Are the brackets above accurate as laid out? For example, if the Strikers win in rounds two and three, and Chivas USA wins their thrid round matchup, will that mean the Strikers are playing Chivas with another draw to determine the home team?
The bracket is not set in stone. USSF can move teams around as they please. The reasons they would move teams around would be to minimize travel or to avoid having teams from the same organization (e.g. Chicago Fire MLS & Chicago Fire PDL) play each other
Bracket is great – thanks! Great to see most of USL Pro got through their first round with few casualties. Hope we all hang on.
Come on Orlando City! Show everyone we are ready for MLS!
That’s what they say (then again, they said that last time too, so I guess it could change). If you want a bigger crowd, Hershey is the better option. City Island is great and has a lot of potential …but could use a bit of a makeover.
I know the 4th round matches are set. Is the rest of the bracket set from here forward save home/away side? Is Quarterfinal and semifinal pairings locked in per the bracket above now?
Why not wait until after Tuesday to announce the Quarterfinals? Then you would know the actual matchups. And then you’d still have 3 weeks until the actual game… not like the 1 week between games like the rounds before which made sense why to announce as soon as possible.
Good question, but I think the answer is, they want to give teams as much time as possible to make travel arrangements, so the earlier they know, the better.
But teams couldn’t really make travel arrangements until the Tuesday games are decided. And its really just 4 days to wait to announce. It’d be interesting that a potential matchup could be Carolina and Charlotte if they waited rather than something like Carolina-San Jose if they decide today based on geographic MLS teams.
I really like the format of a coin flip until the Semifinals. While it isn’t a perfect system, pulling off the logistics for a coast-coast tournament isn’t easy. Well done US Soccer!
most MLS clubs are playing a majority of their starters. looks to be a lot of equality throughout US Soccer with the exception of a few potential powerhouses (Seattle, Kansas City). consider me on the side of promotion/relegation.
Sonny, I agree that the Promotion and Relegation is ccol. But the USL Pro teams could not handle the expenisve jump, even if it was like my favorite team (West Ham)in England receiving millions for promotion. My two teams (Harrisburg and Philadelphia) are still in. Lets say Harrisburg won the USL-Pro Cup… we average 1,000-1,500. No specific stadium (a bunch of bleachers) either. The only teams that could handle the move would be Rochester or Orlando City.
I think the MLS club losses show that the US players that are not picked by the MLS clubs are pretty good. Many MLS clubs fill their rosters with international players hoping they will be good and not enough drafted college players. My sense is that many of the lower division teams are primarily just that- college kids who didn’t quite make the MLS squads. It would be interesting to see what would happen if the MLS teams had closer ties with the USL or NASL teams so that some of their bench players could get more playing time. In the early USOC rounds it is a lot of guys that are 17-30 on the roster slots against the best on the USL or NASL sides – and the results show that’s a pretty comparable talent level. A few MLS teams really give no emphasis to the Cup but they are then pretty quickly swept out – Chicago was surprising this year since they have taken it seriously most past years.
I am very interested to see how it was possible for the KC and Seattle bids for the final to be equal. From what I understand of the bid process (which isn’t much, I’d love to know more!), that is just about impossible.
The USSF says they are working on it … I’d be shocked if one of the networks didn’t want to broadcast the Final in front of a sold-out LiveStrong Sporting Park and the Sounders going for history. It’s a no-brainer.
Nice font.
Check out the USOC prediction league for 2012 at http://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/2012-lamar-hunt-u-s-open-cup-prediction-league.1943888/
When do the MLS clubs get drawn in?
Haven’t been on Big Soccer in years… can’t see ever going back…
Don’t blame you. Draw for Round 3 will either be out later today or early tomorrow at the latest
Will the MLS teams be hosting round 3?
The Round 3 scenarios were just announced >> http://thecup.us/us-open-cup-third-round-pairings-unveiled-11-mls-clubs-could-travel-for-round-3-2-pdl-clubs-with-shot-to-host/
Are the brackets above accurate as laid out? For example, if the Strikers win in rounds two and three, and Chivas USA wins their thrid round matchup, will that mean the Strikers are playing Chivas with another draw to determine the home team?
The bracket is not set in stone. USSF can move teams around as they please. The reasons they would move teams around would be to minimize travel or to avoid having teams from the same organization (e.g. Chicago Fire MLS & Chicago Fire PDL) play each other
Is there a printable version of the bracket?
Not yet … it’s on our to-do list. The bracket isn’t set in stone anyway … it could change if USSF wants it to.
Looks good – thanks for the bracket guys.
C’mon FC Dallas! Time for another USOC trophy.
Bracket is great – thanks! Great to see most of USL Pro got through their first round with few casualties. Hope we all hang on.
Come on Orlando City! Show everyone we are ready for MLS!
The Sounders are going to be the only club in the US Open Cup history to win 4 in a row! The icing on the cake is going through Portland to do it!
Thanks for changing the bracket so that the teams that are out of the tournament are grayed-out and still readable, as opposed to being crossed-out.
Michigan Bucks are coming for you all!!! Go Bucks!!!!
I’ve heard that Harrisburg will be playing the next match vs. NYRB in Hershey rather than on City Island…Josh, is that your understanding as well?
That’s what they say (then again, they said that last time too, so I guess it could change). If you want a bigger crowd, Hershey is the better option. City Island is great and has a lot of potential …but could use a bit of a makeover.
I know the 4th round matches are set. Is the rest of the bracket set from here forward save home/away side? Is Quarterfinal and semifinal pairings locked in per the bracket above now?
Nope. They could change at any time if USSF finds it necessary.
I’m wondering how we tell who has the home field advantage in Round 4? Do MLS teams automatically have home field?
Here is our latest article about how home teams are determined these days >> http://thecup.us/more-details-revealed-on-new-us-open-cup-hosting-process/
when will qf ties be drawn/set?
Could be as early as today … (Thursday, May 31)
Let’s go RailHAWKS!!
I’m told the Quarterfinal announcement will take place some time on Friday.
Why not wait until after Tuesday to announce the Quarterfinals? Then you would know the actual matchups. And then you’d still have 3 weeks until the actual game… not like the 1 week between games like the rounds before which made sense why to announce as soon as possible.
Good question, but I think the answer is, they want to give teams as much time as possible to make travel arrangements, so the earlier they know, the better.
But teams couldn’t really make travel arrangements until the Tuesday games are decided. And its really just 4 days to wait to announce. It’d be interesting that a potential matchup could be Carolina and Charlotte if they waited rather than something like Carolina-San Jose if they decide today based on geographic MLS teams.
The earlier you can book travel, the less expensive it is (even by four days) … I’m sure that’s the reasoning.
I really like the format of a coin flip until the Semifinals. While it isn’t a perfect system, pulling off the logistics for a coast-coast tournament isn’t easy. Well done US Soccer!
I wonder if this says more about the equality of talent, or the focus of small teams on what they consider important while MLS clubs don’t…
most MLS clubs are playing a majority of their starters. looks to be a lot of equality throughout US Soccer with the exception of a few potential powerhouses (Seattle, Kansas City). consider me on the side of promotion/relegation.
Sonny, you may speak for most teams but the Dynamo only had one starter playing. All the rest were reserves.
Chivas USA has switched the venue to Cal State Fullerton in their match against Charlotte.
Sonny, I agree that the Promotion and Relegation is ccol. But the USL Pro teams could not handle the expenisve jump, even if it was like my favorite team (West Ham)in England receiving millions for promotion. My two teams (Harrisburg and Philadelphia) are still in. Lets say Harrisburg won the USL-Pro Cup… we average 1,000-1,500. No specific stadium (a bunch of bleachers) either. The only teams that could handle the move would be Rochester or Orlando City.
I think the MLS club losses show that the US players that are not picked by the MLS clubs are pretty good. Many MLS clubs fill their rosters with international players hoping they will be good and not enough drafted college players. My sense is that many of the lower division teams are primarily just that- college kids who didn’t quite make the MLS squads. It would be interesting to see what would happen if the MLS teams had closer ties with the USL or NASL teams so that some of their bench players could get more playing time. In the early USOC rounds it is a lot of guys that are 17-30 on the roster slots against the best on the USL or NASL sides – and the results show that’s a pretty comparable talent level. A few MLS teams really give no emphasis to the Cup but they are then pretty quickly swept out – Chicago was surprising this year since they have taken it seriously most past years.
I am very interested to see how it was possible for the KC and Seattle bids for the final to be equal. From what I understand of the bid process (which isn’t much, I’d love to know more!), that is just about impossible.
Any chance the final will be on t v?
The USSF says they are working on it … I’d be shocked if one of the networks didn’t want to broadcast the Final in front of a sold-out LiveStrong Sporting Park and the Sounders going for history. It’s a no-brainer.