Just when you think you’ve got a feel for all of the rules that make up our beloved league, they go and change them on you. Are they doing this to confuse us? No! That’s just a fun side effect. The incremental rule changes that we’ve seen each year since Major League Soccer’s inception are slowly but surely pushing our league forward. Some rules help keep the playing field level; others help us elevate or maintain our spot in the global soccer landscape. For one reason or another, each of these rule evolutions has been good for our game.
Believe me, I don’t love learning new rules all the time; just most of the time. If you want to read this year’s fresh set of amendments straight from the horse’s mouth, here’s the league’s official article. If you’d rather get your update from this horse’s mouth, then please, keep reading the second edition of my second favorite series on this wonderful website. It’s time for another KYLE.
What’s Changing and What Does it All Mean?
On January 14, the league announced six key changes to roster construction regulations. This ranges from player trades to contract details, and, if used correctly, each of these rule changes could have a significant impact on every club’s strategy moving forward. How, you ask? Well, hold on, I’m getting to that.
I’ve decided that the best way to break this up is to list the rule changes all at once, then follow that up with my key takeaways. Otherwise, I’d just recreate the exact same article that our friends at the league cooked up, and I’m no plagiarizer, you hear me? Never. Without further ado, here are your new rules:
- Cash for player trades
- Second contract buyout
- GAM expiration dates
- Off-roster Homegrown changes
- Outgoing Designated Player loans
- Roster Construction Model declaration
Some of those are self-explanatory; others much less so, so let’s go through and do some explaining. Previously, intra-league trades involved the exchange of GAM, TAM, or other specialized units of value. Now, clubs will be allowed to engage in a total of four cash trades with other MLS clubs, two in and two out. This means that transfers within the league will start to more closely resemble the transfer markets that we see across the world. In theory, clubs will make more money from player sales, and the freedom/simplicity of this system will make it easier for players to transfer within the league.
The next two rule changes are both small adjustments with significant implications. Clubs can now buy out two guaranteed contracts each year, including a DP. This rule previously allowed just one buyout, meaning that clubs have gained a bit more flexibility. Likewise, the removal of GAM expiration dates gives each club greater control over their assets, making a more principled approach to roster building possible.
The fourth change is probably my personal favorite, as it has the greatest potential to elevate the future of the sport in our country. Starting this year, Off-Roster Homegrown players will have more opportunities to get first-team minutes. I know, that sentence feels like gibberish. Basically, Academy or MNUFC2 Homegrown players will be allowed to make an unlimited number of Cup appearances, as well as up to six MLS appearances, without signing a professional contract. This is a great rule change; let me tell you why.
Previously, reinforcements from MLS NEXT Pro or MLS NEXT had to sign short-term agreements to appear with their respective first-team squads. Each player was allowed a maximum of four such passes before the club had to give them a professional contract, and given the limited number of roster spots and the uptick in fixture congestion, this rule caused some friction last season. Now, clubs are incentivized to produce players that are capable of contributing at the highest level because they aren’t restricted in how they can use them. This is a huge step toward creating a league that not only attracts world-class talent but produces it at a world-class rate as well.
The fifth change on the list is a pretty niche situation, but useful nonetheless. If a club loans a DP out and shifts their salary onto the loan club, the previously occupied DP spot will be open for use for the duration of said loan. This once again loosens roster-building restrictions to give clubs more control over how they build their teams.
Finally, we come to the Roster Construction Model declaration. That’s a mouthful, isn’t it? Basically, clubs choose between two distinct methods of roster building: either they use three DP spots and three U22 spots, or they use two DP spots and four U22 spots. They have to declare their strategy before the Roster Compliance Date before the season starts, but the new rule change will allow for a midseason switch. Like many of the other rule changes, this allows flexibility in strategy from club to club, further strengthening each club’s ability to take their own unique approach to building the best team they can.
There you have it: the latest changes to the world’s best soccer league. We’re growing year after year, and while many fans would love to see more radical changes, the steady growth of our league is proof enough that incremental changes are an effective way for this league to rise to the top. Who knows, maybe we’ll be the biggest league in the world in another 30 years. Imagine how many KYLEs you’ll read between now and then! My hands hurt just thinking about it. But for you Loons, I’ll type as many articles as necessary.
