US soccer wants excitement after the World Cup – the Open Cup provides it

MLS wants to build on the momentum of the World Cup.

America’s top domestic cup competition is an obvious place to start The new commissioner of Major League Soccer, Larry Berg, isn’t keen on the idea of promotion and relegation, but he is a fan of jeopardy.

When asked the obligatory pro/rel question in his introductory press conference , Berg responded, “I don’t think it’s appropriate for our league, but I think there are other ways to create jeopardy during the regular season, [and] again in the playoffs.” He referred to this summer’s World Cup, which was co-hosted by the US, and the excitement it provided, adding, “Millions of people across North America experienced that passion firsthand.

They fell in love with the drama, the atmosphere, the supporter culture and the emotion that makes soccer unlike anything else.

In the World Cup, we all enjoyed knockout games after the group stage.

I call those games of consequence or games of jeopardy.” Continue reading...