Major League Soccer revealed some shocking news on Friday afternoon. The league that at its recent Board of Governors meeting its clubs voted to have MLS NEXT Pro teams represent the organization in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. MLS will coordinate with U.S. Soccer regarding participation in the tournament.

Here is the boilerplate statement from MLS in their press release:

This decision will provide emerging professional players with additional opportunities for meaningful competition. The move also benefits the MLS regular season by reducing schedule congestion, freeing up to six-midweek match dates.

The inclusion of MLS NEXT Pro clubs in the Open Cup follows the involvement of dozens of MLS NEXT Pro players in the 2023 tournament, where they were called up to MLS first teams.

MLS remains committed to working with U.S. Soccer to evolve and elevate the Open Cup for everyone involved in the years ahead.

What does this all really mean?

I mean, geez. I guess you could easily point to Apple as being part of this decision. None of the games are broadcasted on the league’s steaming platform, therefore the two sides earn no new revenue from that competition. MLS (and Apple) want the eyeballs on the products they produce together, like the regular season, Leagues Cup, and playoffs. The USOC doesn’t provide anything there.

From there, it comes down to the number of additional games. As the statement above mentions, it will free up to six-midweek matches on the calendar for MLS first teams. For a club like FC Dallas, who hasn’t advanced to the finals since they won it in 2016, the impact isn’t that big of a hit on the calendar. In 2023, the club joined the competition in a later round, only to play one game, a loss at Nashville SC.

Some USSF items have to be considered here as well. Some bylaws state to be a first-division league in the US, you have to participate in USSF-run events like the USOC. When I first read this news, I wondered if MLS found a loophole that they’ve been wanting to use for the last couple of years with their MLS NEXT Pro sides. After all, those MLS NEXT Pro teams were allowed to play in the USOC before this news.

Also, what happens to the Concacaf Champions Cup spot that the winner earns? Maybe it is MLS’ way of saying that they are helping grow the game in the US by giving the USL teams a chance to win the USOC and earn a place in the Champions Cup. Maybe? Or will they see one of their MLSNP teams win it and just run their first team at the Champions Cup instead?

At the end of the day, there are going to be a lot of angry people about this news. The purists out there want MLS to compete in this tournament. The lower division teams rely on MLS teams to potentially make one appearance in their small stadium. The fans that actually like this competition. The former players who have won this competition and see the value of it.

For me, I can go either way with this decision. It still feels early days in the process of this announcement. MLS could pull back after seeing some backlash. The USSF could come down hard on the league with some penalties or something to force them back in. Or, who knows what else? Part of me is okay with MLS doing this and the other part of me is frustrated by it since we’ve seen what fun it can be here in Dallas for a team to win this tournament.