This week, after long delays, US Soccer has released the First Round pairings for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The 32 Open Division clubs entering the competition learned their opponent, with the remaining 71 professional clubs entering in future rounds.
Another item that was distributed to teams is the 2022 US Open Cup handbook. The handbook lists all the rules clubs must follow throughout the competition, along with copies of the forms that must be filled out for various administrative tasks, such as venue declaration, application to host matches, travel reimbursement forms, and broadcasting requests. TheCup.us did receive a copy of this handbook, and since the last tournament proper match, the 2019 US Open Cup Final between Atlanta United and Minnesota United, there have been a few changes to tournament rules as well as some minor details on forms that have changed. We have reported on some of these before, but let’s go through all of the changes over the last two and a half years.
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Tournament Format and Method for Pairings
With the expansion of all professional leagues, changing up when teams would enter the competition was necessary.
Major League Soccer has the biggest change. In 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the competition, roughly half of the MLS teams in the competition would have enter into the Third Round, with the rest entering in the Fourth Round/Round of 32. Continuing expansion since then required more MLS teams to enter into the Third Round. For 2022, roughly 75% of MLS teams, 17 in total, will enter in the Third Round. The remaining eight will enter in the Round of 32.
The eight teams that enter in the Round of 32 are the 4 clubs participating in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League (Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution, New York City FC, and Seattle Sounders FC) and then the next two best teams from each the Eastern and Western Conferences based on their 2021 regular season performance. (Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Sporting Kansas City). This more than doubles the number of opportunities for lower division teams to reach the Round of 32. 11 slots were available in 2019, now there are 24.
As a consequence of MLS moving teams into the Third Round, a regionalized draw will now occur for the Third Round. Previously, matchups were just manually determined based on geography. Either groups of four teams or groups of six teams will be determined based on geography, with MLS teams evenly distributed in the groups and then ensuring that MLS teams pair up with a winner from the Second Round. The Round of 32 draw will also have groups of four with the eight MLS teams evenly distributed between the eight groups, ensuring those specific eight teams do not play each other in the Round of 32. They can play a MLS team that entered in the Third Round, however. Round of 16 and beyond pairings remain unchanged from 2019.
New Hosting Fee for Third Round
In 2019, the Third Round did not have a hosting fee. Now, with MLS teams involved in that round, US Soccer has added one. For only the matches involving a MLS team, which would be 17 of the 24 Third Round matches in 2022, a $6,000 hosting fee will be added on to the normal take of 15% of all ticket revenue above $100,000, no matter if the host team is the MLS team or the lower division team. There will be no hosting fee assessed if the Third Round match does not involve a MLS team. Typically, teams do not generate more than $100,000 in ticket revenue for a US Open Cup Third Round match, so it would just be the $6,000 fee owed to US Soccer.
Hosting fees for the previous two rounds remain at $0 plus the 15% of ticket revenue above $100,000. The hosting fees for the Round of 32 and subsequent rounds remain unchanged from 2019. The Round of 32 hosting fee is $12,000, Round of 16 hosting fee is $18,000, Quarterfinal is $25,000, Semifinal is $50,000, and the Final is $250,000. In the Semifinal round, US Soccer takes 50% of ticket revenue above $100,000, and takes 50% of ticket revenue above $300,000.
Day of Game changes
For 2022, a few matchday requirements have changed for hosting and visiting teams. Teams are now required to arrive at the venue 90 minutes prior to kick off, a change from 75 minutes. A scoreboard that can count up from 0 to 120 minutes is now preferred, if possible. Of course, a lot of scoreboards only have four digits allowed for the time, so hopefully US Soccer is understanding of that. Referee payment have been updated as they are every year as they are negotiated between PRO and the PRSA. Finally, an EMS vehicle or ambulance on site at the venue is now required to host matches.
In-Match Rule Changes
As has been consistent with other leagues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Open Cup will now have five substitutions allowed in three windows, plus halftime. A sixth substitute and additional window will be granted if the match goes to extra time. In addition, concussion substitutes will be allowed, two per team per game, with the other team getting another sub if a concussion substitute is used. Data will be collected and sent to the IFAB for analysis regarding this, as it is a trial rule. Rules regarding technical staff receiving yellow and red cards have been updated, complying with the change from the IFAB. Finally, rules for terminated and cancelled matches regarding when the match will be made up have been updated for clarity. Generally, any match stopped due to weather shall be made up the next day.
Player Eligibility Changes
In 2019, professional teams were limited to five international players (that is, players on work visas) in an 18-man gameday roster. For 2022, that rule has been removed and now if your roster is compliant with your league’s rules, it is compliant with the US Open Cup as well. Most professional leagues have seven slots on a roster for players on work visas, with slots allowed to be traded within the league to other teams. Rosters for all teams that enter the competition after US Open Cup qualifying (the tournament proper) must be submitted to US Soccer at least three weeks prior to the team’s first match in the competition. This will allow the Player Services department at US Soccer enough time to review all players on the roster and their eligibility.
Travel Reimbursement Increases
US Soccer reimburses travel expenses an away team may have, from flights, hotels, transportation, and meals. For each match from the First Round to the Semifinals, US Soccer will provide up to $13,000 per team per match for a traveling party of up to 26 people. This is an increase from 2019, which was $12,000 for a traveling party of up to 24 people. There has also been an increase in the travel reimbursement for the Final. The visiting team now receives $22,500 for a two-night stay or $27,500 for a three-night stay, for up to 32 people in the traveling party. Those numbers used to be $20,000 and $25,000 for 30 people.
ESPN may not distribute every match
It’s a very minor change to the broadcast request form, but in 2019 the form was clear that ESPN held all video rights for the First Round to the Final and there wouldn’t be any consideration for additional broadcasters in the video space. Now, the form states that ESPN holds the video rights for the tournament and any match they distribute will not allow for additional consideration in the video space. This seems to indicate that ESPN and/or ESPN+ will not broadcast every match of the tournament like in 2019. US Soccer has not responded to comment on just what this means exactly. A broadcast schedule is also referenced in US Open Cup press releases, which is to be determined. This is odd because if every match is on ESPN+, the tournament schedule and broadcast schedule would be identical. This seems to indicate the broadcast schedule will be a subset of tournament matches. We’re working to find out just how big or small of a subset of matches that is. If it is a subset, what will teams be allowed to do for broadcasting the match online?
