Currently MLS players who run out of contract enter the Re-Entry draft. this basically redistributes the free agents throughout the league. the MLS should use free agency like all other North american leagues. this would break the annoyingly high parody in the MLS. teams that finish last one season can finish first the next season because they can get players through the Draft, Allocation, and Re-Entry Draft.
Maybe under the next CBA. Right now, free agents are not allowed. I personally don't like the draft, re entry draft, or the allocation rule(which I hate most of all three), but it won't change now. In the last CBA discussion, wasn't there a fair amount of talk from the players saying they want to be free agents? I think there was. They should have more leverage in the next round of CBA discussions.
Two important points to consider, and please re-read your statement in regards to these: 1. Parity is good 2. Parity is really good X. (Not a point) It's spelled 'parity'
No, it doesn't. If a team wants a player, at his current contract price or higher, the team can sign him for a third-round supplemental draft pick, as happened a couple of times before last week's Round 1 draft. The NFL has had free agency since the early 1990s, and they have parity. And international soccer has only had free agency since about 1995, and it's not like there weren't dominant teams before then in European leagues. MLS parity is driven by the single entity/salary budget system; the reentry draft is an afterthought at best. Also: parity is good for fans and good for the league. It's "annoying" only to people who don't follow a team in the league, or who can't handle their team not winning everything every year.
Free Agency could destroy the single entity structure where one organization MLS LLC owns all the teams in one league. I do not think MLS can allow free agency (required by FIFA, but we all know that means jack shit all over the world).
Free agency is required by FIFA? {{Citation Needed}}. And even if there is a policy on FIFA's books that says free agency is required, the fact that it is ignored (in MLS, at least) means there's no 'requirement' You're probably referring to the Bosman Ruling, which requires free agency in the EU
Nah, I remember reading the FIFA by laws and I remember reading something about free agency, but maybe it was not mandated, but recommended, and yes lots of countries do not follow this, in Mexico they technically have free agency (according to FIFA is what some Sports reporters say, but even they sometimes don't know what is real) but they restrict the Free agency by some pact they have.
Free Agency won't happen anytime soon (if ever). It would nullify MLS' Single Entity structure and the BoG will do anything to prevent that from happening (again, anytime soon).
I think because MLS is set up as a single entity and not individual teams it can't have free agency and FIFA can't force them too. If they have it in the future it means the end of single entity. May happen some day but not for a while.
There was talk about limited free agency and basically trying to eliminate teams being able to hold players they didn't want hostage. Out of that came the re-entry draft which gives a majority of the players at least a chance at finding another team as long as the have been around for a few years.
Let's remember; the re-entry draft is the RESULT of the last CBA and the players's call for free agency. This was as close as they could get. As we discussed last year, I think the players are in a situation of "be careful what you ask for" and I would doubt they press the issue to greatly next time around. In the past, a team needed to sign a veteran player or waive him. Most signed or traded rights but the players kept on playing at or around their current salary because they had to make these decisions in a bubble. In their effort to get some simulated free agency, what the union actually did was create an organized method by which veteran players now lose the guaranteed money they fought for. Teams can now allow players to expose themselves to this re-entry draft and they can evaluate that player on an "open market" with other players in like situation. Since no one grabs these players at the current salaries (what five in two years) the team now has all the negotiating power - sign at a lower number with us or someone else or retire. You would have to look up posts from the time the re-entry draft results were published last year but I think people had links to numbers; like 20% more veterans scuttled by way of the draft then the old way where teams had to pull the trigger independently.
i get that parity is good and happens even in leagues that have free-agency. but with a re-entry draft and the allocation rankings there it too much parity. Americans like dynasties, there's a reason the Yankees, Packers, Steelers, Man U, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Lakers, Celtics, and others have so many fans, make so much money, have big TV deals, Etc. People also like dream teams, the Heat, Yankees, Marlins (not yet), and pretty much every big team in europe use there money to bring in players, its good for TV, and fans.
Ive always wondered about American sports and how contracts are done. They dont have transfer fees do they?? If Real Madrid want someone under contract with another club they will pay X amount of dollars and get him. Eg Kaka and Ronaldo. If the New York Giants wanted Aaron Rodgers to play for them next season or if the Knicks wanted Kobe Bryant to play for them next year how would the transaction work?
they would trade a number of players of draft picks to the packers or lakers, for either of those players it would take alot. if the player ran out of his contract, then any team could sign him, usually the team that offers him the most money.
In the US, Spurs would be out of business. Period. Why, because they never, ever, ever contend for the title. They would be like a third NY team (in any sports). And guess what? There are no third NY teams in US professional sports. Because they go out of business. So you should compliment MLS for enforcing parity.
Like Albert Pujols joining the Angels for $25 million a year !! Its no wonder NFL teams make a lot of money and european soccer is pretty much broke. The American way of doing sport is the best way to operate sporting leagues.
Since you claim to follow Spurs, but use Man U, Real Madrid, and Barcelona to support your argument, it is quite relevant.
You do know that there is no parity or salary cap in Baseball right? Pujols is a baseball player. I am sure there are many tackle Football or Basketball players you could have used and made your point much better. Like Manning or Brady or James, or Bryan.
