With no official announcement yet on the setup for 2008, Real Salt Lake may have let some information slip on their schedule posting. April 30th they will play San Jose in a qualifier to see who plays Columbus. The winner of the Columbus and RSL/SJ winner would play Chicago. It also states 8 MLS teams will qualify. Appears that Chicago and Kansas City will play in with Houston, New England, Dallas, Chivas USA, New York and DC United automatically qualifying. If that is the case then LA and Colorado would play to see who faces Kansas City for the last spot.

I assume all 8 from USL 1 are in and top 8 with Harrisburg as an automatic from USL 2 - probably still with the percentage to a certain date being the criteria. Add the 2 USASA teams from each Region and 8 PDL teams and that would be the format again (much like last year).

I wish US Soccer would get someone to promote the event. To them it seems like an afterthought (and unfortunately it probably is).

So that's THREE layers of qualifying? So it's the team that finished #12 last year (of 12 American MLS clubs) playing the newcomer, and the winner playing #9, and that winner playing #7.

Wouldn't it be easier to say that the top 3 American clubs automatically make it, and the other 10 play one match to advance the other five?

I guess if you are actually making money on the match at the MLS level - why not play a couple of games early when the schedule is not so congested. They mean something (it is still US Open Cup - at least as a qualifier), can get decent crowds maybe. I wonder if the extra money goes to MLS or US Open Cup or is split.

I wish they would just add all the MLS teams, it really isn't helping their schedule congestion problem that much by adding ADDITIONAL play-in games.

But adding additional play in games in April and May at an MLS home with 10,000-15,000 fans instead of playing in a USL-1 or USL-2 stadium with 5,000 fans in July or August does make a big difference.

That being said, I too wish they would add all the MLS teams, all the USL-1 and USL-2 teams. I also wish that USSF would actually promote the events and at least act like they care about it. It could be such a great thing, but they have almost no information on their web-site about it, promote it very little and treat like a series of exhibitions. This is a great tournament with great history - they are really missing the opportunity here.

Daniel, how much would it cost them to promote this tournament the way you envision?

I also think that the grand prize of 50k is not much of an enticement, for the MLS-the actual trophy is worth more to a club wanting silverware. A USL team or D2, D3 could do more with that grand prize than an MLS team could. I say lengthen the season for MLS so it doesn't cram their schedule(largely due to travelling the distances during the mid-week) so tightly, look into upping the ante a bit...and I agree with the promotion of the tournament, it's a great tournament with the smallest clubs having an opportunity to win...Do the teams that make it to quarterfinals get some money for that?

My understanding is that the top USASA, top PDL, top USL 2, top USL 1 teams get $10,000 - top meaning the one that advances the farthest. If teams tie the pot is split. Then I believe the winner and runner up get some funds. I think they give $150K out to the teams in rewards.

I am sure they could get some cable TV money (FSC or something) to promote this and put a little more money on the line. Even today after qualifying has started there is absolutely no information on USsoccer.com for this year - still all last years information. What we do know comes from MLS individual team sites, uslsoccer.com and usopencup.com. I assume they have told the leagues how many teams they will be getting - but they haven't bothered to put that on the USSoccer site. I mean how long does it take to write up the format and tell the dates - 10-15 minutes? I would volunteer my time to write up their information so they could post it on their website - it would cost them nothing but they could care less. I'll come down off my soap box - not because I feel better, but just because no one at us soccer is likely to care. You could probably buy the rights to the tournament off them for cheaper than you could purchase a new USL Div 1 expansion team.

Two things:

1. MLS can't really lengthen their schedule. They already have very dicey weather in many MLS cities at the beginning and end of the season.

2. Higher ranked MLS teams already have non-MLS commitments outside of the USOC. I doubt they want more games even though I, too, really like the USOC.

Realistically they could add the rest of the MLS teams to lower rounds and keep the current ones entering at the current 3rd round and the top MLS temas wouldn't see any increase in games. Sure maybe one of those low teams is top of the league this year but that doesnt affect this seasons international tourneys.

But its all a pipe dream until it is worth money. Once that happens fans will start to think of the open cup as a real prize and teams will like the reward. At that point and unfortunatly only at that point will the USOC big what we all want it to be. Now just have to figure out how to get someone to spend the money on the tourney for a few years untill it catches on...

Or the USSF could use the USOC to award one of the American CCL spots. That right there would make it worthwhile.

Very true, I did forget that option...mostly due to a lack of faith in the USSF. But point taken

when is the 1st round draw?

It will be announced tomorrow morning

Is the draw announced today, or just the draw date?

The draw will be announced today. It happened yesterday, but the USSF is working on where the games will be played, so once that's settled, it should be announced. Hopefully soon. There's a few of us out here that are really excited about it and want to know who's playing who.

The US Soccer site doesn't seem to be coming up for me but found the apparent draw over on bs.com, check it out.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=611694&page=26

http://www.usopencup.com/calendar/33279.html

U.S. Open Cup First Round

Brooklyn Knights (PDL) @ Carolina RailHawks (USL-1)
WakeMed Park, Cary, N.C. - 7:30 p.m.

NY Pancyprian Freedom (USASA) @ Real Maryland Monarchs (USL-2)
Maryland SoccerPlex, Germantown, Md. - 8 p.m.

Fredericksburg Gunners (PDL) @ Richmond Kickers (USL-2)
SportsBackers Stadium, Richmond, Va. - 8 p.m.

Boston Olympiakos (USASA) @ Western Mass Pioneers (USL-2)
Lusitano Stadium, Ludlow, Mass. - 7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2) @ AAC Eagles (USASA)
Benedictine University, Lisle, Ill. - 8:30 p.m.

Cleveland City Stars (USL-2) @ Michigan Bucks (PDL)
Ultimate Soccer Arena, Pontiac, Mich. - 7:30 p.m.

St. Louis Lions (PDL) @ Minnesota Thunder (USL-1)
National Sports Center, Blaine, Minn. - 8 p.m.

RWB Adria (USASA) @ Rochester Rhinos (USL-1)
PAETEC Park, Rochester, N.Y. - 7:30 p.m.

Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1) @ Austin Aztex (PDL)
Dragon Stadium, Austin, Texas - 8:30 p.m.

ASC New Stars (USASA) @ Charleston Battery (USL-1)
Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston, S.C. - 7:30 p.m.

Clearwater Galactics (USASA) @ Charlotte Eagles (USL-2)
Charlotte Christian School, Charlotte, N.C. - 7 p.m.

Bradenton Academics (PDL) @ Miami FC (USL-1)
Tropical Park, Miami - 8 p.m.

Seattle Sounders (USL-1) @ Arizona Sahuaros (USASA)
Grand Canyon University, Phoenix - 10:30 p.m.

Yakima Reds (PDL) @ Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2)
Skyline Sports Complex, Harrisburg, Pa. - 7 p.m.

Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) @ Los Angeles Legends (PDL)
Cougar Athletic Stadium, Azusa, Calif. - 10:30 p.m.

Hollywood United (USASA) @ Portland Timbers (USL-1)
PGE Park, Portland, Ore. - 10 p.m.

Here's the official version, just for record purposes:


First Round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fixtures Announced

It looks like the US Open Cup winner will get a preliminary spot in the CONCACAF Champions League. Now the USOC means something. The only reason the USOC spot was not used for the upcoming CCL is that New England already qualified as MLS runner-ups.

Glad to see that the schedule is finally up; but does anyone know if USOpenCup.com will be posting it in pdf or some other format to make printing the schedule possible as it did last year? It's darn near impossible to print as it is posted now.

That's a good idea...maybe we'll do that this year.

Thanks, I know everyone will appreciate it!

I read on US Soccer that the Open Cup champion does indeed qualify for the CONCACAF champions league. I think that is great and was excited to hear it. Puts a little more meaning into the event. Maybe now we can get US soccer to promote it a bit.

Olujosh or anyone in the know:
The bracket seems to be "connected" between the first and second rounds, unlike some previous years. Is this in fact the entire bracket setup(save for where the MLS teams slot in)?

In other words, will the winner of Carolin/Brooklyn play the winner of Real Maryland/NYPancyprian? (and so on down the bracket)

Thanks for your work on this.

Yes.

The second round pairings are announced: http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_6619141.html

In the East, the matchups are 1-vs-2 and 3-vs-4.

In the Midwest, the matchups are 5-vs-8 and 6-vs-7.

In the South, the matchups are 9-vs-12 and 10-vs-11.

In the West, the matchups are 13-vs-16 and 14-vs-15.

Another interesting note: there are five potential TBD games on the docket, and amazingly, TWO of them would involve a pro team: (Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. RWB Adria) and (Atlanta Silverbacks vs. Bradenton Academics). You would think that if a pro team in involved, they would be FORCED to host an ameteur side (unless the ameteur side agrees to take over the hosting duties). How could a pro team be allowed to pass on hosting, if their opponent didn't want to host?

I just love the way that Crystal Palace has to spend a fortune to play in LA.

Talk about "brutal".
The word doesn't even beging to cover it.

And if they win and Yakima wins...they have to spend another fortune to play in Yakima, WA.

I got nothin against Yakima but I am officially pulling for them to lose. The federation should kick in more travel assistance when the draw screws teams for travel. Something like if you gotta fly, or maybe over a certain distance, there is a better subsidy system.

Well, they had to move some eastern teams to the western bracket.

CPB will have to make do with the $7,500 per-game travel stipend that USSoccer gives. http://www.ussoccer-data.com/docfile/2008OpenCupHandbook.pdf

2008 U.S. Open Cup Travel Reimbursement Limits

First Round through Semifinals: U.S. Soccer will reimburse airline, hotel, meals and ground transportation for the visiting team (if necessary) not to exceed $7,500 per team (based on 20 people per team, 11 hotel rooms [including bus driver] not to exceed 2 nights, and meals not to exceed two days at $35 a day for each person [$8 breakfast, $12 lunch, $15 dinner]).

Finals: U.S. Soccer will reimburse airline, hotel, meals and ground transportation to the visiting team in the U.S. Open Cup final not to exceed $10,000 (based on 25 people per team, 14 hotel rooms [including bus driver] not to exceed 2 nights, and meals not to exceed two days at $35 a day for each person [$8 breakfast, $12 lunch, $15 dinner]).

Anyone wanna ballpark how much it's gonna cost them to fly the team out to LA..hotels etc. ?

I'm not sure I'm at liberty to give the number but I know what I was told from an incredibly reliable source. Incredibly reliable.

It wasn't clarified if it was for public distribution or not and I don't want to burn bridges. It was way more than the stipend.

Like I said, I think that there should be additional assistance under such drastic travel conditions, increased travel expenses (due to the harsh economic reality).

It's not that I don't appreciate the stipend; I do. But I think that it's time to revisit the subject.

It doesn't burn any bridges to check to see how much flights are from there to there, and estimate what a team pays for hotels.

They get a REALLY good deal (I'm told) from a travel agency they are affiliated with, so factor that in.

By "burning bridges" I was referring to me stating the pricetag that the team offical told me.

Speculating is a completetly different thing.

Repeating something that the person may not have expected you to repeat in public is another.

Anyone who wants can speculate. I just wouldn't drop the amount that I was told without getting a clarification on if it was ok or not.

I always prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to confidentiality.

I was referring to myself when I talked about the "burning bridges" and not anyone else.

Gotcha..I didn't realize that you had the official numbers. No worries.

I thought it meant Yankiboy was an arsonist.

Yeah, so how you comin' with that?

When are the MLS teams put into the bracket? I thought it was right after the Round 1 games were played.

The answer, as usual, is "whenever USSF gets around to it," since they don't really care about the USOC, sadly.

MLS teams don't come in to the USOC until the 3rd round. The tournament is usually set up regionally (to cut down on travel expenses/time), so I wouldn't think that those pairings will be determined or posted until the 2nd round is completed!

They are usually announced shortly after the 1st round is completed.

That way, teams will know who they are playing to play in the next round (make sense?)

Well, whaddya know...

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_6782979.html

Well, I just found out that the bracket, as it is now, might not work out exactly how it looks. Meaning, the matchups in the quarterfinals could be rearranged and the bracket could get mixed up. (For example) Kansas City and New England (if they win their third round games, are certain that they will play each other in the next round.

Fourth round matchups from www.usopencup.com (why didn't I see this on www.ussoccer.com ?)

(New York Red Bulls / Crystal Palace Baltimore) at (New England Revolution / Richmond Kickers)

(Carolina Railhawks / Kansas City Wizards) vs (Seattle Sounders / Chivas USA)

(Chicago Fire / Cleveland City Stars) vs (DC United / Rochester Rhinos)

(Houston Dynamo / Charleston Battery) vs (FC Dallas / Miami FC)

The last three matchups each have three different hosting possibilities, depending on who wins the R3 matches.

Also, to speculate on the future format of this tournament...when MLS gets to 17 teams (assuming 16 USA teams), could they have the 16 teams enter into the second round? (The 32 lower-division sides play the first round; the 16 winners meet 16 MLS teams in the second.) I have been this as the future format for a while, and with the new compressed-schedule of the Open Cup, it would seem to free the MLS sides from the fixture-congestion problem.