Bobby Murphy on U.S. Open Cup: "This Tournment Deserves Respect"
The head coach of Portland Hearts of Pine talks about the magic of the Open Cup.
Portland Hearts of Pine head coach Bobby Murphy has clear beliefs about the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
“I think this tournament deserves respect,” Murphy told The Blazing Musket. “You look at corresponding competitions around the world; they don’t play on Wednesdays; they play on Saturdays, and they put it on national TV. If this competition is to be taken seriously, it has to be treated seriously.”
The tournament, now in its 110th edition, features teams from all levels of the U.S. soccer pyramid. Part of the excitement is that a lower-division team can upset one higher than them on any given day.
Murphy saw the magic of the Open Cup firsthand in 2022 when he was an assistant coach with Union Omaha of USL League One.
That team advanced to the Quarterfinals by defeating the Des Moines Menace (USL2), Chicago Fire (MLS), Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (USL1), and Minnesota United FC (MLS). Sporting Kansas City ended their Cinderella run.
This year, Murphy’s Hearts defeated amateur CD Faialense and Hartford Athletic (USL Championship). Tonight they host Rhode Island FC, who made it to the USL Championship Final in 2024.
Murphy views the storied competition as a showcase for teams and players, noting that there are “good players everywhere in this country.”
“I think it’s important for everybody to have a chance to plant their flag for their organization,” Murphy said.
Last year, the Open Cup suffered a blow when only eight MLS first teams participated, with nine teams sending their MLS Next Pro affiliates. This year’s rendition had 16 MLS first teams and eight MLS Next Pro affiliates.
Murphy, who has coached in USL League One, USL Championship, MLS Next Pro, and MLS, understands all sides of the argument.
“I’ve been on both ends of it,” Murphy said. “I know how congested this calendar is. I know how congested our calendar was [when we had three games in eight days], and we’re flying commercial. It’s hard to squeeze in, but I kind of wish somebody would make it a priority.”
Murphy would like to see the tournament played on weekends, at least for the opening rounds. He’d also like to see all MLS clubs participate and for the games to be widely broadcast.
He also recognizes that there has been some growth in recent years.
The prize money doubled in 2025 from $475,000 to $1 million. This year’s tournament winner will receive $600,00, while the runner-up will earn $250,000. The highest-ranked teams in Division II, Division III, and the Open Division will get $50,000.
U.S. Soccer also announced a partnership with Paramount+ and CBS Sports. All Third Round games—and every match going forward—will stream live on Paramount+. Select games will be featured on other platforms, including CBS Sports Golazo. Perhaps most exciting is that Golazo’s coverage will include a studio show.
These are all positives for the tournament that was founded in 1914.
“I think [the Open Cup] is a good way to bring everybody together,” Murphy said. “I think it’s growing. The coverage of it seems to be bigger than it was 5-6 years ago. Hopefully, it will continue to grow.”