Now in its fifth season, the Conference League has become a staple of Thursday night across the continent with the also-rans and lesser-known clubs of Europe doing battle for some silverware come the end of the season.
That European magic, so glorified in the Champions League and Europa League, is inevitably diluted the further down the chain you go.
Is it time, then, to rethink what this competition is?
At ePet Arena on Thursday night, Sparta Prague thrashed basement side Aberdeen 3-0 to complete their league phase campaign, seeing them finish fourth in the standings and avoiding the tricky play-off round with a bye.
There were plenty of empty seats in the ground. Frigid December weather, a game with not much on the line and the city's famous festive functions all playing a part in the turnout, but those in attendance saw the rotated hosts play with vim and vigour as captain Lukas Haraslin particularly stood out.
The home fans were in good voice throughout, enjoying their side's dominance, and the travelling Aberdeen fans also made themselves heard in what has been a disastrous campaign for the Scottish side, finishing it with no wins and just two points to their name.
For teams like Sparta, Strasbourg, AZ, and Crystal Palace, there can be no doubt that this is a concrete chance of major European silverware, something none of them have done in their history. It may be the 'outcast' competition, but it does matter to those who have a vested interest.
The stories further down the table will also be told for many years to come. The success of KuPS, Noah, Shkendija and Drita this term is groundbreaking progress for football in their respective nations.
Elsewhere, Fiorentina continue their love affair with the competition. Winless in Serie A so far this season, they are through to the next stage, looking to go to the final for a third time.
Therein lies the problem with the competition. A team rooted at the bottom of a major league can have success, suggesting a lack of quality and real competition between the 'bigger' sides and those from smaller footballing nations.
What could change to improve the Conference League?
UEFA's decision to put 36 teams into the Conference League can only be seen as a mistake. Coupled with the shortened League Phase of just six games, it leaves teams at the mercy of a fixture draw that can have huge implications on success or failure.
No one felt that more than the aforementioned Aberdeen. Five of the six teams they faced ended the League Phase in the top eight, showing just what a lottery it can be. Statistically, they were predicted to finish bottom of the standings before a ball was kicked, so perhaps finishing second-bottom can be a small crumb of comfort.
Given that both the Champions League and the Europa League both have eight fixtures, it only puts this competition more into the shadows.
Granted, this final matchday has its unique date in the calendar, with the other two not back until the new year, but even that feels like an afterthought, not something planned to bring it into the spotlight.
Are generic football fans really tuning in to watch this 18-game frenzy, or are they waiting for the business end, where they may give it a watch?
Since UEFA's introduction of the League Phase format across Europe in 2024, it has received mixed reviews. Moving away from the traditional group stage system has seen a higher calibre of matches earlier on in the season for fans to get excited about, but it hasn't lent itself to as many shocks as were expected. Couple that with more teams and a league table longer than your arm, it has struggled to create as much fanfare as was intended.
In the Conference League, these issues feel more magnified.
A change could bring this competition into the minds of more fans - you only need to look back to find the future.
If you made the competition 32 teams, rather than 36, it could become a straight knockout competition, harking back to the days of the old European Cup.
This would cut down on the fixture congestion felt across Europe, create more drama early on and give unfancied teams more of a chance of creating an upset. Two-legged ties are already the norm post-Christmas in this tournament. Why not make it across the full season?
More than 100 teams are competing across Europe in the trio of competitions - have some fun in the most experimental of the three? Otherwise, it could become a relic of the past, consigned to the history books and filed next to the Fairs Cup, the Intertoto Cup and the Cup Winner's Cup.