The league's new DP rule, provides incentives for clubs to bring in higher profile players. Who would be your (somewhat realistic) dream DP's for RSL?
What incentives does it provide? Doesn't the team still have to pay for whatever salary is above and beyond what the league will cover? Which, if that is still measured by salary cap hit like it was before, is even greater than it was before. They used to cover $415K and now it looks like they only cover $335K unless I'm missing something here. If teams weren't willing to spend a million on a player before, what about this new rule is going to change that? $80K difference in available salary cap space? Not sure that is going to make that much difference.
Mid-season DP's only cost $167K against the cap. I think our weakest spot ont he field is the Grabavoy/Andy spot. How about bringing in Beasley to fill that role?
It is indeed a double edged sword. There are several positives: reduced cap hit recoup investment if player is sold more DP slots available - not a one shot deal However, as you pointed out the financial risk remains squarely on the club.
I don't know who but I do see a possible player "type" that would fit into RSL's team mentality. Older, more seasoned player that has less of an ego and would fit RSL's style of play. Relatively known and popular and probably European. I would prefer a player from Mexico but I could see that player being a 2nd or later DP for RSL. Inexpensive relative to other DP's in the league. Great with fans. Midfielder? Please explain why I am on or off base with these assumptions. It is a proven fact that for the most part I am up in the night with a lot of what I think and say but I do think that a player with the attributes I mentioned above would fit nicely with RSL.
one name: RRRUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!! lets get RVN in an RSL jersey ASAP! in all honesty he is probably the only DP i can see RSL seriously pursuing in the near future.
Okay... what's the math say: 2010 Salary Cap - $2,500,000 ('09 was $2.3 million, so increased $200K) Previously 2 DP's could cost you $830K of $2.3 million which would leave $1.5 million to spend on the roster... NOW, 3 DPs at max price would cost the team in salary cap $1,000,000 (3x335) and leave the SAME $1.5 million to spend on the rest of the team. Development players are Cap Exempt (I think there are 4 or something). I think Gen Adidas players are cap exempt too. If you have allocation money you can buy down the salary cap hit to as low as $150K per player. How do you get allocation money? League finish, trades, selling players, etc. Worst case, once you exclue DP's and development/Gen Adidas players, you probably have $1.5 million to spend on 17 players or an average $88,000 per player. ---- At $88K per player AVERAGE you can get a nice mix of MLS players because if you exclude DPs and development players I don't think a team today averages over $88K per player. ---- How do you pay for DPs? Tickets/merchandice. The power of DPs is if they can sell jerseys/ads/marketing for your team (like Blanco and Beckham probably also Ljungberg) or if they can get more people in the stands either by winning or name recognition. I think this is a TERRIFIC move on MLS's part. It gives freedom to some clubs with money to spend to go out and give their fans what they will pay for - teams like LA, Seattle, Chicago, and NY will benefit from star power. ---- I think the past year or two (including this year) will be seen as a key turning point for MLS as it moves into being truly a "major league" sport in the U.S. It still has a ways to go, but 3 of 11 starters being worldclass players with 8 well-paid MLS veterans can really give you something to be proud of. A team like Chivas, which has a massive fan base if they can get them to see the USA team as a quality extension of the parent club, could really benefit from bringing in 2-3 top stars from the parent club. Seattle, with money to spend, can get some advantage for the great support/interest they have in Seattle. The teams who are the most successful in business terms should be able to turn that into onfield gains. It's the only way to reward/incentivize them for success.
We need an amazing striker, or really no DP. We have proven that we don't really need a DP to win a championship and no team with DPs I think have ever won the championship. (Someone fact check me, please)
Too bad Ronaldo said he was going to retire in Brazil... I think the first RSL DP, if things go as I hope, will be Sabo. We are paying the guy next to nothing right now on loan. He will light up the league if given the chance. Then we sign him as he truly is EVERYTHING (except maybe the recogniztion part) this club has said it wants in a DP. Others on my short but somewhat realisitic list: Ruud Beasley Giovani Dos Santos Omar Bravo Nery Castillo
I would love to see them bring him. It would get me to go to games. I just think that RSL doesnt want to spend money that they dont have to. Is it possible to use the DP slot on a coach? There are several recent waived MLS veterns that would fit RSL's plans rather than a DP
I think Schelotto became a DP right after that championship season. Meaning that he won the MLS cup not as a DP, but just using, I think, a Senior International Slot. http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/12/schelotto-returning-to-crew-in-2009.html Crew signed him up for an extension on Dec 2, after they won the cup. I think we all know what happened in 2009.
I would love for the blue haired man to play here... and he has showed that he really isnt the type of player who wants to play in a "big metro area". He just wants to play soccer for a considerable amount of money (seems this is true for numerous brazilians)
This DP has to be one of two things. 1)A well known latino (likely mexican) player that can bring in tickets 2)A well known international name to people not entirely of the "soccer world". ex) david beckham.
Adriano has been hitting the sauce as of late, ergo, we may wait to avoid the problems that go along with that. Luca Toni would be a good pick-up if we could pry him out of Roma's hands. Wagner Love would also be a good pick-up if just only for the name.
DPs: I'd like to see Frank Layden and Rick Majerus suit up as strikers and just thug the hell out of the opposition. Given the shape they're in we'd have two dead players within 10 minutes. Oh wait, designated...my bad.
Absolutely correct. As aoesthed pointed out, the DP needs to pay for himself in many ways including jerseys and, most importantly for the club's growth, increased attendance. We've seen the crowds Blanco and draw here. I'm skeptical that a US star like DaMarcus would even come close to a Mexican / Latin American superstar. Likewise for most European stars. Soccer fans would certainly be excited for Ruud to come out, but he just isn't a household name for most Utahns. (Blanco isn't for all Utahns, of course, but for certain segments of the population he certainly is.)
Aoesthed is correct. But, maybe the new 2 DP rule is intended to allow another kind of growth: Growth in what Americas know about the game. Bring in the player that puts butts in seats and sells merchandise: the Blanco type. Also, bring in the Rudd type so that the fans see how good he is and the fan is told by their in-the-know seat neighbor who Rudd is, his history, his importance on the international stage. Then that fan grows in understanding how MLS is increasingly linked to the international game and is not just "Soccer in America." I know that is a fantasy thinking, but it might work that way.
It's certainly a good plan in the long run, I just don't see it paying the immediate dividends necessary for a DP in SLC. As it stands, we have many soccer fans in the community who only come to RSL games on occasion to cheer on the opposition. I think if we tap those, and start bringing in impressive numbers, more people will hear about and become interested in the team. Then we could maybe think about bringing in a second DP.
He wasn't technically a DP, but he had a higher than max salary that was paid down with allocation money. In 2009, his salary went up and the available allocation money went down, and the Hunts needed to pay some of their own money to keep him. I don't think he's officially a DP this season now. For this discussion, I think it's okay to consider Scheloto a DP.
I think RSL is crazy if they don't take advantage of signing a DP when it becomes financially feasable. If they are looking at someone like Ruud or more along the European pursuasion it will be a little longer wait. If they sign someone from Latin America or Mexico a signing could come sooner and if its the right one like a Bofo or Bravo it would certainly fill the stadium with all kinds of new soccer fans ala Blanco. As suggested in an earlier post I would sign a butt in the seat player (Mexico) and a hey, that guy is good (European) player as complimentary DPs. If I were king of the forest.
i agree that a name mexican or other hispanic player would go a long ways for increasing attendance and general interest in RSL, but i also think that a well marketed european player like Ruud could be a big hit as well. there is a sense of intrigue and unknown about those european players that your non-soccer fans have, they realize that some of the best soccer in the world is played in europe. using a smart marketing strategy keying on that aspect could bring in some good numbers as well. we already have a tap into the hispanic/mexican market in salt lake and a decent portion of our roster hails from south/central america. i think bringing in someone like Ruud who would probably be fine with living and working in salt lake would be smart. either way, bringing in a DP is something that needs to be studied by the FO and checketts, dont just bring in a name expecting some huge increase in attendance and jersey sales (cough*FCDallas*cough). you have to bring in the right type of player to take advantage of your market.