American equivalent to the League Cup?

The other day I was watching a Fire game and starting thinking about how even though the Fire should make the playoffs, it's almost certainly going to be another Trophy-less season (winning the Brimstone Cup for the first time since 2001 was kind of cool, but it doesn't really count) and how it'd be sort of neat if American soccer did an equivalent to the League Cup. The US Open Cup might seem to make this redundant, but it's the equivalent to the FA Cup- the bigger one that any pub team in the country can enter, the one that the big clubs at least sort of care about (especially Seattle). It also gives another shot at a trophy to NASL and USL clubs that can't qualify for any international competition. Of course, for the more cynical or at least overextended bigger clubs, it gives them a chance to give some action to their younger players.

In 2013, there will be 41 professional teams in the US, all unevenly divided among the MLS (19), NASL (9 next year) and USL (13 next year). So all MLS and NASL teams could automatically qualify (28 teams) and there could be qualifying rounds to reach 4 teams from the USL to get to 32 teams overall.

Money (i.e. friendlies against international teams would surely be much more profitable) and time-wise (no time in the schedule) it won't happen- but the Fire haven't won anything since 2006 and I think it'd be cool to have another tournament option for teams knocked out of the Open Cup who won't win the MLS Cup. Just throwing an idea out there...

~ Steve

 

I dont know much about the Mexican league but I'm assuming it doesnt have a salary cap. I was thinking it would be cool if some rich Mexicans and Americans would cover the payroll for a Mexican club to sign the best players from both countries. All for the purpose of making a deep run and hopefully winning the Club World Cup, or whatever it's called. What do you think?