Heard a rumor that the MLS and USL are ending their relationship as of today, but have seen no new articles on it. Basically the MLS paid a small fee to a USL team if they borrowed a player from a USL team, or let a MLS player play for a USL team while he recovered from an injury. Seems odd that they would not renew this sort of deal. Anybody have any hard facts on this?
Wonder if we got anything from MLS for Zach Kingsley. We sure could have used him at the end of the season...
Small fee - doesn't help the USL team. Would be better if the MLS paid the fees as they came up and that would be more useful. Loans going from MLS to USL were good for MLS players, but they didn't always play with heart or purpose.
There's a Richmond Times-Dispatch article that touched on it. It said that the current agreement is not being renewed. Doesn't necessarily mean an end to the relationship, though if MLS is implementing reserves and youth programs (signs point to yes, slowly), there will probably be less to talk about. Maybe, MLS buys A-League players at something slightly closer to market value now. [/DREAM]
The Kickers GM (Billy Hallock) said something along the lines of MLS teams having 5 or 6 "developmental spots" for extra players and therefore the USL/MLS agreement will disolve. My impression is that MLS teams were getting pretty peeved at how hard it was to call up so called minor-league players so see no benefit in keeping the agreement.
I thought that MLS was limiting the size of their rosters? If this happens will these guys be paid? Will they train with their MLS team? Would they be loaned out? To many questions, not enough answers.
Lets seriously look at this. This is a good thing for the USL. The USL is a talented league and the USL teams that got high priced players got soaked for the salaries. On a player by player basis the USL has more talent. The MLS team money managers have done a terrible job. By bringging in high priced players and going bare minimum for the rest of the team. Who is the MLS kidding, not me. I would be happy if I never went to a MLS game ever. cheers
MLS has only themselves to blame if it became too difficult to call up players. Prior to them dropping their rosters, it was pretty common for certain teams to call up bunches of A-League players, and put them into the Pro-40 program; a couple of time they ended up playing against the team they actually signed with. Now the MLS drops their roster size, and expect to just grab A-Leaguers higgeldy-piggeldy. I don't think so.
I'm a little confused. I'm not aware of bunches of players that have left the A-League to sign P-40 contracts with MLS. I can think of one or two. I think that Buddle with Columbus that left Long Island to sign with Project 40. And then you have Miguel Saavedra who signed with MLS, but has pretty much been loaned to the Rampage. [/B][/QUOTE] Ochoa and Tennyson both signed P-40 contracts with LA after a year in Portland.
"Ochoa and Tennyson both signed P-40 contracts with LA after a year in Portland." These players in fact signed developement contracts. P-40 contracts are for players leaving school early to sign on with the MLS.
I think this is clearly a good thing, that will challenge both leagues to develop in a manner that is far more advantageous for both. MLS sides need reserve squads of their own (which conceivably could still play within the PDL or D3 as unrelated units, as the Chicago Fire Reserves do now), and USL clubs need to stop having their cream skimmed for peanuts. If MLS wants Onandi Lowe or Craig Demmin or Scott Vallow, they will actually have to pony up some cash and buy him, or work out a separate loan deal, as they do everywhere else in the world. This, in turn, gives incentive to the USL sides to develop young talent that they can then sell at a profit.....just like they do everywhere else in the world. I don't really see the downside for this, if it is in fact correct.
Exactly. The USL and MLS need to understand that the rich teams, MLS, Rochester, Charleston, etc need to pony up when they acquire players from other teams. So many of our teams, USL especially, think that transfer fees are not needed in the US. Well it would best for all involved even the fees are nominal.
ButlerBob and Timbers_Roberto This was back when P40 played an A-League schedule, a few years back. They didn't sign P40 contracts, but did play with the squad.
The only thing about this is that US based players tend to only sign one or two year contracts, so off-season trades will still be few and far between. Midseason signings could generate money but it's more likely that you will see players loaned similar to how it is now, I'm not sure what financial implications this will have.