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denime
08-16-2008, 05:35 AM
Interesting read


What is the Best Method for MLS to Stock its Rosters?


George Gorecki
TVSPORTSDAILY.COM

MLS is currently in the middle of its summer transfer window, a time when clubs fine-tune their rosters for the stretch run. Teams with playoff aspirations make the moves that they think will put them over the top. Over the last couple of weeks, US National Team players Josh Wolff, Brian McBride, Pat Noonan, Eddie Lewis and Corey Gibbs are back in the league and the path they have taken to land at their current clubs is straightforward in some cases and very complicated in others. MLS’s procedures that MLS lack common sense and make player transfers needlessly complex.

Everywhere else in the soccer world, player acquisitions occur in an uncomplicated manner. When a player switches clubs, a deal is struck between the clubs to determine compensation for the transfer, usually in the form of cash. The process becomes even simpler when a player is out of contract. The player can seek a new club and his old club receives no compensation.

Player transfers in MLS don’t work this way and the league’s single-entity system is the fundamental reason why. Because of single-entity, all player salaries are paid by the league through a central fund, rather than by the individual clubs. Technically speaking, all MLS players are employees of the league and once under contract with MLS, the league assigns them to one of its clubs. In the case of Americans who return to MLS after playing abroad, their re-entry is governed by allocation rules and this is where things get sticky.


Read more (http://tvsportsdaily.com/article.php?story=2008081522025475)

Cashcleaner
08-16-2008, 05:47 AM
The MLS really is in a class by its own when it comes to their operating practises. Whereas most sports leagues around the world are straight-forward regulatory and administrative bodies that service the clubs associated with it, Major League Soccer is in itself much more than that. When you look at the NHL, NBA, CFL, and other pro leagues, they don't exist just to make money. I mean, those leagues obviously get a share of revenues and whatnot generated by the clubs, but they operate for the benefit of those clubs.

Now with MLS, it's almost like a corporation that has subsidary companies (the clubs) that bring revenue into one entity. The impression I get from the league is that the clubs are here to make money for it. We should be in a scenario where the league makes money for the clubs.

All said, I'm not completely against how the league runs, but I look at it more as company like WWE where winning isn't nearly as important as putting on a show and marketing the experience.

What should be done to fill the MLS rosters is take away some of the league controls regarding player transactions and let the clubs work out trades on their own.

rocker
08-16-2008, 09:52 AM
that was a good article and it made me realize something I had never thought of before... the allocation system, which is supposed to be designed according to the "worst teams get first pick" theory, doesn't really matter in such a parity league.

The order (such as in a draft) means so much more in a league where there are bigger differences from best to worst.

And the writer says something i think is very true -- you can keep the parity just by having the salary cap. the allocation order thing is simply redundant, particularly since not all teams can equally afford the players returning due to cap limits, and not all players returning want to go to the teams that have the allocation.

Ossington Mental Youth
08-16-2008, 10:21 AM
without having read the article the answer seemed quite obviously "raise the cap"
Good article for sure (even if it seems to be against TFC sometimes, granted they are the most recent situation, so its not entirely uncalled for)

professor
08-17-2008, 08:58 AM
Signing decent players who will play for MLS wages is the biggest challenge for any MLS club
So....
Increase the salary cap, at least increase it to 4 million per season
Expand the senior roster from 18 to 24 players
Mandatory reserve & Academy programs with guaranteed minimum league games to be played
Invest in upgrading the capabilities of the officials to help attract foreign players
Respect the FIFA calendar - at least reschedule games in which if a team is down 4+ players due to international call-ups - this too could also enhance in foreign player recruitment

Wooster_TFC
08-17-2008, 10:56 AM
that was a good article and it made me realize something I had never thought of before... the allocation system, which is supposed to be designed according to the "worst teams get first pick" theory, doesn't really matter in such a parity league.

The order (such as in a draft) means so much more in a league where there are bigger differences from best to worst.

And the writer says something i think is very true -- you can keep the parity just by having the salary cap. the allocation order thing is simply redundant, particularly since not all teams can equally afford the players returning due to cap limits, and not all players returning want to go to the teams that have the allocation.

Ahhh the follies of youth.

The allocation order is NOT to keep parity in the league. It is solely there in order to save the league money. Since the league owns all the contracts it would be absolutely counter-productive to have a multi-team bidding war for players. Which is why the allocation order remains.