I have a few questions about the MLS roster rules. The rules posted on their webpage appear to be from 2001. I'll start with what I know... Roster size ---------- 18 standard roster spots 6 developmental roster spots Player categories ---------------- Senior domestic Senior international Senior international w/green card Transitional international Developmental domestic (Pro-40 + other draftees) The first four categories are all included in the 18 standard spots. The last category is included in the 6 dev. spots. If any of this is wrong, please tell me. Questions... Is there a maximum on the number of transitional internationals? Is there any destinction between Project 40 and other draftees in terms or roster spot? How does a player go from being developmental to being standard? Any help would be appreciated.
We went through this a couple of weeks ago on the Revs board. Based on the info we turned up in this thread there are some differences. P-40's automatically qualify for the developmental roster, other draftees would have to be under 23 for the season and sign a developmental contract (which pays something like 1K per month). If they are going to be older than 23 in the coming season, or won't play for next to nothing they will have to earn a senior roster slot. As for moving from the Developmental to Senior roster there are a couple of scenarios. They can graduate from P-40 (every year MLSHQ decides that certain players have played enough minutes or well enough to deserve regular slots), if they reach the age limit they will have to earn a senior slot or be cut, or finally if the team decides they are good enough for a senior slot and pay even though they are below the age limit. Hope that helps a little.
Re: Re: Roster Rules Questions Thanks Nate. That clears some things up, as does the thread you posted. For my own clarity, let me see if I can summarize... 18 senior roster spots (salary cap) --senior domestic --senior international (max 3) --senior green card --transitional international (any max?) 6 developmental roster spots (non-salary cap) --Project-40 --anyone else who meets the criteria Transitional Intl criteria - Under 25 Developmental criteria - Under 24, minimum salary If all this is true, then I guess I only have one remaining question - is there a limit to the number of transitional international players?
I don't have any good answers for this. I remember someone (jmeissen0 perhaps?) digging up a reference to a limit of 20 for the league but there wasn't a strict 2 per team limit. IIRC no one really had a good handle on it and since MLS was nowhere near the supposed limit it no one was too concerned.