To give a fighting chance to the last 3 teams in the league, I think the 3 last place teams should battle out for the first pick in the draft... That way teams aren't tanking games at the end of the season... and it gives excitement to the lower half of the league
I like the idea the NBA uses. Bring in a weighted lottery. All teams that don't make the playoffs are placed into a weighted lottery (lower position means better chance) and then drawn to see who gets the top pick. Could you elaborate what you mean by 'a battle?' Would this mean like extra games between the teams or something? My guess by your explanation would be to take the bottom 3 squads and have a round-robin, and team with the best record wins the top pick. (correct me if I have this wrong)
Actual play is preferable to a lottery, but extra games may be a tough sell in American sports culture.
Yeah something like that. maybe a mini-tournement or playoff. Or a round robin and the team with the most points gets the #1 pick in the draft. I'd watch the series. I think the fans of the teams would still buy tickets to the series to root their teams to get a good player. Plus it's extra income for the MLS!!
Management might get excited by this, but I have a hard time believing that the players are going to give extra effort, just so the team will have a slightly better position for drafting a guy who might have a miniscule chance at taking their jobs, but will most likely sit on the bench all season.
True, it may be a tough sell in the American sports culture, but I think the existing MLS soccer fans would like it. Heck, I think the point system is a tough sell too, but it's great for the game!! I think the curious American sports fan that don't understand soccer would be 'intrigued' by the idea. This would make the MLS a bit more like the other leagues where lower teams actually compete for something at the end of the season, but still be unique to MLS, because we don't have a lower league. I don't think this idea would be as cheesy as say...implementing the dribble up shootout.
I'd reverse the pick order for the teams who miss the playoffs, 9th place gets the 1st pick, 10th gets 2nd, and so on until you get them all, then start as usual with 8th to 1st.
The players would be in 'last place team', they're jobs would be in jeopardy anyway. Isn't that the way the relegation works in England? Clint Dempsey was on the verge of getting axed by Fulham probably...untll he saved them from relegation with his goal against Liverpool. But now it makes sense...why would players play harder to get a good player that would have to negotiate a fat contract? I guess to improve their team...Just think what Toronto would be without Edu? I would hope that teams would play hard to get a good asset to their team.
What about giving the first pick in the draft to the winner of the US Open Cup? If a lower division team wins it, maybe they could sell off the rights of the pick to the highest bidder. It would provide a little extra motivation to win the competition and could spice things up a bit. After the first pick, the draft placement would be determined by record, with the best teams picking later in the draft.
The last 3 teams should have to have a Roshambo tournament. I know that would get shown on ESPN. Please note the sarcasm.
How important is first pick in MLS anyway, as compared to the other 'american sports'? Just asking and showing my ignorance.
Not as much, especially since the real game-changing talent comes from overseas and not through the draft (exceptions are rare). Instead, allocations are starting to become the real "currency" of MLS, especially due to their ability to squeeze an expensive player under the cap. Look at how Columbus managed to add Schelotto this year, and have him count only about $100k or $200k against the cap due to allocations they used to offset his real salary. I like the principle of the original posters' idea, except I would leave the draft as it is and change how "you suck" allocations (given for missing the playoffs) are distributed. Instead of every team that misses the playoffs getting an equal allocation, make teams that just miss the playoffs get the most allocation money and teams with worst record get the least. If the money is balanced right, there should be a real advantage to not finishing last. Teams that know they missed the playoffs already start looking towards next season. What better way to increase their chances of making playoffs for next year than picking up a big juicy allocation that can be used on a new foreign signing?
Colorado and RSL are not tanking it, they just have no talent. How are they supposed to up and play better with those rosters? How can they build those rosters with lesser allocations/draft picks? And RSL better get the actual cash and the equivalent allocations to spend it to replace Adu b/c otherwise they've got screwed on their deal. I fully expect to see at a minimum a 3 year, 500k+ salry player signed by RSL next year to replace Adu.
Because it's a USSF event and has no connection with MLS beyond MLS teams competing in it. I like the idea of awarding the 9th place team the first pick, but it won't happen any time soon due to expansion. Expansion teams have always been gifted the first pick in the draft and will continue to do so until expansion stops. It's just another way of "helping" a new team in the hopes that they will do well.
With expansion a reality in MLS for the last MLS draft, the next MLS draft, and probably the draft after that, it doesn't matter who finishes last because the expansion side will get the first pick in the draft.
I have to disagree with you about the 9th place team getting the first pick (and not just because I'm an RSL fan) I feel a team tanking the season is truly rare. With every coach in MLS on virtually 0 leash, they need to win now. Given this why would a coach put in a lineup that is less effective. What incentive is there for the players to give less effort. Less effort = no job next year, and even they aren't cut, why bring in more competition for your job. A tank job would have to come from way up in the organization and you would have seed the coaching staff with temps. I just don't buy tank jobs-The only clear cut one to me was the Spurs with Duncan.
I'm not saying that draft order should be changed. Bottom teams would still get first picks in the draft. However, allocation money can be used to give non-playoff teams something to fight for. Bottom teams can still receive some allocation money, just not as much as the #9 team (that just missed the playoffs). Can you build a team exclusively with the draft? Sure. Look at the NE Revolution. Another possible side effect of more allocation money for teams #9 and #10 in the standings is that it puts some heat on the playoff teams when the next season starts. It sends a message that repeating last year's performance may not be enough to send you to the playoffs since the teams that just missed the cut last year have been improved through more allocation money.