Major League Soccer has announced details for the 2020 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas, which will take place on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 11 a.m. CT. The 2020 MLS expansion clubs will have the top selections in the draft, with Minnesota United picking 18th in the first round. Last seasons draftees made major impacts in their first year with the Loons, including USMNT prospects Dayne St. Clair, Chase Gasper and Hassani Dotson. The MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas is evolving in 2020 to streamline the draft process and provide fans with an innovative experience in collaboration with media partners ESPN and Twitter.
The 2020 SuperDraft presented by adidas will be conducted during a jointly produced MLS and ESPN show. The show will stream live on Twitter, with a Twitter Event Card that includes the live stream and real-time highlights from the event all in one comprehensive experience. The live stream will feature cameras embedded with players and club decision-makers for real-time draftee reactions, live look-ins on club draft rooms, and instant engagement from fans on Twitter during the first round. Additional content and analysis will be provided across MLS league and club digital and social channels. The 2020 SuperDraft presented by adidas will also stream live on the ESPN App, YouTube and Facebook.
“The MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas is an important opportunity for MLS clubs to acquire top talent from the collegiate game as well as promising youth internationals,” said Todd Durbin, MLS Executive Vice President, Competition & Player Relations. “The new format will enhance the experience for players and fans, while maintaining the traditional competitive aspects of the SuperDraft.”
The SuperDraft will be conducted in four rounds with 26 players selected in each round. To streamline the process, clubs now will be permitted three minutes, instead of four in previous years, to make their player selections, and there will be no intermission between rounds.
The eligible player list for the 2020 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas will be announced on Monday, Dec. 30, following the 2019 adidas MLS College Showcase (Dec. 13-15) — a valuable new scouting opportunity that MLS announced this week.
The 2019 adidas MLS College Showcase is a three-day event in Raleigh, N.C., that will give technical staffs from every MLS club an opportunity to scout the top collegiate prospects in the nation, including players with remaining NCAA eligibility. The event will feature approximately 40 top college players, ranging from freshmen to seniors, participating in a series of training sessions, testing, interviews, and match play. This event will allow MLS clubs to interact with potential SuperDraft selections earlier in their collegiate careers without jeopardizing players’ collegiate eligibility.
The 2019 adidas MLS College Showcase occurs in conjunction with the 2019 Men’s College Cup and is a closed-door scouting event officially sanctioned by the NCAA.
Homegrown-eligible underclassmen players – young talents developed by MLS club academies – will not participate in the 2019 adidas MLS College Showcase.
