It was not always like this. There was a time — just a few months ago, in fact — when this tournament was not an object of ridicule and scorn, when it occupied a curious but cherished niche in England’s soccer firmament.

Then, it was known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, contested by the 48 clubs in League One and League Two, the third and fourth tiers of the English soccer system, and it was, to many, an antidote to the cash-fueled carousel of the Premier League.

Divided into southern and northern sections, with the winners meeting in the final at Wembley, the competition offered the prospect of a day in the sun to clubs that spend their lives in the shadows. Since its inaugural edition in 1983, it has allowed hundreds of thousands of supporters who are likely never to see their teams contest an F.A. Cup or League Cup final, much less play in Europe or fight for the Premier League title, to see their clubs lift a trophy at Wembley, the national stadium.

Last season, Barnsley beat Oxford United in front of almost 60,000 people. “That is what you play for,” said Paul Heckingbottom, the Barnsley manager, after his team’s 3-2 win. “We will be having a celebration tonight.”

The stark contrast with the disinterest this season is easily explained. This summer, the English Football League announced that a number of teams from the Premier League and the second-tier Championship would be invited to enter under-21 squads into an expanded version of the competition.

The idea, according to the E.F.L.’s chief executive, Shaun Harvey, was not only to inject a little Premier League glamour into the tournament, but to give promising players at larger clubs a taste of competitive senior soccer. This was, Harvey said, a chance to right one of the major flaws in the academy system, to help England nurture more young talent.

“The new format is intended to rejuvenate this competition and also assist the development of the very best young players in English football,” Harvey said.