The US Open Cup is one of the main traditions of the Chicago Fire. Having won the trophy more than any MLS club, it is a central part to the team's history, and should be given the full backing of the organization.
The start of a successful USOC campaign would be to aggressively bid to have each game at Toyota Park. Committing to this at the start would place potential USOC dates right along side league matches and potential international friendlies, helping schedule the overall season. The USOC tournament should be considered a priority, its a priority to the fans, and deep runs into the final rounds should be accounted for ahead of time.
With this schedule in place, advertising and other marketing messages can be planned well in advance, ensuring that the bid money is well spent. Promoting the history and tradition of the USOC, positioning it as important as major internationals and the MLS playoffs themselves, bolsters the home schedule, gives fans more value for their season ticket commitment, and create more opportunities for the club. In short, the club should be clamoring for every chance to promote the Fire and Toyota Park. USOC home matches are an easy fit for this goal.
As an aside, I am personally against the use of early round USOC matches against "lesser" USL teams to market the club in other parts of the region. Sending the team away from Toyota Park to play a "home game", regardless of the status of the opponent, dilutes efforts to make Toyota Park a destination for Fire fans.
By giving USOC matches the same priority as home playoff matches, the Fire can show its commitment to its own Tradition. Give these home games the undivided attention they deserve. Silverware, banners, and all of the benefits of the promoting a championship club have too much influence over the fanbase to ignore.
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