At long last, Major League Soccer is fulfilling the dream of every player agent, every weather forecaster and perhaps a few retractable-roof contractors by switching to a fall-to-spring schedule.
The move makes sense on some levels. But the dreaded issue of fixture congestion is still a problem that the league has to face — as does U.S. Soccer.
It’s a simple problem. The Cups runneth over. MLS Cup. Leagues Cup. U.S. Open Cup. Concacaf Champions Cup.
Something has to go. And with apologies to those in MLS club management who don’t like the idea of seeing their stars facing the likes of Laguna United FC or Steel City FC, let alone FC Tulsa or the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, the U.S. Open Cup is not the competition that should get the axe. And while the Leagues Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup overlap unnecessarily, they’re both interesting tournaments worth preserving.
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