Leagues Cup at a Crossroads: Empty Stadiums and Fan Protests Challenge MLS-Liga MX Competition

Growing pains in their second year of existence are giving the Leagues Cup, a created tournament pitting Major League Soccer against Liga MX, a run for the money. While there was a definite buzz when the competition had first kicked off, as of yet, there had been no Lionel Messi moment in 2023 for the competition.

However, even after 2023, we have empty stadiums, fan protests, and continued debates regarding the roster and what the tournament has done to the U.S. Open Cup.

Attendance Woes: A Glaring Issue

One of the biggest issues the Leagues Cup has faced this year is attendance. Photos from matches, including the Round of 32 knockout game between the New England Revolution and NYCFC at Gillette Stadium, show large swaths of empty seats. The reported attendance was 7,267 but based on many eyewitness accounts, it was certainly at most that.

That does not constitute an anomaly, either. More than ten matches in the Leagues Cup this season have seen less than 15,000 fans in attendance, with several of the marquee matchups receiving paltry crowds.

Even the semifinal matchup between the Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew-a game one might expect would draw significant interest-saw only just over 12,000 people attend the game.

Fan Protests: A Growing Movement

Fan protests have become one of the defining features of this year’s Leagues Cup. Dozens of supporter groups for MLS teams have announced boycotts of the tournament, frustrated that the competition has supplanted the U.S. Open Cup. This prestigious tournament has been a bedrock staple of American soccer for more than a century.

Supporters groups for teams like Austin FC, Chicago Fire, and Seattle Sounders have elected instead to boycott matches or offer more symbolic protests, such as displaying their banners upside down.

However, in all these protests, there is an overriding sense that MLS is prioritizing business interests-most specifically, the Apple TV deal and Leagues Cup-over respecting tradition and American soccer’s organic nature.

Cameron Collins, president of the Sounders Supporters group Gorilla FC, summed up the sentiment: “It’s been a super fun tournament, but I completely understand people who don’t want to go, and I don’t begrudge them. I totally get the boycotts, and I think that’s effective.”

The Impact on the U.S. Open Cup

In some ways, the formation of the Leagues Cup has marginalized the U.S. Open Cup, something many fans and former professional soccer players have certainly weighed in on. Major League Soccer this year has reduced participation to just eight senior teams, while the rest of the tournament is fleshed out with MLS Next Pro teams-essentially minor league affiliates.

Critics counter that such a move undermines the integrity of the U.S. Open Cup. The biggest losers in this decision are USL teams and all other clubs that are not part of MLS. This puts an uncertain future on the U.S. Open Cup, which had been celebrated for Cinderella stories and underdog victories in light of the more commercially mindful League Cup.

Scheduling Complications

Another thing that faces the Leagues Cup is the scheduling. While the normal MLS season has been carefully contrived to feature mostly weekend games, scheduling with the Leagues Cup has been a little more hit-or-miss: Most of these were scheduled on very short notice, sometimes during the week, and some at less-than-ideal times.

Take for example the round of 16 fixture between Colorado Rapids and Toluca, which was scheduled to kick off at 8 PM local time on a Tuesday; it concluded with a crowd of only 9,742-a disappointing turnout for a knockout competition.

This inconsistency in scheduling has not allowed the optimal attendance figures, leading fans to a sense of disconnection with the tournament. The absence of consistency in scheduling prohibits fans from making plans for future attendance and alienates those who question the value of the competition.

To know more, click here.

The Messi Effect: A Double-Edged Sword

What made the 2023 Leagues Cup an event unlike any other was Lionel Messi’s first game for Inter Miami. From the last-minute free-kick goal to holding the winning trophy, with Messi on the pitch, it surely would turn the Leagues Cup into an expected event.

However, the Messi factor proved to be a two-edged sword. If his presence incontestably raised the status of the tournament, at the same time, it did set an unattainable level for future events. Without Messi’s magic spell this year, this championship has suffered trying to raise the same enthusiasm level, especially during the matches that do not involve well-established teams or players.

A Questionable Format: Fair Play or Favoritism?

The League Cup format has also been questioned on the issue of equity. All of this year’s games were played in the United States, giving MLS teams a major home-field advantage. That led to one of those semi-final matches that pitted only MLS clubs LAFC, Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union, and Colorado Rapids against each other. No Liga MX team will contest for this championship.

Some have expressed the opinion that the format inherently favors the MLS teams, who otherwise would have to travel in an assortment of Mexican elements, including high altitudes and extreme climates. Players from Liga MX, like Tigres’ Andre-Pierre Gignac, have even spoken their minds regarding how much more even the competition would be if MLS teams were held to that important travel standard into Mexico.

Potential Solutions and the Future of Leagues Cup

Notwithstanding, the Leagues Cup is still a very new competition; hence, room for improvement and growth should be accommodating. Suggestions that would go a long way in bettering the tournament are rotating venues to include matches in Mexico, shifting dates around to more closely match fan availability, and shortening the tournament to ease fixture congestion.

A second aspect to consider is the place of the U.S. Open Cup in the wider competitive landscape so that it is both legitimate and credible with the Leagues Cup. That speaks more to the more coordinated input from MLS, Liga MX, and U.S. Soccer for less ad hoc, fan-friendly calendar.

Conclusion

The Leagues Cup is at a crossroads in its development. While the competition has potential to grow into one of the most important in North American soccer, it faces huge obstacles in terms of attendance, fan interest, and the equity of its format.

Therefore, the tournament organizers, together with MLS and Liga MX, need to address all those challenges directly to ensure that the Leagues Cup can achieve its goals of bringing together the best soccer leagues of the region and creating an exciting, competitive environment.

People May Ask

Why is the Leagues Cup struggling with attendance?

The Leagues Cup is suffering through some poor attendance, partly due to midweek match scheduling, short notice of matches, and fan protests over the perception that the tournament has taken precedence over the U.S. Open Cup.

What issues did the fan protests pose for the Leagues Cup?

Fan protests are primarily about MLS prioritizing the Leagues Cup over the U.S. Open Cup, with some supporter groups boycotting the tournament to express their dissatisfaction.

Is the Leagues Cup format fair for the Liga MX clubs?

The current format consists of only matches involving teams from the United States, which is viewed as unfair to the teams in Liga MX because it denies them home games.

What changes could improve the Leagues Cup?

Potential improvements include rotating venues to incorporate Mexico, enhanced scheduling to better accommodate fans, and a more effective integration of the U.S. Open Cup into the soccer calendar.

RELATED ARTICLES