When Major League Soccer’s first season began in 1996, there were several rivalries that the league tried to handcraft for television and casual fans. But one of the league’s original rivalries didn’t need manufacturing to be the best organically. When a team from the New York area plays a team from Washington, DC…the hate is inherent and organically omnipresent.
So when D.C. United played the then-New York/New Jersey MetroStars, hatred took center stage. It quickly became the biggest and best rivalry in MLS, appointment television, for many years. This rivalry soon became known as the “Atlantic Cup.” In their 29th season, the teams competed for the right to hold the Atlantic Cup trophy and bragging rights. And for these two of his fan bases, the hatred is constant. Even if a team is having a down year, the trophy represents one of the most important trophies that can make the season feel less bad. Because they can see that trophy in their case and know that they at least have an advantage over their rivals. Or take Interstate 95. That hatred continued even when the MetroStars became the New York Red Bulls. You can change the players on the field, the jerseys, the stadium…but the Atlantic Cup has always meant something to both teams.
And that made sense for the league. It was a real rivalry that they could use to promote the league, and they could promote the great players that fans considering Major League Soccer get to see every week. It caught the attention of the entire league. Even in the expansion era, when so many teams had their own key rivals, the Atlantic Cup was one of the highlights of the main table. That was remarkable. The league gave it the best reward.
So when D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls met for the 107th time Wednesday night at D.C.’s Audi Field, you could tell something was missing. Despite the 17,417 participants, the obvious tension that this competition necessarily involved was less pronounced. The hype for the match and rivalry has never been quieter. Indeed, the supporters were lively from the moment the team entered the field for warm-ups, and the more than 50 Red Bull supporters who came on the road on a weeknight were at DC United, which was nearly full at peak volume. They were trying their best to cheer louder than the supporters section. .
On the field, there was a rawness and a desire to beat their rivals. D.C. United head coach Troy LeCene and winger Jared Stroud joined a long line of players and coaches who competed on both sides of this rivalry last night, both with the black and red team gaining momentum. He expressed his wish to have it back. They “righted the ship” against the Red Bulls, who entered the game undefeated in their past six games. The Red Bulls wanted to maintain their recent dominance over DC, with fans declaring themselves the DC Haters before and during the game.
But who wasn’t excited about this game and the latest edition of this rivalry? The league office. In the midst of MLS Rivalry Week, which features two sets of matches played over the weekend, this important rivalry will take place on Wednesday night, and the league will broadcast it prominently on national television, as well as other great rivalries. I didn’t mention it in the book. I decided to hype it up. MLS Rivals Week concludes this weekend, with DC United heading off to take on Inter Miami as the Hudson River Derby takes center stage. Play against DC United atlanta united Last weekend, the Red Bulls hosted the New England Revolution, both rivalry weekends, and league fans could have suggested this game as an acceptable matchup. This is a huge missed opportunity for the league, and one that feels like a deliberate effort. To spice up a rivalry that is considered sexier and more intense.
The return match will be held at Red Bull Arena on at least Saturday, June 29th. Still, this game was played outside of the league’s designated rivalry week, further cementing that in the eyes of many, the Atlantic Cup is just a regular league game. Rivalries are more important than that, especially in a league that has long been fueled by its intensity and excitement. Hopefully Atlantic Cup will return to the roster during next season’s MLS Rivalry Week, but until then, both teams will continue to provide the battle that has kept Atlantic Cup alive as one of the league’s best.
