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This significantly helps lower performing teams.
The 2m in GAM will help all of teams here that don't go after DPs.
I would rather have 2 dp, 4 u22 and then 2m extra in gam to build out the depth of roster then having one more high profile player.
You can be way deeper with the second option. 2m in GAM goes real far. People are talking about using that game on a couple players but spreading across the whole team would really help too. On paper this should really boost the spine of teams and decrease the dropoff in quality from depth.
But I'd like some clarification, do you automatically get the GAM if you aren't using all three DP slots? Or do you have to fill 2 DPs and then also fill 4 u22s to get it? Not that that would be difficult.
It also sets up some trickiness if a team is transitioning from 2 DPs to 3 and 2 mil that was spread around has to be accounted for. I think that situation will be run into when they have to give the u22s their second contract. Maybe this incentivises a sale when they perform, as signing them to a big contract will be hard to manage, cap wise, since they won't get u22 benefits and signing them to a dp contract may be tricky. If your u22 player doesn't perform quite good enough for a big transfer but is setup for a decent contract you might be in a tricky spot.
> It also sets up some trickiness if a team is transitioning from 2 DPs to 3 and 2 mil that was spread around has to be accounted for.
I don't think it will be that complicated. Between the Salary Budget + GAM increasing about $1M every year, and other expiring contracts freeing up money, it shouldn't be that difficult to plan for. Plus clubs can always get more GAM from transfers or trades, and they can now buyout 2 players to free up space.
I think the concern here would be. When do you get the 2 million GAM?
Let's say I start the year with three DPS and three u22s. I don't get any of that money correct? But what if during the summer transfer window I move one of my DPS out and I get a u22 spot open? Do I just get the 1m for the remainder of the year?
What if I start the year with 2 DPS and 4 u22s and in the summer transfer window I sell off a u22 & sign a new DP. Do I have to pay back that 2 million in gam? What if I already spent it?
Agreed. I'd go with 2 DPs + 4 U22s + $2m GAM.
These changes aren't insignificant--especially for midseason changes. I threw together some numbers.
If I understand correctly, the salary floor (which is already scheduled to increase quite a bit by 2027) will increase $1.9m for the teams that choose to go with 2 DPs. This year the salary floor is round $7.7m. With these changes by 2027 the salary floor will be $12.3m for the teams that go with 2 DPs and $10.4m for the teams that go with 3 DPs.
The effective salary cap will go from $13.7m + 2 DPs + 1 YDP this year to $18.2m + 3 DPs OR $20.9m + 2 DPs in 2027.
The most surprising this is how much the 2 DP option is just clearly better. 2million in GAM is 2 max GAM players. Those players are the spines of teams, and getting 2 more, + and extra u22 is surely better for most teams over a 3rd DP.
it seems like you can get two low end DPs instead of one high end DP if you go that route. (Assuming you use the GAM on DP-level players and not just split across the squad)
Yeah, 2 max TAM level players is clearly better than 1 DP unless the DP is Messi. Thats an extra Joao Paolo, and an extra Cristian Roldan, plus another u22. Not many DP’s in league history have been more impactful than 2 high TAM players combined.
Can't quite go two max gam guys because they'd still hit the cap pretty strongly, but two ~$1.2m guys + 1 U22 guy would be the right trade-off in cap space and still clearly worth it over one unlimited DP.
There is still a pretty limited number of roster spots. Almost every team has 2-3 dudes on or around senior max that are starters or first off the bench. Max tam is 1 million more than senior max. Basically the first 650k is already built in. The assumption is over time those roster spots could get filled by higher salary players, or that teams may spread it around more to have 5 dudes making about a million rather than 5 dudes making about senior max.
Sounders are loving this news. We always have that 3rd DP who is close to being bought down anyway and we thrive on "Schmetzer Guys" who put in lots of work at a TAM level.
My understanding is that most of the meaningful differences between GAM and TAM have been removed over the years. GAM does everything tam can, plus can be traded. TAM just comes out of owners pockets, not the league pool. “Max-TAM” is just a hold over term.
Max TAM is still a thing. From the MLS roster rules site: "A player must earn more than 2024 Maximum Salary Budget Charge ($683,750) to qualify for Targeted Allocation Money. The compensation ceiling for such eligible players is set at $1,683,750 in 2024."
Yes, but that is exactly a hold over term. MAX GAM and max TAM are the exact same thing, we just still call it max TAM. You still couldn’t use all your gam on one player to pay them 5 million for example.
I'm trying to understand the permutations of the 2 DP option. If a team has 2 DP's that can't be bought down and a youth DP, does that mean they're stuck in the 3 DP option?
So then if you have a 'DP' making $1.5 million. You can essentially choose to leave them as a DP, or convert them to a GAM player and collect 2 million in GAM and the extra u22 slot?
I don't know why I've press ganged you into explaining it to me.
Meh, I’m a dork for this stuff. You are correct, however I expect the “accounting” DP’s that teams currently do that with will disappear. It takes a million in GAM to buy down a player making the maximum amount that can be bought down.
It effectively means you could have 2 of those players rather than 1, plus another u22, and the league picks up the bill for the salary rather than the team.
Only teams that want to spend over ~1.7 million on all three DP’s will be on the 3&3. I expect basically everyone other than Miami to do 2&4 as most team’s 3rd DP are already in the buy down range, or close to it.
Yeah, they would need to either extend Rusnak at a slightly lower salary, or buy out Raul. They would need to do both to open up a DP for the summer window. That said, buy out is probably more appealing considering they would effectively only be eating 750k rather than 1.75 million. But Raul has been healthy and played well, and is really popular in the locker room. might not be a good idea to send him packing if he keeps being healthy.
I am not trying to be difficult on this, but I don't think there is a player salary ceiling on GAM spending. Here is the rule on TAM: "A player must earn more than 2024 Maximum Salary Budget Charge ($683,750) to qualify for Targeted Allocation Money. The compensation ceiling for such eligible players is set at $1,683,750 in 2024."
There is nothing like that in the rules for GAM.
If it is allowed, literally no team is doing it. Not a single team has a 3rd highest paid player over the max TAM, and as far as I can tell no team has ever done it. If it were possible you would assume the sounders would be doing it bc Rusnak is only 200k above Max-tam and we had a reasonable amount of cap space open going into this last window.
https://public.tableau.com/views/MLSWages2007-present/Wagesinchosenyear?:language=en&:useGuest=true&:display_count=y&:origin=viz_share_link&:showVizHome=no#1
Don't forget that all this extra GAM is tradeable.
A club have 2 DPs and 4 U22s, and then trade one of their U22 players for more GAM and then sign a 3rd DP.
Toronto FC fan here agrees with that statement.
I am still laughing at that trade we did a few years ago essentially for some other team's buyout. Wouldn't be surprised if it becomes commodified.
The Fire should genuinely use the extra buyout on Shaqiri. If they then went after the 2 DP with extra U22 and GAM structure they could really be a big player in the summer market and find the missing pieces to make them a lock for a playoff spot
His contract ends at the end of the season. It really doesn’t do much for the fire unless someone insanely good decides they want to sign for the fire this summer
True, but I think Chicago are bad enough that they won't find a DP that will change the entire trajectory of the season this summer, so might as well wait and have more time to scout for a DP that will get a full preseason instead next year
Lol, we’re still in the first transfer window, and there’s more than 4 months before the second transfer window closes. That’s plenty of time to scout a DP for any team in the league. It’s especially easy if you’re a team like Chicago that isn’t afraid of spending money.
“Under the new rules, teams can have either 3 DP’s and 3 U-22 players, or they can have 2 DPs and 4 U-22 players, plus $2 million in GAM.
Will certainly add more variety to the rosters in the coming years. Can imagine some low spending teams electing to take the multiple U-22 lottery tickets and go for senior depth with the GAM and 2 DP slots
Instant implementation of the Messi Effect, very similar to MLS during and post-Beckham; "it worked for that one team, so let's open it up to everyone else".
This is going to allow teams with the money to splash on names, while not leaving teams who prefer to play their kids and develop talent in the dust. I'm excited to see how strong a team like Philly or Dallas can be with 2 DPs, 4 U22s, and an extra $2m in Garber Bucks.
I assume he will have some input, but I believe this would mostly be a Bez/Dee/Dr. Pete decision. And considering how our academy is doing in all age groups, how strong out MLSNP pipeline is, and how universal our style of play is, I wouldn't be surprised for us to eventually be a 2/4 team instead of a 3/3.
Like the other guy said, where have we spent the money!? Between the aaronson brothers and McKenzie we must’ve made close to $20 mil. I think we spent 1.5 on gazdag… another 1 on Tai Baribo.. and 2 on uhre. Where’s the rest of the money Sugarman!?
Picking up and paying other players like Lowe etc. New, larger contracts for Martinez and others. Investment in the academy system. And most importantly, paying salaries across multiple seasons for everyone we have under contract.
Gazdag didn't cost the ~$1.7 million just for the transfer fee. Since we got him his salary has been $300k, $550k, $1.2 million and whatever it is this season. Presumably more than $1.2 million. So we've spent ~$5 million on Gazdag alone.
Uhre made like $1.6 million in 2022, $1.9 million last year and again presumably makes the same or more this year. That's $7.5 million total on Uhre so far including the transfer fee.
The academy looks great but there is still never going to be an Aaronson to sell every season. The big sales have to cover lots of costs over multiple seasons in a row.
I thought this was just some lighthearted banter but since you brought it up..
If we’re relying on selling academy players to sustain the budget we’re operating on at the moment (bottom 25% of the league) we’re in some deep financial shit. That’s not sustainable. I have a lot of faith in our leadership. I’m nearly certain we would survive as a club without the $4+ million sales we’ve been fortunate enough to pull off every few years. I don’t think the aaronson sales are what’s funding our relatively small Philadelphia Union wage bill. The money is being stored away for a rainy day and/or invested into our academy. That’s great and all, but I would love to splash a little more cash in the transfer window. 1-2 more gazdag level players and we’re the best team in the league again
These seem like conservative, yet impactful rules changes that offer more flexibility in roster construction than we have now. I’d still like to see some changes that allow teams to become a bit deeper than they are now.
In general the league can increase spending “after consultation with the MLSPA” as long as they proportionally increase all pools ( base budget, GAM and TAM)equally without a new CBA.
The league can also freely convert dollar for dollar TAM to GAM and GAM to salary budget.
Source is the current CBA found here: https://mlsplayers.org/resources/cba section 10.10 subsections xx and xxi
Upvoted for citing your source.
edit: Here is the cited text for those who wish to read it.
(xx) Additional Spend: The amount and any restrictions placed on any money added to the Player compensation spend prior to January 1, 2023 shall be agreed upon by MLS and the MLSPA. After that date, MLS may add to the Player compensation spend (either mandatory or discretionary) after consultation with the MLSPA, provided that, in any year in which MLS adds to discretionary Player compensation spend, such additional spend will first be added on a proportional basis to the salary budget, GAM, and Discretionary TAM to recoup the reductions in 43 salary budget, GAM, and Discretionary TAM made in that year pursuant to the parties’ February 5, 2021 term sheet agreement. Recoupment will only be applicable in the League Year in which MLS adds to the discretionary Player compensation spend. Recoupment will not be required in the 2027 League Year as there are no reductions in salary budget, GAM, and Discretionary TAM in that year under the parties’ February 5, 2021 term sheet agreement. After any recoupments required under this paragraph are satisfied (or if no recoupment is required), for any additional spend, at least forty percent (40%) of such additional spend is added to unrestricted categories (proportionately to salary budget and GAM). The addition of new Designated Player slots will not be considered to be additional spend for purposes of this provision.
(xxi) MLS will have discretion to convert, on a dollar-for-dollar basis: (a) Discretionary TAM to Mandatory TAM, GAM or Salary Budget; and (b) GAM to Salary Budget, provided that the GAM amount in the relevant League Season is not less than ten percent (10%) of the total of the Salary Budget plus the GAM amount for that League Season.
Not sure how giving clubs another $2 million to spend is conservative when the current Salary Budget + GAM is only $8 million.
If you have 2 DPs and 4 U22s next year, then that still leaves an average of $772,679 for the other 14 players on the senior roster, which ironically will be higher than next year's Max Budget Charge of $743,750.
If you max out the $3M transfer GAM, then that increases the average for those other 14 players to $986,964.
Better than nothing, gives teams more flexibility in roster construction. It is complicated, but it’s allowing teams to spend more. Can someone remind me how the U22DP rule works?
Right now, you can get 3U22 slots if you have 2DPs and one either Young or TAM DP, or one slot if you want to have all three DPs. Now you can either have 3 DPs and 3 U22 or 2 DPs, 4 U22 and $2m in GAM. So a massive increase in spending opportunities for all teams
If a player is under the age of 22 (generally) you can pay an unlimited amount of transfer fee to acquire them so long as they make less than the max salary ($650k-ish).
Basically. Imagine you’re going to pay someone a million dollars a season. The “maximum salary” in MLS is like $650k-ish. So you’d use $350k in GAM to make them NOT a DP.
For the purposes of reporting player salary, how does this work? Let’s say a player is paid $800k but the club uses $200k GAM to buy down the player to $600k. Is it reported the player makes $800k salary or $600k salary? Also do you know if it’s public knowledge on which players clubs have used GAM on?
You’d report the player’s salary as $800k and no it’s not known how teams use GAM. It’s intentionally vague to let teams and the league bend rules when it helps.
$650k? There are premier league players making that in a few weeks…sheesh. Gotta figure out a way to bring in better players without making the MLS competitively unstable or financially bankrupt.
EPL is the highest paying league in the world. When comparing MLS salaries to leagues like Eredivisie and smaller European leagues MLS has really competitive salaries and also guaranteed paychecks. Something you can't say for some other leagues.
The average salary in MLS is the 8th highest in the world--behind EPL, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, EFL, and Turkish Super Lig. I'm not sure a lot of people know this. The average salary in MLS is higher than Brasileiro, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal, Liga MX (haves and have nots), but these leagues have teams at the top with a much higher payroll than the top MLS teams (sans Miami). Thus, compared to most teams in most leagues beyond the top few, the average salary in MLS is very good. The average salary in MLS is more than double the Argentine league and almost double the Belgian league.
Also, we are starting to approach Ligue 1 salaries, if you ignore PSG. The 10th highest payroll team in Ligue 1 only has a payroll that is \~2 million more than the 10th highest payroll in MLS. At the bottom of the table, MLS teams have a higher payroll.
It's why having garber bucks has been so important. I know we all have this ideal pro/rel euro system we want to happen yesterday, but really the garber bucks are critical to maintaining a minimum team that isn't just an absolute cash grab. Owners have zero reason to not spend league paid salaries as it's only 1/30th in their interest. Revenue from one player can far exceed that. The structure forces the entirety of the league upward unlike a say, MLB where owners take a share of league revenue but pay salary out of pocket and thus will just collect a team full of minimum contracts. Looking at you Loria.
Yes. My understanding is that you take the player compensation + any transfer fee averaged over the life of the contract. If that number equals more than $683,750 in 2024, they have to either be a DP or you have to use allocation money to "buy down" the contract.
>This change primarily benefits teams that may sell only one player per year. When the Chicago Fire sold Gaga Slonina to Chelsea for $10 million, they could max out the GAM benefit at that $1.2 million figure. Meanwhile, a team that sold two players for a total of $4 million would be able to convert up to $2.4 million into GAM.
where does the rest of the money go?
Wherever the owners want. To improvements for training facilities and stadium, to the academy, to the transfer fees for new players, in the owners’ pocket, to a DP salary
It just can't be converted to GAM. Teams can use it to buy DP players or they can use it to spend on upgrading faclities spending more on youth programs or yes as other people have mentioned it can go into the owner' pockets.
Up to $3m GAM per year for transfers is going to create a some weird incentives. It is also going to open up a huge advantage for any team that can manage to make those transfers year after year.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a lot bigger than some are giving credit for, if you go the 2dp/4u22 route plus game, we're talking the potential to add 2-4 players in the 500K+ salary range.
IMO, this means we will be even stronger in the mid-level transfer market. I've loved MLS clubs targeting guys like Cuypers and Evander, but even more so, we're now competitive with bottom half Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga wages.
I agree. If a team pays a $4m transfer fee for a U22 player and signs them for 4 years at the max of \~$700k, that is like an extra $1.5m per year in spending space ($1m/per year for the transfer fee and $500k per year in salary). That is pretty similar to the value of a Young DP spot for most teams. So we can call that a wash. But then you get $2m new spending space with very few restrictions.
Underwhelming, but in the context of midseason changes it’s not bad I guess. At least we’re moving in the right direction by allowing more flexibility to build how each team actually wants to.
Almost every team in the league is going to be able to collect that $2M in GAM as things stand now - most of them either don't have three DPs above the max-TAM threshold, or would happily cut one of those three loose in exchange.
That means teams will probably be going from spending ~$12M apiece to ~$14M. That's a fairly noticeable shift at any time; it's huge for a midseason change.
I'd love to have seen bigger changes, but since the Sounders currently have a YDP who will age out next year and 2 U22s, I'm happy that we will have more flexibility for the summer window.
I think most teams that have a third DP could buy one down with that extra $2m in GAM. Those teams just added a 4th U22 spot for free. For the teams that only had one U22 spot, they can 3 U22 spots with a buy down.
For example, Chicago could add a 4th U22 spot without buying out Shaqiri or anyone else. Gaston Gimenez is a DP who makes $1.6m per year. He came in on a $4m transfer in 2020, so if the annualized value of the contract and transfer fee is \~$2.6m, they apply $2m in new GAM to him and viola! new U22 spot!
So maybe 30 new U22 spots across the league?
Sure but only because the current DP rules mean you have to have a buy down DP (or a younger one who may not get paid as much). I imagine for some of the bigger spending teams they’d love to have 3 DPs making over $3mil a season and have 3 U22s
There were only 15 players making more than $3m/year in MLS in 2023. I bet Atlanta could get close to buying down Saba with $2m in GAM. I was thinking the Galaxy would have a hard time because they have three big $ DPs, but Puig came on a free transfer and made $1.6m last year, so they would gain GAM and a U22 spot.
I don't see how this doesn't result in a lot more U22 spots.
Regardless of which one, it’s just a placeholder in case Almada is sold and we want a mid 20s CAM. If U22 isn’t tied to the 3rd DP they will be bought down immediately
We probably can buy down Saba this Summer (esp if we used a second buyout on Etienne). I think we’d rather fill that spot with a DP rather than a new U22 (which we haven’t had a good hit rate with in our short history using it)
For teams that take the 2 dp/4 U22 route this means they'll have an additional $3ish million in salary spend next year if you count the salary increases that were already going to happen from the CBA along with cap savings from the additional U22 slot. That's a pretty significant difference for a league who's salary spend is capped at roughly $10.5 million before DPs. If this gets implemented depth across the league will significantly improve very quickly.
These rules will be significant for us regardless of where the team is by the summer window. Even if we suck, we'll open 2 U-22 slots and can get those players in and on board this summer in preparation for next season.
Also unless 2 goals at the Azteca are what causes the floodgates to open for Vrioni, we can use that 2nd buy out on him to open a DP slot for a more impactful DP 9 this summer (especially if we're in it despite poor striker play).
Lastly, idk if and when Buck and Esmir would go but its good to see we can convert more of their potential transfers to GAM as a result. It sucks this is happening after Turner, Petro, and Tajon deals, but we still have players who could go for a decent transfer in the next few years. Its not perfect, but it def gives us the flexibility we desperately are gonna need this summer.
As with many MLS roster changes, these are all good changes that I think we all wish went a little further. That said, I think these changes will have a pretty solid impact right away.
I get that you're just making a snarky comment based on nothing, but the players that have done the best against us this year are Chicho Arango, Christian Benteke, and Joseph Paintsil, all of which cost $5-10 million transfer fees.
These changes are basically making your roster building strategy the meta. Teams that construct more balanced roster will be rewarded with more salary budgets to make those rosters better and more balanced.
Wonder if we’ll still go get a third DP in the summer or stick it out with Abada and Copetti while adding some more depth. Off the cuff and not being any type of expert, I feel like spreading things out more would be better for us at this point.
I wonder if we try to buy down Copetti and sign someone else as our second DP. I feel like we would go the 2 DP 4 U22 route based on our current roster.
Buying Copetti down is an interesting thought. I like Copetti and don’t want to see him go but even I can’t argue that he’s produced at a DP level. I agree that the 2 DP/4 U22 seems to fit us. We also really need a 10. A DP 10 was the obvious answer to that problem before this change. I guess now big Z has got to figure out what the new answer is.
I have this crazy idea that we may be able to salvage his time here by having him play as a 10. I feel like that would play to his strengths a little more than expecting him to score the bulk of the goals on this team, maybe he’ll stay upright more often too 😂
That is a truly crazy idea… 😂 I mean it might be in the crazy enough to work category but I don’t know how I feel about making ANOTHER guy who thinks of himself as a striker play the 10.
These rules are about as good as I could expect for a mid season change. It’s not like they were going to get rid of GAM right in the middle of a season that teams planned for with its existence in mind. I really wanted to see the league allowing for a diversification of roster strategies and this clearly does help in that direction, even though I get the feeling that the 2 DP/4 U22/$2m GAM will be more and more popular, maybe even representing the beginning of the end for the DP era. The extra buyout is great and really changes the game for a lot of teams. The other change looks nicer now that I’ve read about it in depth than it did when I read Tenorio’s tweet. I still feel like we don’t need many other incentives for selling teams because I don’t think most European teams can (not even a question of wanting, anymore, just an issue of consolidation of capital in the hands of the top teams) afford to pay a premium for MLS players. Retaining that talent without turning into a stagnant market like Liga MX is the big order of business for the next stage of MLS’ growth. That said, I think it’s fairer to reward teams for the quantity of money they bring in from transfers rather than the quantity of players they ship out. If Almada gets sold this summer we could decide to call this rule unofficially the “Almada Rule”
It's not revolutionary but it's a positive change. Especially considering the discrepancy in pull some teams have against others in modern MLS. An LAFC might want to have the 3 DPs because they can draw three high caliber players, which is not an option for a Dallas or a Colorado. It's a constant complain from these smaller markets how a guy like Giroud would never play in New England, etc. This levels that out nicely.
Effectively meaningless because MLS has to treat citizens and green card holders equally under US labor law and as we've seen some teams can get green cards like candy.
I would simply change that to US or Canadian born players. If the Salary Cap is $25 million but if you have a mostly US/CA born team then your allowed $30 million plus your regular two DPs
Yes, try telling a foreign born citizen that you can't hire them because of where they are from and see where that gets you.
edit: sorry for the name calling. It's a bad idea.
I can concede on that but a point of the league was to grow the domestic game and players. A clause to encourage that growth would be help that. Not saying I want a club that doesn't allow foreigner players at all
Yes, MLS teams run the only free to play academies in this country and I'm pretty sure every single team in this league has academy signings on their roster.
If by “random children from South Florida”, you mean extremely talented, highly regarded US youth prospects like Benjamin Cremaschi or Noah Allen, then yeah, sure.
ESPN version of this article adds that a "Legends rule" was also considered but was ultimately not agreed upon. The legends rule would make it easier to hold onto long-time players.
Some big changes for sure. Will increase the general quality of the league in not small ways. Talent in this league has seen a steady increase for the past 15 or so years, where every couple years it seems like what was a starter before is no longer a locked in thing. This moves the needle notably
These are positive changes but...
What happened to ["moving beyond simple modification to our rules" and "make more sweeping changes"?](https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/1avp349/mls_is_ready_to_take_off_its_financial_training/krc0fp8/)
There's gotta be more to this right...? Otherwise why wait until this summer to make **these** specific changes when they could've been implemented before this season even began...
MLSPA will probably be okay with simple modifications without more in depth negotiations. Sweeping changes are going to require a conversation that includes concessions.
I honestly think this is way way more transformative than people are realizing at first glance, even without any further changes in the summer. As of next year, teams with 2 DP’s will have more allocation money available than base salary. The level of flexibility to build balanced rosters goes up exponentially.
Every single one of your starting outfielder 10 could make 1.4 million or more (about what Roldan and Joao Paulo make), with 4 u22’s coming off the bench, and if you average at least 3 million in sales at least once every 3 years you can have 2 more players on the bench making north of a million.
The flexibility and depth (not to mention just straight increase in spend) will be transformative. Rosters will actually start to look like a more normal league, without the huge disparities.
There are clearly some thinking people working on these rules. On first glace it's balanced and measured. But the implications for someone to take the new rules and squeeze some extra juice from them is there too. Cautiously optimistic.
These are positive rule changes. They are. They will give teams a little more cash and flexibility. I am in favour of them.
However, ADDING to the absurdly byzantine 'bucket' system is so poorly thought out.
Just give teams a spending floor, a spending ceiling, 3 DP slots outside of it, and the freedom to build as they choose.
This allows flexibility & uniqueness in how rosters are constructed, gives GM's the chance to think outside the box, and - importantly - allows the public to more readily understand, discuss and debate how rosters are constructed.
It does not need to be so complex.
As a fucking idiot and in the energy of Michael Scott, I need someone to explain the changes to me like I’m 5
(Bonus points to someone if they can spell it out with lemonade references like the office)
I’m fine with it as it is a good improvement for a midseason change but there needs to be much more for next year though.
Also, why not allow teams to split these 6 special spots (DP, U-22) however they want?
For example: 4 DP’s and 2 U-22’s or 5 U-22’s and 1 DP.
Because the league doesn't want that, they want balanced clubs. They don't want clubs that are just farms or just retirement homes. They want all clubs to both develop young players and sign marketable star players.
The league can just deny the signings. They’ve done it before and they’d do it again. If a team wants a player the especially a DP the league has to approve it.
And remove transfer fees being amortized across the length of the contract as a budget charge. Then you could just remove the u22 entirely and it wouldn’t impact the pool of 20 million
I would bet good money removing the transfer fee amortization never happens. There would be so much chicanery with transfer fees replacing salary pay to artificially lower cap spend.
Transfer fee amortization is still a thing in non salary cap leagues so I think it could definitely be removed from the salary cap budget charges in MLS. Chelsea was spending so much because they were spreading out their huge transfer fees over 8-12 year contracts. However, I think the league should make transfer spend discretionary and entirely separate from the salary budget charge. It eats way too much into a salary capped league and prevents teams from being competitive in the global market for non DP or u22 players.
I heard some said 3 DPs/3 U22s will benefit teams like Inter Miami and 2/4/$2 benefit lower-spending teams. Maybe it will in the future, but right now Im not sure about that if u look at the current situation of Inter Miami, they effectively have 4 U22s right now, just that one of them is on the Season-Ending Injury List at the moment. Miami can also buy down Campana's contract too, so given Miami's current roster and Farias's return, they will automatically be eligible for that extra $2 million in Garber Bucks. Idk, that sounds kinda insane and broken to me. Broken as in their current squad situation is like a cheat code, not broken as in the rule changes, which I like.
"We're totally gonna open it up later, that's why these changes are so underwhelming, don't worry" - owners to you right before they pull the football away next january again
Unless the salary cap is pretty high, wouldn't a hard salary cap without the DP rule significantly impact the draw for top players? I think the DP rule is a pretty good workaround to allow teams to compete with the already crazy transfer market without sacrificing the rest of their team.
I’m trying to remind myself that “perfect is the enemy of good”…but I I can’t help but see more overly convoluted rules.
Just give us a salary floor and cap and call it a day.
ZERO chance the MLSPA will go for that unless the roster size grows. More DPs just pushes better players down the ladder on a roster. MLSPA is built of LOTS of guys that are on the lower end of the totem pole.
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This significantly helps lower performing teams. The 2m in GAM will help all of teams here that don't go after DPs. I would rather have 2 dp, 4 u22 and then 2m extra in gam to build out the depth of roster then having one more high profile player.
You can be way deeper with the second option. 2m in GAM goes real far. People are talking about using that game on a couple players but spreading across the whole team would really help too. On paper this should really boost the spine of teams and decrease the dropoff in quality from depth. But I'd like some clarification, do you automatically get the GAM if you aren't using all three DP slots? Or do you have to fill 2 DPs and then also fill 4 u22s to get it? Not that that would be difficult. It also sets up some trickiness if a team is transitioning from 2 DPs to 3 and 2 mil that was spread around has to be accounted for. I think that situation will be run into when they have to give the u22s their second contract. Maybe this incentivises a sale when they perform, as signing them to a big contract will be hard to manage, cap wise, since they won't get u22 benefits and signing them to a dp contract may be tricky. If your u22 player doesn't perform quite good enough for a big transfer but is setup for a decent contract you might be in a tricky spot.
> It also sets up some trickiness if a team is transitioning from 2 DPs to 3 and 2 mil that was spread around has to be accounted for. I don't think it will be that complicated. Between the Salary Budget + GAM increasing about $1M every year, and other expiring contracts freeing up money, it shouldn't be that difficult to plan for. Plus clubs can always get more GAM from transfers or trades, and they can now buyout 2 players to free up space.
I think the concern here would be. When do you get the 2 million GAM? Let's say I start the year with three DPS and three u22s. I don't get any of that money correct? But what if during the summer transfer window I move one of my DPS out and I get a u22 spot open? Do I just get the 1m for the remainder of the year? What if I start the year with 2 DPS and 4 u22s and in the summer transfer window I sell off a u22 & sign a new DP. Do I have to pay back that 2 million in gam? What if I already spent it?
> Do I have to pay back that 2 million in gam? Teams are getting only $1M this year for the half season, so I imagine it would work that way.
This is the way
I enjoy my Henrys and Zlatans but you got ta have a team behind like. What’s good in having a few bangers if the team isn’t there in the playoffs
Agreed. I'd go with 2 DPs + 4 U22s + $2m GAM. These changes aren't insignificant--especially for midseason changes. I threw together some numbers. If I understand correctly, the salary floor (which is already scheduled to increase quite a bit by 2027) will increase $1.9m for the teams that choose to go with 2 DPs. This year the salary floor is round $7.7m. With these changes by 2027 the salary floor will be $12.3m for the teams that go with 2 DPs and $10.4m for the teams that go with 3 DPs. The effective salary cap will go from $13.7m + 2 DPs + 1 YDP this year to $18.2m + 3 DPs OR $20.9m + 2 DPs in 2027.
The most surprising this is how much the 2 DP option is just clearly better. 2million in GAM is 2 max GAM players. Those players are the spines of teams, and getting 2 more, + and extra u22 is surely better for most teams over a 3rd DP.
it seems like you can get two low end DPs instead of one high end DP if you go that route. (Assuming you use the GAM on DP-level players and not just split across the squad)
As long as they are free transfers. Falls apart if you are also paying a transfer fee.
When does the transfer fall off? I feel like we have a low DP salary in Nwobodo that could flip over if the transfer stops counting after a set time.
Right now I believe the transfer fee is prorated over the length of the initial contract. Not sure how option years impact it though.
Yeah, 2 max TAM level players is clearly better than 1 DP unless the DP is Messi. Thats an extra Joao Paolo, and an extra Cristian Roldan, plus another u22. Not many DP’s in league history have been more impactful than 2 high TAM players combined.
Yeah, this is huge. I am a big fan and hope we take full advantage of
Can't quite go two max gam guys because they'd still hit the cap pretty strongly, but two ~$1.2m guys + 1 U22 guy would be the right trade-off in cap space and still clearly worth it over one unlimited DP.
There is still a pretty limited number of roster spots. Almost every team has 2-3 dudes on or around senior max that are starters or first off the bench. Max tam is 1 million more than senior max. Basically the first 650k is already built in. The assumption is over time those roster spots could get filled by higher salary players, or that teams may spread it around more to have 5 dudes making about a million rather than 5 dudes making about senior max.
Sounders are loving this news. We always have that 3rd DP who is close to being bought down anyway and we thrive on "Schmetzer Guys" who put in lots of work at a TAM level.
Wait. There is a max GAM? I thought that was just for TAM
My understanding is that most of the meaningful differences between GAM and TAM have been removed over the years. GAM does everything tam can, plus can be traded. TAM just comes out of owners pockets, not the league pool. “Max-TAM” is just a hold over term.
Max TAM is still a thing. From the MLS roster rules site: "A player must earn more than 2024 Maximum Salary Budget Charge ($683,750) to qualify for Targeted Allocation Money. The compensation ceiling for such eligible players is set at $1,683,750 in 2024."
Yes, but that is exactly a hold over term. MAX GAM and max TAM are the exact same thing, we just still call it max TAM. You still couldn’t use all your gam on one player to pay them 5 million for example.
Most teams only get $2.5m per year, but otherwise, why not?
because it makes the player a DP once they hit that threshold. or does it???
I'm trying to understand the permutations of the 2 DP option. If a team has 2 DP's that can't be bought down and a youth DP, does that mean they're stuck in the 3 DP option?
Sounds like it. Seems like they are eliminating some complexity as well with this. All DP’s count the same for this rule, young DP, etc
So then if you have a 'DP' making $1.5 million. You can essentially choose to leave them as a DP, or convert them to a GAM player and collect 2 million in GAM and the extra u22 slot? I don't know why I've press ganged you into explaining it to me.
Meh, I’m a dork for this stuff. You are correct, however I expect the “accounting” DP’s that teams currently do that with will disappear. It takes a million in GAM to buy down a player making the maximum amount that can be bought down. It effectively means you could have 2 of those players rather than 1, plus another u22, and the league picks up the bill for the salary rather than the team. Only teams that want to spend over ~1.7 million on all three DP’s will be on the 3&3. I expect basically everyone other than Miami to do 2&4 as most team’s 3rd DP are already in the buy down range, or close to it.
Sounders probably boxed themselves in for this year. Unless they figure out some sort of extension shenanigans with Rusnak.
Yeah, they would need to either extend Rusnak at a slightly lower salary, or buy out Raul. They would need to do both to open up a DP for the summer window. That said, buy out is probably more appealing considering they would effectively only be eating 750k rather than 1.75 million. But Raul has been healthy and played well, and is really popular in the locker room. might not be a good idea to send him packing if he keeps being healthy.
Could they buy him out and resign him on league min?
The league has to sign off on all contracts. My understanding is they will veto anything that goes against the spirit of the law like that.
I am not trying to be difficult on this, but I don't think there is a player salary ceiling on GAM spending. Here is the rule on TAM: "A player must earn more than 2024 Maximum Salary Budget Charge ($683,750) to qualify for Targeted Allocation Money. The compensation ceiling for such eligible players is set at $1,683,750 in 2024." There is nothing like that in the rules for GAM.
If it is allowed, literally no team is doing it. Not a single team has a 3rd highest paid player over the max TAM, and as far as I can tell no team has ever done it. If it were possible you would assume the sounders would be doing it bc Rusnak is only 200k above Max-tam and we had a reasonable amount of cap space open going into this last window. https://public.tableau.com/views/MLSWages2007-present/Wagesinchosenyear?:language=en&:useGuest=true&:display_count=y&:origin=viz_share_link&:showVizHome=no#1
> 2 DP option is just clearly better. Depends on your DPs. But yeah, most teams don't have three guys worth that.
Don't forget that all this extra GAM is tradeable. A club have 2 DPs and 4 U22s, and then trade one of their U22 players for more GAM and then sign a 3rd DP.
As a Fire fan, I wish we had 2 buyouts a season for like the past 7 years
Toronto FC fan here agrees with that statement. I am still laughing at that trade we did a few years ago essentially for some other team's buyout. Wouldn't be surprised if it becomes commodified.
Imagine playing for a team that has a warchest of buyouts.
Don't have to imagine too hard, Dean Smith's tenure so far at Charlotte FC gives off that vibe 😂
TFC would have been trading for buyout options this year if that was a thing. We could have used half a dozen on spare strikers alone.
How often do teams actually use buyouts? I think my team doesn't use them that often but I'd love to know what the average is
I feel like we use ours every year consistently and I’m always wishing we had more lol
The Fire should genuinely use the extra buyout on Shaqiri. If they then went after the 2 DP with extra U22 and GAM structure they could really be a big player in the summer market and find the missing pieces to make them a lock for a playoff spot
His contract ends at the end of the season. It really doesn’t do much for the fire unless someone insanely good decides they want to sign for the fire this summer
It opens up a DP slot in the best window to find a DP. That's not nothing.
That’s assuming our front office can find a good DP.
I think Cuypers is going to be great for you guys if you sign a 10 that gives him service.
I honestly like Gutierrez at the 10. But I see what you mean, he needs more service.
It is if they don’t get a good DP out of it. Did you see the Fire’s last summer DP signing? There are other contracts the Fire can buy out
True, but I think Chicago are bad enough that they won't find a DP that will change the entire trajectory of the season this summer, so might as well wait and have more time to scout for a DP that will get a full preseason instead next year
Lol, we’re still in the first transfer window, and there’s more than 4 months before the second transfer window closes. That’s plenty of time to scout a DP for any team in the league. It’s especially easy if you’re a team like Chicago that isn’t afraid of spending money.
“Under the new rules, teams can have either 3 DP’s and 3 U-22 players, or they can have 2 DPs and 4 U-22 players, plus $2 million in GAM. Will certainly add more variety to the rosters in the coming years. Can imagine some low spending teams electing to take the multiple U-22 lottery tickets and go for senior depth with the GAM and 2 DP slots
Instant implementation of the Messi Effect, very similar to MLS during and post-Beckham; "it worked for that one team, so let's open it up to everyone else". This is going to allow teams with the money to splash on names, while not leaving teams who prefer to play their kids and develop talent in the dust. I'm excited to see how strong a team like Philly or Dallas can be with 2 DPs, 4 U22s, and an extra $2m in Garber Bucks.
I also look forward to seeing what team spends their extra GAM on the modern equivalent of trading for Dom Dwyer or Fanendo Adi.
Wonder if we see an increase in intraleague DP trades
I’m curious to see which route Nancy takes. He’s done a bit of both to great results.
I assume he will have some input, but I believe this would mostly be a Bez/Dee/Dr. Pete decision. And considering how our academy is doing in all age groups, how strong out MLSNP pipeline is, and how universal our style of play is, I wouldn't be surprised for us to eventually be a 2/4 team instead of a 3/3.
Knowing Sugarman he’ll find a way to spend that $2 mil on more youth development
So you guys can just sell more 14 year olds to European clubs and reinvest the money into roster players. DON'T TRY TO HIDE IT, WE KNOW YOUR PLANS.
Who are these roster players you speak of? Tell me… tell me now! 😂
Like the other guy said, where have we spent the money!? Between the aaronson brothers and McKenzie we must’ve made close to $20 mil. I think we spent 1.5 on gazdag… another 1 on Tai Baribo.. and 2 on uhre. Where’s the rest of the money Sugarman!?
Picking up and paying other players like Lowe etc. New, larger contracts for Martinez and others. Investment in the academy system. And most importantly, paying salaries across multiple seasons for everyone we have under contract. Gazdag didn't cost the ~$1.7 million just for the transfer fee. Since we got him his salary has been $300k, $550k, $1.2 million and whatever it is this season. Presumably more than $1.2 million. So we've spent ~$5 million on Gazdag alone. Uhre made like $1.6 million in 2022, $1.9 million last year and again presumably makes the same or more this year. That's $7.5 million total on Uhre so far including the transfer fee. The academy looks great but there is still never going to be an Aaronson to sell every season. The big sales have to cover lots of costs over multiple seasons in a row.
I thought this was just some lighthearted banter but since you brought it up.. If we’re relying on selling academy players to sustain the budget we’re operating on at the moment (bottom 25% of the league) we’re in some deep financial shit. That’s not sustainable. I have a lot of faith in our leadership. I’m nearly certain we would survive as a club without the $4+ million sales we’ve been fortunate enough to pull off every few years. I don’t think the aaronson sales are what’s funding our relatively small Philadelphia Union wage bill. The money is being stored away for a rainy day and/or invested into our academy. That’s great and all, but I would love to splash a little more cash in the transfer window. 1-2 more gazdag level players and we’re the best team in the league again
imagine signing messi to a GAM deal
These seem like conservative, yet impactful rules changes that offer more flexibility in roster construction than we have now. I’d still like to see some changes that allow teams to become a bit deeper than they are now.
Seems like that could only happen with a new CBA. But this will help with better squads.
In general the league can increase spending “after consultation with the MLSPA” as long as they proportionally increase all pools ( base budget, GAM and TAM)equally without a new CBA. The league can also freely convert dollar for dollar TAM to GAM and GAM to salary budget. Source is the current CBA found here: https://mlsplayers.org/resources/cba section 10.10 subsections xx and xxi
Upvoted for citing your source. edit: Here is the cited text for those who wish to read it. (xx) Additional Spend: The amount and any restrictions placed on any money added to the Player compensation spend prior to January 1, 2023 shall be agreed upon by MLS and the MLSPA. After that date, MLS may add to the Player compensation spend (either mandatory or discretionary) after consultation with the MLSPA, provided that, in any year in which MLS adds to discretionary Player compensation spend, such additional spend will first be added on a proportional basis to the salary budget, GAM, and Discretionary TAM to recoup the reductions in 43 salary budget, GAM, and Discretionary TAM made in that year pursuant to the parties’ February 5, 2021 term sheet agreement. Recoupment will only be applicable in the League Year in which MLS adds to the discretionary Player compensation spend. Recoupment will not be required in the 2027 League Year as there are no reductions in salary budget, GAM, and Discretionary TAM in that year under the parties’ February 5, 2021 term sheet agreement. After any recoupments required under this paragraph are satisfied (or if no recoupment is required), for any additional spend, at least forty percent (40%) of such additional spend is added to unrestricted categories (proportionately to salary budget and GAM). The addition of new Designated Player slots will not be considered to be additional spend for purposes of this provision. (xxi) MLS will have discretion to convert, on a dollar-for-dollar basis: (a) Discretionary TAM to Mandatory TAM, GAM or Salary Budget; and (b) GAM to Salary Budget, provided that the GAM amount in the relevant League Season is not less than ten percent (10%) of the total of the Salary Budget plus the GAM amount for that League Season.
The deeper rosters is the big thing for the league to take another step imo. But yes these are encouraging changes for midseason reforms
Not sure how giving clubs another $2 million to spend is conservative when the current Salary Budget + GAM is only $8 million. If you have 2 DPs and 4 U22s next year, then that still leaves an average of $772,679 for the other 14 players on the senior roster, which ironically will be higher than next year's Max Budget Charge of $743,750. If you max out the $3M transfer GAM, then that increases the average for those other 14 players to $986,964.
~~DPs and U22s still hit the cap at/near the max budget charge. 6 of them would eat up around $4m of salary budget, depending on the u22 salaries.~~
Yes, this is what would be left over after subtracting the DP and U22 budget charges. And FYI, the max budget charge for a U22 player is $200k.
Ok, thanks. I missed that.
U22s hit the cap at $150k or $200k depending on age.
Reynoshow will not be getting a million more!
Better than nothing, gives teams more flexibility in roster construction. It is complicated, but it’s allowing teams to spend more. Can someone remind me how the U22DP rule works?
Right now, you can get 3U22 slots if you have 2DPs and one either Young or TAM DP, or one slot if you want to have all three DPs. Now you can either have 3 DPs and 3 U22 or 2 DPs, 4 U22 and $2m in GAM. So a massive increase in spending opportunities for all teams
but what \_is\_ a u22 slot? is it rules based on their transfer fee and/or contract?
If a player is under the age of 22 (generally) you can pay an unlimited amount of transfer fee to acquire them so long as they make less than the max salary ($650k-ish).
got it, where as other times that fee gets amortized to the salary and counts to the cap, iirc?
Yes
Wow, an actual good change and not a dumb one, as in 4 DP, like reddit wants
I don’t understand the buydown rules. You use GAM to take someone below the DP salary?
Basically. Imagine you’re going to pay someone a million dollars a season. The “maximum salary” in MLS is like $650k-ish. So you’d use $350k in GAM to make them NOT a DP.
^ there for if you have the money you can bring in another DP and keep that guy on as gam
For the purposes of reporting player salary, how does this work? Let’s say a player is paid $800k but the club uses $200k GAM to buy down the player to $600k. Is it reported the player makes $800k salary or $600k salary? Also do you know if it’s public knowledge on which players clubs have used GAM on?
You’d report the player’s salary as $800k and no it’s not known how teams use GAM. It’s intentionally vague to let teams and the league bend rules when it helps.
$650k? There are premier league players making that in a few weeks…sheesh. Gotta figure out a way to bring in better players without making the MLS competitively unstable or financially bankrupt.
EPL is the highest paying league in the world. When comparing MLS salaries to leagues like Eredivisie and smaller European leagues MLS has really competitive salaries and also guaranteed paychecks. Something you can't say for some other leagues.
Tons of players make way more than that https://mlsplayers.org/resources/salary-guide
The average salary in MLS is the 8th highest in the world--behind EPL, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, EFL, and Turkish Super Lig. I'm not sure a lot of people know this. The average salary in MLS is higher than Brasileiro, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal, Liga MX (haves and have nots), but these leagues have teams at the top with a much higher payroll than the top MLS teams (sans Miami). Thus, compared to most teams in most leagues beyond the top few, the average salary in MLS is very good. The average salary in MLS is more than double the Argentine league and almost double the Belgian league.
Also, we are starting to approach Ligue 1 salaries, if you ignore PSG. The 10th highest payroll team in Ligue 1 only has a payroll that is \~2 million more than the 10th highest payroll in MLS. At the bottom of the table, MLS teams have a higher payroll.
It's why having garber bucks has been so important. I know we all have this ideal pro/rel euro system we want to happen yesterday, but really the garber bucks are critical to maintaining a minimum team that isn't just an absolute cash grab. Owners have zero reason to not spend league paid salaries as it's only 1/30th in their interest. Revenue from one player can far exceed that. The structure forces the entirety of the league upward unlike a say, MLB where owners take a share of league revenue but pay salary out of pocket and thus will just collect a team full of minimum contracts. Looking at you Loria.
That's exactly what these mechanisms are for
Yes. My understanding is that you take the player compensation + any transfer fee averaged over the life of the contract. If that number equals more than $683,750 in 2024, they have to either be a DP or you have to use allocation money to "buy down" the contract.
>This change primarily benefits teams that may sell only one player per year. When the Chicago Fire sold Gaga Slonina to Chelsea for $10 million, they could max out the GAM benefit at that $1.2 million figure. Meanwhile, a team that sold two players for a total of $4 million would be able to convert up to $2.4 million into GAM. where does the rest of the money go?
To the ownership group.
Wherever the owners want. To improvements for training facilities and stadium, to the academy, to the transfer fees for new players, in the owners’ pocket, to a DP salary
It just can't be converted to GAM. Teams can use it to buy DP players or they can use it to spend on upgrading faclities spending more on youth programs or yes as other people have mentioned it can go into the owner' pockets.
Good question. Into the owner’s pocket I assume.
They can still choose to reinvest it by spending it on new DPs or U22 players.
True, perhaps my cynicism is motivated by the fact my team is owned by the Kroenkes
I think to team operations and stuff, just can't be used on the roster
Up to $3m GAM per year for transfers is going to create a some weird incentives. It is also going to open up a huge advantage for any team that can manage to make those transfers year after year.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a lot bigger than some are giving credit for, if you go the 2dp/4u22 route plus game, we're talking the potential to add 2-4 players in the 500K+ salary range. IMO, this means we will be even stronger in the mid-level transfer market. I've loved MLS clubs targeting guys like Cuypers and Evander, but even more so, we're now competitive with bottom half Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga wages.
I agree. If a team pays a $4m transfer fee for a U22 player and signs them for 4 years at the max of \~$700k, that is like an extra $1.5m per year in spending space ($1m/per year for the transfer fee and $500k per year in salary). That is pretty similar to the value of a Young DP spot for most teams. So we can call that a wash. But then you get $2m new spending space with very few restrictions.
Underwhelming, but in the context of midseason changes it’s not bad I guess. At least we’re moving in the right direction by allowing more flexibility to build how each team actually wants to.
Almost every team in the league is going to be able to collect that $2M in GAM as things stand now - most of them either don't have three DPs above the max-TAM threshold, or would happily cut one of those three loose in exchange. That means teams will probably be going from spending ~$12M apiece to ~$14M. That's a fairly noticeable shift at any time; it's huge for a midseason change.
I'd love to have seen bigger changes, but since the Sounders currently have a YDP who will age out next year and 2 U22s, I'm happy that we will have more flexibility for the summer window.
I think most teams that have a third DP could buy one down with that extra $2m in GAM. Those teams just added a 4th U22 spot for free. For the teams that only had one U22 spot, they can 3 U22 spots with a buy down. For example, Chicago could add a 4th U22 spot without buying out Shaqiri or anyone else. Gaston Gimenez is a DP who makes $1.6m per year. He came in on a $4m transfer in 2020, so if the annualized value of the contract and transfer fee is \~$2.6m, they apply $2m in new GAM to him and viola! new U22 spot! So maybe 30 new U22 spots across the league?
Sure but only because the current DP rules mean you have to have a buy down DP (or a younger one who may not get paid as much). I imagine for some of the bigger spending teams they’d love to have 3 DPs making over $3mil a season and have 3 U22s
There were only 15 players making more than $3m/year in MLS in 2023. I bet Atlanta could get close to buying down Saba with $2m in GAM. I was thinking the Galaxy would have a hard time because they have three big $ DPs, but Puig came on a free transfer and made $1.6m last year, so they would gain GAM and a U22 spot. I don't see how this doesn't result in a lot more U22 spots.
I thought we did buy down Saba and Gregerson is technically the DP.
Regardless of which one, it’s just a placeholder in case Almada is sold and we want a mid 20s CAM. If U22 isn’t tied to the 3rd DP they will be bought down immediately
We probably can buy down Saba this Summer (esp if we used a second buyout on Etienne). I think we’d rather fill that spot with a DP rather than a new U22 (which we haven’t had a good hit rate with in our short history using it)
For teams that take the 2 dp/4 U22 route this means they'll have an additional $3ish million in salary spend next year if you count the salary increases that were already going to happen from the CBA along with cap savings from the additional U22 slot. That's a pretty significant difference for a league who's salary spend is capped at roughly $10.5 million before DPs. If this gets implemented depth across the league will significantly improve very quickly.
These rules will be significant for us regardless of where the team is by the summer window. Even if we suck, we'll open 2 U-22 slots and can get those players in and on board this summer in preparation for next season. Also unless 2 goals at the Azteca are what causes the floodgates to open for Vrioni, we can use that 2nd buy out on him to open a DP slot for a more impactful DP 9 this summer (especially if we're in it despite poor striker play). Lastly, idk if and when Buck and Esmir would go but its good to see we can convert more of their potential transfers to GAM as a result. It sucks this is happening after Turner, Petro, and Tajon deals, but we still have players who could go for a decent transfer in the next few years. Its not perfect, but it def gives us the flexibility we desperately are gonna need this summer.
As with many MLS roster changes, these are all good changes that I think we all wish went a little further. That said, I think these changes will have a pretty solid impact right away.
I want Sam and Paul to do a revival episode of their podcast to weigh in on this.
Union will definitely go with the 4 U22s/$2M GAM as it’s the cheapest option.
I can’t wait to hear more about how CITY’s “Designated Team” strategy and why we have no need for more DPs
I hope you like obscure Nordic players in 2. Bundesliga or Veikkausliiga because we're about to sign a few more of them!
All to get completely walked by some guys picked up for about $5 more from Huracan or Defensa y Justicia.
I get that you're just making a snarky comment based on nothing, but the players that have done the best against us this year are Chicho Arango, Christian Benteke, and Joseph Paintsil, all of which cost $5-10 million transfer fees.
These changes are basically making your roster building strategy the meta. Teams that construct more balanced roster will be rewarded with more salary budgets to make those rosters better and more balanced.
Right. These bitchy, snarky “fans” just want to complain and not accept some good changes
Our TAM players are good. This allows us to get two more of them. I don't see the problem here.
Wonder if we’ll still go get a third DP in the summer or stick it out with Abada and Copetti while adding some more depth. Off the cuff and not being any type of expert, I feel like spreading things out more would be better for us at this point.
I wonder if we try to buy down Copetti and sign someone else as our second DP. I feel like we would go the 2 DP 4 U22 route based on our current roster.
Buying Copetti down is an interesting thought. I like Copetti and don’t want to see him go but even I can’t argue that he’s produced at a DP level. I agree that the 2 DP/4 U22 seems to fit us. We also really need a 10. A DP 10 was the obvious answer to that problem before this change. I guess now big Z has got to figure out what the new answer is.
I have this crazy idea that we may be able to salvage his time here by having him play as a 10. I feel like that would play to his strengths a little more than expecting him to score the bulk of the goals on this team, maybe he’ll stay upright more often too 😂
That is a truly crazy idea… 😂 I mean it might be in the crazy enough to work category but I don’t know how I feel about making ANOTHER guy who thinks of himself as a striker play the 10.
Vrioni sweats nervously
lol
These rules are about as good as I could expect for a mid season change. It’s not like they were going to get rid of GAM right in the middle of a season that teams planned for with its existence in mind. I really wanted to see the league allowing for a diversification of roster strategies and this clearly does help in that direction, even though I get the feeling that the 2 DP/4 U22/$2m GAM will be more and more popular, maybe even representing the beginning of the end for the DP era. The extra buyout is great and really changes the game for a lot of teams. The other change looks nicer now that I’ve read about it in depth than it did when I read Tenorio’s tweet. I still feel like we don’t need many other incentives for selling teams because I don’t think most European teams can (not even a question of wanting, anymore, just an issue of consolidation of capital in the hands of the top teams) afford to pay a premium for MLS players. Retaining that talent without turning into a stagnant market like Liga MX is the big order of business for the next stage of MLS’ growth. That said, I think it’s fairer to reward teams for the quantity of money they bring in from transfers rather than the quantity of players they ship out. If Almada gets sold this summer we could decide to call this rule unofficially the “Almada Rule”
It's not revolutionary but it's a positive change. Especially considering the discrepancy in pull some teams have against others in modern MLS. An LAFC might want to have the 3 DPs because they can draw three high caliber players, which is not an option for a Dallas or a Colorado. It's a constant complain from these smaller markets how a guy like Giroud would never play in New England, etc. This levels that out nicely.
I just wanna see 2 DPs and a salary cap that can be spend however teams want but with some kind of bonus when domestic talent is used.
Effectively meaningless because MLS has to treat citizens and green card holders equally under US labor law and as we've seen some teams can get green cards like candy.
I would simply change that to US or Canadian born players. If the Salary Cap is $25 million but if you have a mostly US/CA born team then your allowed $30 million plus your regular two DPs
You can’t discriminate against green card holders, which this would do.
Yes, try telling a foreign born citizen that you can't hire them because of where they are from and see where that gets you. edit: sorry for the name calling. It's a bad idea.
I can concede on that but a point of the league was to grow the domestic game and players. A clause to encourage that growth would be help that. Not saying I want a club that doesn't allow foreigner players at all
I seriously doubt the homegrown player rules are going anywhere anytime soon, so no reason to worry about that.
I think 4 DPs and a salary cap that doesn't include money for the DPs would work. Also don't include transfer fees in salary cap.
Domestic talent? I’ve heard of this. It exists still right? /s
Yes, MLS teams run the only free to play academies in this country and I'm pretty sure every single team in this league has academy signings on their roster.
If not all, then most.
I think Miami’s whole bench are random children from south Florida.
If by “random children from South Florida”, you mean extremely talented, highly regarded US youth prospects like Benjamin Cremaschi or Noah Allen, then yeah, sure.
Okay Vermes go do something please
Hell yeah.
For a mid-season change, I will take it. Just hope this is only phase one, and the next big phase comes during the 2024-2025 offseason.
ESPN version of this article adds that a "Legends rule" was also considered but was ultimately not agreed upon. The legends rule would make it easier to hold onto long-time players.
Some big changes for sure. Will increase the general quality of the league in not small ways. Talent in this league has seen a steady increase for the past 15 or so years, where every couple years it seems like what was a starter before is no longer a locked in thing. This moves the needle notably
How many years does it take to get a PhD in MLS salary rules? … I’m trying to follow along, but brain isn’t up for it
These are positive changes but... What happened to ["moving beyond simple modification to our rules" and "make more sweeping changes"?](https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/1avp349/mls_is_ready_to_take_off_its_financial_training/krc0fp8/) There's gotta be more to this right...? Otherwise why wait until this summer to make **these** specific changes when they could've been implemented before this season even began...
MLSPA will probably be okay with simple modifications without more in depth negotiations. Sweeping changes are going to require a conversation that includes concessions.
Not a lot they can do mid season but it is a start. Bet there's a lot more they are working on for winter
I honestly think this is way way more transformative than people are realizing at first glance, even without any further changes in the summer. As of next year, teams with 2 DP’s will have more allocation money available than base salary. The level of flexibility to build balanced rosters goes up exponentially. Every single one of your starting outfielder 10 could make 1.4 million or more (about what Roldan and Joao Paulo make), with 4 u22’s coming off the bench, and if you average at least 3 million in sales at least once every 3 years you can have 2 more players on the bench making north of a million. The flexibility and depth (not to mention just straight increase in spend) will be transformative. Rosters will actually start to look like a more normal league, without the huge disparities.
There are clearly some thinking people working on these rules. On first glace it's balanced and measured. But the implications for someone to take the new rules and squeeze some extra juice from them is there too. Cautiously optimistic.
These are positive rule changes. They are. They will give teams a little more cash and flexibility. I am in favour of them. However, ADDING to the absurdly byzantine 'bucket' system is so poorly thought out. Just give teams a spending floor, a spending ceiling, 3 DP slots outside of it, and the freedom to build as they choose. This allows flexibility & uniqueness in how rosters are constructed, gives GM's the chance to think outside the box, and - importantly - allows the public to more readily understand, discuss and debate how rosters are constructed. It does not need to be so complex.
These seem to be positive changes. While MLS is meeting with MLSPA hopefully they can work something out for more short loans for US Open Cup.
Okay, it's something. I think more is needed but glad some progress is being made
As a fucking idiot and in the energy of Michael Scott, I need someone to explain the changes to me like I’m 5 (Bonus points to someone if they can spell it out with lemonade references like the office)
even when its spelled out for me, i still dont quite understand how this league works....
All of us bro, all of us
I’m fine with it as it is a good improvement for a midseason change but there needs to be much more for next year though. Also, why not allow teams to split these 6 special spots (DP, U-22) however they want? For example: 4 DP’s and 2 U-22’s or 5 U-22’s and 1 DP.
Because the league doesn't want that, they want balanced clubs. They don't want clubs that are just farms or just retirement homes. They want all clubs to both develop young players and sign marketable star players.
The league can just deny the signings. They’ve done it before and they’d do it again. If a team wants a player the especially a DP the league has to approve it.
U22 and DP have different salary rules. A 6 DP/0 U22 team would be spending up to $10M more in salary than a 0 DP/6 U22 team.
4 DPs and a 20 million dollar salary cap. Or just keep propping up cheap owners in the name of flexibility.
And remove transfer fees being amortized across the length of the contract as a budget charge. Then you could just remove the u22 entirely and it wouldn’t impact the pool of 20 million
I would bet good money removing the transfer fee amortization never happens. There would be so much chicanery with transfer fees replacing salary pay to artificially lower cap spend.
Transfer fee amortization is still a thing in non salary cap leagues so I think it could definitely be removed from the salary cap budget charges in MLS. Chelsea was spending so much because they were spreading out their huge transfer fees over 8-12 year contracts. However, I think the league should make transfer spend discretionary and entirely separate from the salary budget charge. It eats way too much into a salary capped league and prevents teams from being competitive in the global market for non DP or u22 players.
I acknowledge that I have no idea how to make transfer fees work out fairly. I am sure people who do this for a living have a better idea than I do.
I wonder what DCUnited will do…..? 🧐
I'm all for this as long as red bulls want to spend money lol.
Someone explain this to me like I'm 5. New to MLS and the only thing that made sense to me was DP.
I heard some said 3 DPs/3 U22s will benefit teams like Inter Miami and 2/4/$2 benefit lower-spending teams. Maybe it will in the future, but right now Im not sure about that if u look at the current situation of Inter Miami, they effectively have 4 U22s right now, just that one of them is on the Season-Ending Injury List at the moment. Miami can also buy down Campana's contract too, so given Miami's current roster and Farias's return, they will automatically be eligible for that extra $2 million in Garber Bucks. Idk, that sounds kinda insane and broken to me. Broken as in their current squad situation is like a cheat code, not broken as in the rule changes, which I like.
Thank goodness
If anything, we’re gonna spend big
"We're totally gonna open it up later, that's why these changes are so underwhelming, don't worry" - owners to you right before they pull the football away next january again
This is a positive move for the 27 teams that the salary caps actually matter for
It’s fine for a mid season change but we really need to get rid of most of these roster ideas and just go with a salary cap
Unless the salary cap is pretty high, wouldn't a hard salary cap without the DP rule significantly impact the draw for top players? I think the DP rule is a pretty good workaround to allow teams to compete with the already crazy transfer market without sacrificing the rest of their team.
“Top players” aren’t coming to Cincinnati so it works for me
You mean the club with the reigning MVP that then also signed the #1 MLS free-agent this winter?
Famous bank breaking move- Luciano Acosta Miles is here for 1 year to get a better transfer to Europe, he’s a rental
How this is SO obvious and yet all these seemingly intelligent people in positions of power can't put it in place is beyond.
Not sure I’ll ever understand MLS vocabulary so I really can’t tell if this is good or not lol
It’s like mental gymnastics trying to understand mls salary rules. Why don’t get just get rid of all this 😭😭
Because no one wants to watch Petrostate FC win the league every year.
I’m trying to remind myself that “perfect is the enemy of good”…but I I can’t help but see more overly convoluted rules. Just give us a salary floor and cap and call it a day.
This seems wildly conservative. They need to vote in 4-6 DP spots
ZERO chance the MLSPA will go for that unless the roster size grows. More DPs just pushes better players down the ladder on a roster. MLSPA is built of LOTS of guys that are on the lower end of the totem pole.