Yedlin's youth club complains to FIFA about MLS

One thing I want to point out is that the author here is clearly among those hoping that compensation with change the nature of the system, but that belief could well be the triumph of hope over experience. These clubs wrote the system. I don't think they're trying to change it, I think they're trying to squeeze some more money from it, and if all USSF did was flip the switch on compensation, that's probably all that would happen, at least for a good while. If these clubs are going to get some new rights, it would probably behoove USSF to give them some new responsibilities as well.

 

Why would that make Yedlin a professional? I thought Yedlin getting paid was what made him a professional per NCAA? I'm certainly open to being wrong since that whole thing is a giant black box for me.

 

Why would the colleges owe the Jamaican clubs anything? The college players aren't under a pro contract.

There is a formula in the FIFA rules that divides training compensation based on the length of time the player is registered with the club. They are only allowed so much, especially if the players register with PDL clubs during summers.

 

The players under amateur contracts are 1) foreign, and 2) they forfeit years of eligibility for just limited numbers of appearances in games with professional players. If they just play for an amateur development team, they're generally okay, but a single call-up to the big team for a cup game would cost at least a year of NCAA eligibility.

And the NCAA definitely treats foreign players different than domestic ones. I'm not sure they'd react at all well to amateur contracts for U.S. based players.

 

It doesn't change the transfer fee that the Spurs paid to MLS, does it? They spent $x million to MLS and it is up to MLS to distribute that money out (if they so choose). Not saying it is right for MLS to keep the money, but whether they do pay it out is between MLS and FIFA.

 

I'm saying the NCAA might decide that Yedlin was a professional at the time covered by the potential payments from Tottenham - which would put all the other players who played on that team with Yedlin at risk with regards to having played with a then-professional.

I'm not saying I agree with any of this. But as part of my photography business, I've wound up deeper into NCAA arcana than I would wish on my enemies. The NCAA has very draconian and expansive views as to what they consider impermissible benefits for current players or eligibility requirements for prospective players.

 

The NCAA is pretty corrupt. Having different eligibility rules in different sports seems like a pretty open and shut anti-trust violation.

That said I remember when Yugoslavia was in civil war in the early 90s and lots of Yugoslav players came over to the US and played college basketball after being part of some club's system. Boban Savovic played as an amateur for a pro club in Yugoslavia then played for OSU (and was later part of the NCAA violations that got Jim O'Brien fired).

 

Liviu inserting his personal beliefs into an article that he's written?? That is shocking! He is a journalist of impeccable credentials that would never do such a thing.

Haha. Okay. That was fun.

But yes. If USSF does turn the spigot on, they also need to include a stick to punish pay-to-play and encourage them to go free-to-play. It seems silly that a team that charged Yedlin's parents for him to play for them would then be able to get the full solidarity payment that they are owed.

 

Somebody inform Jordan Morris that he's lost his college eligibility, because last I heard he's planning to return to Stanford!

 

Actually, the NCAA changed the rules a number of years ago. A high school player can play on a team with and practice with professional players as long as he does not receive payment above necessary expenses. Once he enrolls in college, he can no longer play with the pros.

Here's the rule from the NCAA Manual:

12.2.3.2.1 Exception—Competition Before Initial Full-Time Collegiate Enrollment—Sports Other Than Men’s Ice Hockey and Skiing.
In sports other than men’s ice hockey and skiing, before initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual may compete on a professional team (per Bylaw 12.02.10), provided he or she does not receive more than actual and necessary expenses to participate on the team.

(Adopted: 4/29/10 effective 8/1/10; applicable to student-athletes who initially enroll full time in a collegiate
institution on or after 8/1/10)

 

I think soccer is one of the sports NCAA allows players to play on teams with professional players as long as that player is not compensated beyond room and board. I believe that is why it is okay for Academy players to play on USL teams and not lose eligibility.

Edit: Or what BostonRed said.

 

There is a "national team exception" for currently enrolled student-athletes. But he did have to turn down the team bonuses.

 

Doesn't really change the actual fee but it does appear Spurs openly acknowledged part of that fee was meant for Crossfire. This was sent from Spurs to Crossfire.

 

And, before anyone asks, here's the bylaw that allows practice with pros (such as MLS academies):

12.2.2.2 Practice Without Competition—Sports Other Than Men’s Ice Hockey and Skiing.
12.2.2.2.1 Before Enrollment.
In sports other than men’s ice hockey and skiing, prior to initial full-time enrollment in a collegiate institution, an individual may participate in practice sessions conducted by a professional team, provided he or she does not receive more than actual and necessary expenses to participate.
(Adopted: 4/13/10 effective 8/1/10; applicable to student-athletes who initially enroll full time in a collegiate
institution on or after 8/1/10)

12.2.2.2.2 After Enrollment.
In sports other than men’s ice hockey and skiing, after initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual may participate in practice sessions conducted by a professional team, provided such participation meets the requirements of Bylaw 12.2.1.3 and the individual does not:
(Adopted: 4/13/10 effective 8/1/10)

(a) Receive any compensation for participation in the practice sessions;
(b) Enter into any contract or agreement with a professional team or sports organization; or
(c) Take part in any outside competition (games or scrimmages) as a representative of a professional
team.

 

What the Spurs believe and reality are not the same thing. Considering the uniqueness of USSF on this front, it would not surprise me that the Spurs simply did not know that solidarity payments were not passed on by MLS and that they were just following their normal procedure to notify youth clubs whenever they purchase a player.

 

Bird said they reached out to Akron (whom I doubt would be eligible for payment), so that tells you they don't have much experience with the US system.

 

Which is surprising since Yedlin wasn't the first time they acquired a US player.. You'd think they'd have figured that out when they tried to compensate Dempsey's clubs.

 

I was confusing myself a bit, so it will be useful to this thread to have the basics of both training compensation and solidarity payments in play:

VII. TRAINING COMPENSATION AND SOLIDARITY MECHANISM
Article 20

Training compensation

Training compensation shall be paid to a player’s training club(s):

(1) when a player signs his first contract as a professional and

(2) each time a professional is transferred until the end of the season of his 23rd birthday.

The obligation to pay training compensation arises whether the transfer takes place during or at the end of the player’s contract. The provisions concerning training compensation are set out in Annexe 4 of these regulations.

Article 21

Solidarity mechanism

If a professional is transferred before the expiry of his contract, any club that has contributed to his education and training shall receive a proportion of the compensation paid to his former club (solidarity contribution). The provisions concerning solidarity contributions are set out in Annexe 5 of these regulations


ANNEXE 5

SOLIDARITY MECHANISM

Solidarity contribution

If a professional moves during the course of a contract, 5% of any compensation, not including training compensation paid to his former club, shall be deducted from the total amount of this compensation and distributed by the new club as a solidarity contribution to the club(s) involved in his training and education over the years.

This solidarity contribution reflects the number of years (calculated pro rata if less than one year) he was registered with the relevant club(s) between the seasons of his 12th and 23rd birthdays, as follows:

– Season of 12th birthday: 5% (i.e. 0.25% of total compensation);
– Season of 13th birthday: 5% (i.e. 0.25% of total compensation);
– Season of 14th birthday: 5% (i.e. 0.25% of total compensation);
– Season of 15th birthday: 5% (i.e. 0.25% of total compensation);
– Season of 16th birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation);
– Season of 17th birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation);
– Season of 18th birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation);
– Season of 19th birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation);
– Season of 20th birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation);
– Season of 21st birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation);
– Season of 22nd birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation);
– Season of 23rd birthday: 10% (i.e. 0.5% of total compensation)


The mechanism for determining training compensation is quite complex. You can find it here:

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/01/06/30/78/statusinhalt_en_122007.pdf

 

i just wish someone would explain one thing to me:

If the evil "pay to play" system is eliminated, just who is it exactly who's going to pick up the tab for 2 million or so youth soccer players?

And if whoever it is is only going to pay for SOME players, who decides? And isn't that pretty much what we have now, with most academy slots being cost free?

So what is the complaint again?

And if paying a fee to play sports is a preventative to fielding fist rate players then how come Little League Baseball, Pee Wee Football and Kids Basketball all costs money and yet produces the best players in the world?

This idiotic argument needs to stop. It's 20 years out of date, is moronic and does not bear close scrutiny.

 

Training compensation is, but does that apply to solidarity payments? I put the provisions above for both.

 

Club team. I'm not a lawyer. I beg your forgiveness.

 

Now, if part of those payments went to Yedlin or his family, then you might have a case, but once he becomes a professional, NCAA rules don't apply. The potential of payments are there, but they aren't contractually owed to anyone until Yedlin turns pro and it shouldn't affect anyone still at his university.

 

I don't see any provision in the solidarity payments about the player's age at the time of the transfer (only about his age while at certain clubs in the training process). You do see an age limit in the provisions on training compensation.

I believe they are under different rules. Here's a link to an article about solidarity payments for the transfer of Juan Cuadrado in February 2015, when he was 26 years old:

http://www.insidefutbol.com/2015/02...e-juan-cuadrado-confirmation-imminent/187036/