The USL is caught between two interests: how can the league make itself more attractive to casual fans while strengthening connections with local supporters?
For Jeremy Alumbaugh and Lee O’Neill, the presidents of the USL Championship and USL League One, respectively, a potential answer lies in collaboration. That’s why the USL is expanding the Jagermeister Cup in 2025, creating a competition that cuts across the tiers of the American soccer pyramid.
The Jagermeister Cup launched in 2024 as a League One-only competition, splitting the third division’s 12 teams into three regional groups. Promoting local rivalries for traveling fans motivated the format, and it’s part of that appeal to the most committed supporters.
