NWSL ANNOUNCEMENT-Boston Breakers fold-9 teams in 2018-24 game schedule in 2018-Play each team 3 times-Preliminary dispersal draft order determined Monday AM-Final draft order announced 1 pm Tuesday-Draft held 3 pm Tuesday-Boston players don't count against 20-player cap— Corey Roepken (@RipSports) January 28, 2018
Players can opt out of the dispersal draft by tomorrow to pursue opportunities outside NWSL. Order of draft to be determined through a weighted lottery.— John D. Halloran (@JohnDHalloran) January 28, 2018
So they won't be picking in the same order as college draft...they will allow trading picks ...players won't count against roster limits or salary cap for 2018
My take...I have no problem with blind draw among the non playoff teams to determine order but there is no way any of the four playoff teams should be getting any of the five top picks whether the draft is weighted or not
Slight correction: players already under contract will not count toward roster/cap; players not currently under contract will #NWSL— Dan Lauletta (@TheDanLauletta) January 28, 2018
I assume what this means is that the 14 envelopes from the nine clubs will be put in a fish bowl, one envelope will be drawn and the team named in that envelope will get its first choice of Boston players, then, another envelope will be drawn and that team will get its choice of the remaining players, etc. So, the playoff teams have less chance of getting a top Boston player and get only one player of Boston's top 14 players, and the non-playoff teams have a better chance of getting a top player and get two out of Boston's top 14 players. Does that sound about right? Looking at the roster I think there are probably only about 14 Boston players who will be of interest to other teams.
I think any player under contract will be of interest because u don't have to count them against ur cap.
An issue not discussed yet is that although players don't count against the salary cap, the teams will have to come up with their own funds to pay them. Neither the NWSL nor the USSF will be providing funds (except for allocated players).
Another thing I would like to know (sorry if it was said above and I missed it) is: will rosters remain the same size? Or will they be increased to accomodate the dispersal-draftees?
Lots of talking points on the fringe of this thing like why they decided not to use UFI, why they r distributing discovery rights, etc.
Here's part of what's in the announcement. The answer to your question is in the bold face material: ... NWSL will conduct a Dispersal Draft of the Boston roster at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 30. All Breakers players will be placed into a Dispersal Draft pool – including players selected in the 2018 College Draft. The weighted draw for the Dispersal Draft Order will be determined the morning of Monday, Jan. 29. Players may opt-out of the draft by Noon ET on Monday, Jan. 29 to pursue opportunities outside of the NWSL and would not become discovery eligible to return to the league until after the end of the 2018 season. Teams will be allowed to trade their picks in the draft following the weighted draw until 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 30 following which a final Dispersal Draft order will be released. For the 2018 season, NWSL roster size will remain unchanged, with a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 20 players required for each club. Contracted players (including allocated players) and 2018 College Draft picks selected via the Dispersal Draft will not count against the club’s official 18-20 player roster for the 2018 season, and teams may add up to a total of four (4) players. They will not count against the club’s salary cap for the 2018 season, and housing and auto expenses will not count against the Permitted Team Assistance Cap. Teams will be responsible for all additional salary and Permitted Team Assistance expenses for contracted players and 2018 draftees selected in the Dispersal Draft. Players on Boston’s Discovery list and retired players whose rights are selected and go on to sign a standard player agreement will count against the club’s official 18-20 player roster for the 2018 season. These players will also count against the club’s salary cap for the 2018 season, and all expenses will count against the Permitted Team Assistance Cap. Any team requiring an international roster spot for a contracted player and 2018 draftee selected will receive an additional international spot, which will stay with the player if traded during the current season. Any player participating the Dispersal Draft who is not selected will immediately become discovery eligible.
No, players selected in the dispersal draft will not count against the roster limits (or salary cap). Each team can add up to 4 players. So, at least for 2018, the roster limits effectively are increased by 4 positions.
What they did there I assume is try and appease both sides. The kept roster size the same for less affluent clubs so if they just want to stick with 18-20 players they can while club who can and wish to spend more money can do so on up to four players.
Thanks. This somehow make me feel a little better. The way Boston Breakers' situation quickly spiraled down is anyway sad, but at least most of the players should manage to find a team without taking spots away from players of other teams. Also, having a longer bench (if just for one season and because of an emergency situation) could help those teams who happen to constantly struggle with injuries.
Yeah it was a tricky way to expand the roster for this season for those that can afford it, without penalizing the others, but you have to wonder if they will implement it into a more permanent form for 2019.
I sure hope so (although maybe not by a full 4 members). I guess it will also depend on possible expansions in 2019.
There is no free agency in NWSL. They get together and hold drafts for discovery rights for players whose rights aren't current controlled by the league. The team drafting the player controls those rights for a certain length of time and is the only league team who can sign the players. For example Id bet some NWSL team has the rights to Ji So-yun even tho she is under contract to Chelsea.
You said that "you bet" because these discovery rights aren't public? Or because you simply never cared about looking for them?
There's not a discovery draft. Here's the rule: Discovery A Discovery Player is a domestic or international Player who is currently not under contract with the League. A Team may claim her rights by adding her to their Discovery List. The term “Discovery Player” may refer to both Players on the Discovery List and those Players under contract with the League who have been acquired through Discovery Process. A Discovery Player request must be made to the League on an official Discovery Player Request Form during the “Discovery Period.” If approved by the League, the Player will be informed and will be added to the Team’s Discovery List. Teams may submit discovery forms and sign Players during the following Discovery Periods: • Seven (7) in the off season period • An additional four (4) in the Preseason period • No more than three (3) unsigned international Players may be on a Team’s discovery list in the Offseason and Preseason period • An unlimited number of Players may be signed, but only two (2) unsigned discovery Players may be on a Team’s discovery list during the Inseason period • No more than two (2) unsigned international Players may be on a Team’s discovery list in the Inseason period Once submitted the Discovery Player continues to occupy a discovery spot. An exception to this would be applied if another Team submits a discovery request for the same Player and after 14 days the Player is not signed with the original Team she will be removed from the first Team and placed on the second Team’s list who submitted the request. The Player will then occupy a spot on the 2nd Team’s discovery list. Discovery Process • A Player is put on a Team’s discovery list once they are in talks/negotiations (on behalf of the League) to sign the Player. • It is incumbent upon all Teams to notify their Discovery Players that they are on their Teams’ Discovery List in order to assure that no tampering will take place. • If another Team submits a discovery request for the same Player, the Team who holds the discovery rights will need to provide a Player Agreement within 14 days for the Player or release her rights. • If the Player is released or the offer is deemed to not be bona fide, the discovery rights for the Player will then be awarded to the second requesting Team. • If the Team makes a bona fide offer to the Player and she does not accept, the Player will not be eligible to be placed on another discovery list during that Season. • Players will remain on a Team’s discovery list until the end of the Season at which time she will be removed. • No discovery may take place from the close of the Inseason period until the start of the Offseason period A list of Discovery Players will be available for Teams to review in order to facilitate the process. This list is for internal use only and not be publicized in any way. Non-Discoverable Players Teams may not discover Players in the pool for the full U.S. Women’s National Team. The Player pool for the USWNT is as determined by U.S. Soccer (usually posted on their website) at the time the Player is being signed by the League. Teams may not discover a Player who played at a four-year collegiate institution during the college Season immediately prior to the date of discovery. If a Player has completed her college eligibility in the Season immediately prior to the date of her discovery and was not on the College Draft list, she shall not be permitted to play in the League for the current Season. Discovery Period The discovery period for Discovery Players is as set forth in the Competition Calendar. After the Roster Freeze Date the Discovery List is wiped clean as only goalkeeper replacement signings will be made for the remainder of that Season. Multiple Claims for the Same Player If a Team makes a valid Discovery Player request and no other Team makes a Discovery Player request for the same Player on the same day (whether or not it’s a business day) during the Discovery Period, the Player shall be assigned to the requesting Team. In the event a Discovery Player is requested by more than one Team during the Discovery Period, the League shall award the Player to the Team per the Discovery Order. The Discovery Order is determined via reverse order of the standings from the previous Season until Teams have played at least three (3) League games. If the discovery takes place prior to all Teams playing in at least three (3) League games priority shall be granted based upon the prior year’s performance according to their point totals through the end of the Regular Season. In the offseason, once a Team involved in a tie wins the tie breaker, it is moved to the bottom of the Discovery Order. New expansion Teams shall be in the middle of the Discovery Order. If only one of the claiming Teams participated in the prior League Season, priority shall be granted to the Team that so participated. If neither Team played in the previous Season, priority will be granted to the Team that received the lowest 1st Round College Draft pick. If the Teams are equal in points, the League shall award the Player using the Tie Breaking Procedures for determining playoff participation and seeding. Salary Cap of Discovery Players A Discovery Player’s Salary Cap number will include the Player’s salary (and bonuses, camps, etc.). The resulting Salary Cap number for the Player must not exceed the maximum Salary Cap charge or cause the Team to exceed its Team Salary Cap.