This assumes a degree of consistency, transparency, and competence that the league office hasn't always had. (Perhaps it does now?)
Yes, I should have added the 'in the league's opinion' caveat. But you don't get the Joe Smith situation in MLS.
While MLS does centrally control contracts, teams can provide compensation outside of the contracts if they wanted to. As an example, when Mauro Rosales played for the Sounders, he had a league minimum contract. However, he lived in a beach front house owned by Hanauer and he drove a car provided by one of the team's sponsors. I'm certainly not saying the Sounders didn't report that compensation to the league, or that those perks weren't included in the contract, but just because the league controls the contract, it doesn't mean the team is not providing some compensation under the table.
IIRC, there have been no games forfeited due to the fielding of illegible/doped player(s), crowd troubles or anything too. That's because of the Single Entity structure as well?
Ok, seriously. You've been kind of wound up and oversensitive lately. Calm down and be a little more respectful. Actually, come to think of it... What the hell are you talking about?
Please calm down... Basically, it's a compliment to MLS for being professionally run, without those following incidents (which do happen to other Top Leagues sometimes) since inception: Teams failing to turn up for games or not paying the players on-time, resulting in docked points for the teams. Games forfeited due to the fielding of illegible/doped player(s), crowd troubles or anything punishable.
Um...okay. What in the world were the question marks and smilies about? Those only makes sense in the context of you disagreeing with the initial point.
Well, was wondering, if the professionalism demonstrated (on the lack of incidents so far) were due to the Single Entity structure that was loathed by many, especially during the CBA negotiations...
Doesn't mean there haven't been minor incidents in those areas regarding fan trouble or doping. But yes, it's great that our league doesn't have to deal with stuff like that. Except for folding 3 teams in 19 years. But other than that...
That too is actually a remarkably good record, when measured against other US leagues in their first 19 years, and another area Single Entity probably helped.
So the East has 2 teams with losing records above the playoff line … What a joke. Anyone at or below .500 does not deserve to have a shot at the title.
Short answer: Yes. Though in this new DP era, I'm not sure how DPs are paid. I'm guessing that the player gets a single payment from MLS, LLC and the amount over the league buy-in is assessed to the individual teams, either invoiced or deducted from other payables. Since MLS holds the player contracts, I would guess that MLS is the one who actually pays the players regardless of whether the amount is part of the Salary Budget, excluded players (GA), or DPs. Then there's the new USL "2" teams where many of the players are under contract directly to MLS teams and not to MLS itself. I would guess that it's theoretically possible that a "2" player, not on loan from MLS, could see some issues.
It would not shock me if, in order to CYA for any future lawsuits, that sort of thing were indeed the case. The club cuts a check to the league for the overage, and the league cuts the whole check to the player.
My thoughts exactly. Especially given how FIFA handles player contracts and third parties, not to mention dealing with various federal and state (and Canadian) withholdings. The "2" teams and their non-MLS players are definitely a complication. One that I was surprised didn't appear to come up in the CBA stuff. If I were an MLS player, I'd want those players addressed (not necessarily fully spec'd out) in the CBA. Perhaps next time.
I'm not sure what needs to be addressed with the 2 teams.. They are separate legal entities from the MLS teams and likely wouldn't be included in any CBA negotiations unless they agreed to join the MLSPU, or the MLSPU filed a lawsuit to include them and won.
Well, here's a bad idea ... @thegoalkeeper I have heard that MLS might look at a longer break between the conf finals and the MLS Cup, and Sunday not guaranteed.— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) April 22, 2015
Agree … totally kills momentum of the playoffs. But I'm weird like that. I tend to lose interest in one off finals like World Cup final or CL final. I enjoy the quarters and semis the most and by the time the final comes I often don't even bother unless I'm personally invested in the outcome.
As someone who has been to the last 16 MLS Cups and 17 of the 19 held... I would say that the on the ground - at the venue - energy level was much, much lower last year with 5 days break from the end of the Conference Finals than the prior year where there was 13. I'll let others decide about the on the field product. MLS Cup 2014 didn't really "feel" like a championship game in Los Angeles last year. The game was an MLS Cup and the postgame was what it was. I'm just speaking about the feel in the days and hourss leading up to the game.