noted by the TheCup.us (7th paragraph):
http://thecup.us/ussf-announces-monumental-format-changes-to-2012-u...
For the third, fourth, and quarterfinal rounds, a team applying to be included in the blind draw must write a check for $15k . If both apply, then the winner of the draw gets its check deposited, the losing team gets it sent back.
This means our first open cup game costs NOTHING to US Soccer to host it. No hosting fee, just whatever facility maintenance, employee pay, etc. you have to pay for an extra home game. If we don't apply for it, I will be severely disappointed.
An extra 15k to host a MLS team at Al Lang? I don't know budgets but surely at least the Third Round is doable, right?
Also according to Josh Hakala in the comments (the guy who runs it), the requirements are basic stuff like lights, locker rooms, field size, etc. I'm sure we meet those requirements. Heck if Legends FC can host a game, why can't we?
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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on
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It should be assumed that we satisfy requirements, yes.
Really, really hope they go for some home games. I just wish it could be made easier for teams to sell tickets, have more advance notice, somehow.
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Permalink Reply by Francis Novoa on -
Great news indeed.
Thanks for the posting.
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Cundiff on -
Still a lot of burning questions though. For instance:
1. Round 3 (the first round with the MLS clubs), it says the matchups will be picked geographically. But when over half of USA-MLS is west of the Mississippi, how will that work I wonder? I'm under the impression all the Round 3 games are meant to be lower vs higher division games, and not all-MLS matchups. So the Rowdies could hypothetically be paired with Chivas for all we know.
2. What happens if neither team bids to host? I heard there is an entry fee to be in the tourney, so is it just a blind draw without any extra money to USSF?
3. I wonder, what would be the total cost to Nestor and Co. to host a Round 3 game? The $15,000 bid does not get used to help pay for expenses of running a game, does it? So when adding everything up, I wonder how many people would need to come for Nestor to break even, let alone make a profit. It will be a Tuesday night game not included on the season ticket package and the maximum ticket price couldn't possibly be more than a regular season ticket. Now, advertising (even if it's only social media) the "99th Edition of the US Open Cup and we play [insert MLS club here]" shouldn't be hard at all one would think.
I'm just happy the hosting is WAY more fair in those early rounds. Remember, the Rowdies travelled to play lower division Central Florida Kraze (now the Orlando City U-23's) AND they travelled to Miami FC in the 2010 USOC. So who knows what Nestor will do with these hosting changes. I'm just dying to watch an MLS team play the Rowdies (I missed the 2010 preseason games).
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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on
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All good questions. In 2010 we know that ownership wasn't interested at all in hosting. But now that the format is different for determining home teams, and the fact that we'd definitely plan an MLS team in round three should we advance, might help change their minds and take a serious look at trying to get a home game.
I think no matter what it'd be hard for them to make money on the event. At least at first, but if in time the Open Cup would become something fans look forward to as they become more educated about it, as well as the Rowdies being back should bring more fans out to begin with, so you have a larger pool of potential fans for a Tuesday night game.
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Cundiff on
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We found 3,900 people to spend a minimum of $20 a ticket to watch a lower tier, small name, EPL team. I think we can break even no problem if the club makes it a point to advertise the USOC to the fanbase very early on as a goal for the season. I just wonder what the total cost is and what they would neeed to price the tickets at. Being totally ignorant to it, I would think $8 is a good ticket price hoping to get a minimum of 2,500 fans.
© 2012 Created by Charles Cole.
