Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Uh... exactly how are the youth players under contract to a youth club?
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Exactly. I mean, for the most part the players PAY to be part of these teams so the clubs are already getting compensated. Further, the only way they could get compensation for them would be, as Sachin said, to have them under contract. But having them under contract would require the teams to offer something in the form of compensation in return. And aside from the fact that very few of the clubs are in position to do this, there's the fact that signing a contract like that is an NCAA no-no and since the vast, vast majority of these players - and their parents - expect them to be able to go on to play college soccer, there's no way the'd ever sign a contract. Further, MLS has ZERO desire to pay any fees for youth players and since they control or influence most of the votes that matter at the USSF, that ain't gonna happen. Also, what happens when a youth team feels it has an extra-special youth player and wants more for the player or the player has an offer from Europe? MLS isn't gonna want to get into a situation where a club wants more for Player X than Player Y got. At the end of the day, there's no market if the the buyer won't pay and MLS - the market - isn't gonna play this game.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Obviously, transfer fees aren't possible if the USSF doesn't sanction them. But if the USSF were willing, I don't think it's that hard to implement. On the question of whether kids are "under contract" to their youth clubs, I believe they already are. My son's club has him sign a letter that confirms he won't play for another club that year without the club's permission. That understanding is backed up by league/state cup rules with roster freezes. The only reason that there's movement is because the contract lasts for only 1 season. It's much harder to move in season. If club A got its players to sign multiyear deals, presumably in return for promises of being "on the team" for that number of years, the club B could sign one of club A's players only be getting club A to release the player. That release could be purchased with a transfer fee, especially in a system backed by the USSF. Second, my understanding is that some of the fees paid in Europe involve "training compensation," not a transfer of contractual rights. I believe these payments apply when a player is signed to his first professional contract in situations involving either international transfers or intra-national transfers in countries that have provided for these training fees. This could be done in the US as well. I personally would not want a transfer fee system that binds players to clubs for long periods because I think that players should be free to move in their best interests, especially when their parents pay the bills for their soccer development. I would, however, be open to a slightly different system in which the MLS (or any pro league) should make a set payment to the club or college from which it signs a player to a professional contract. Hypothetically, $50k for a first round player, $30k for a second rounder, etc (Given the present MLS salary structure, the fees should probably be lower, but if salaries ever escalate, so should these fees). Why? I believe when an MLS signs a young pro from another country, they have to pay such a fee. Shouldn't they do likewise for the benefit of home grown talent? Also, NCAA teams (and now perhaps club teams) presently serve as development leagues for the MLS. This would be a way for the MLS to share some of the expenses and reward those institutions that can successfully develop pro caliber players. (Frankly, I think the NFL and NBA should pay for drafting kids too, but that's another argument.) If colleges or clubs knew that they would get compensation if one of their players gets drafted, it might also change their behavior about how they train their players. There's a lot about the European transfer fee system that's not worthy of emulation. Besides binding players to clubs against the players' interests, European clubs can cut players at any time, and the "ownership" of players means that players effectively give up serious school at age 16 in the effort to become pros. As I understand it, there are a lot of young former soccer players without sufficient education to make themselves a solid living in England. The US system may not produce top players, but it probably gives its players better educations than European systems do. But, the one thing that clubs in Europe do better than US clubs is focus on the long term development of young players into pros. I have heard that, for youth academy teams, winning doesn't matter. Good soccer and good habits are how the academy is judged by its superiors (namely the "big league" club), and that is ultimately shown by the transfer fees the clubs garner. I think that the US system does not have sufficient incentives for most clubs to think about long term development. It's therefore worth thinking about how we could incorporate some European style incentives without compromising what's good about the US system.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? I do not think signing a professional contract kills your ability to play in college, particularly if you did not sign with an agent. I remember Quincy Carter the former quarter back for the Dallas Cowboys. Carter signed out of high school with the Chicago Cubs and played in its minor league system. He wasn't too happy and asked if he could play college football during the off-season. The Cubs agreed and he ended playing as a non-scholarship player for the Univ. of GA. Which of course lead to him becoming a starting QB for the Cowboys. So you may not be able get a NCAA scholarship but you can in some cases still play in the NCAA.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? The NCAA allows this only if the student is not playing the sport in which they have signed a pro contract. Which is why you see a number off examples like Quincy Carter, signed out of High School to play baseball. Then go to college and play another sport(Football more often then not)
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? This is correct. You retain NCAA eligibility for a sport so long as you have never been paid to play the sport. However, stuff like endorsements while a professional in a different sport can also make you ineligible for all sports (see Jeremy Bloom). If someone signs a contract with a youth team, they will not be playing NCAA ball.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? The only way I see this working in US is if the MLS Academies form alliances with local youth clubs. But basically that would mean completely taking over these programs, and not so much as transferring money. It would be more like Fire Academy and Chicago Fire Juniors perhaps. Eventually that would/should happen with all MLS Academies - having a fully integrated pyramid of development from U8 to U16 and U18 academy teams. In addition, every talented player should try to get into the nearby MLS academy team because it would be free of charge. It would be foolish not! Of course not all of them would be making the U16 and U18 teams, but the tryouts should be flooded surely.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? mls academy's should set up scholarship type contracts, have players commit from 1-4 years. The incentive to keep the prospects in the league.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? This needs to ultimately change. Our best youth player development system at some point needs to be free. At some point soon USSF has to subsidize the top levels of youth development which for me is the 80 non MLS development academy U16-U18. Why couldn't they pay a development fee of a few thousand dollars for each player signed to the academy. It incents the DA team to develop players good enough for MLS. Why do they need to have them under contract accepting compensation. An Amateur player deemed elite and wanting to train with an MLS team could be signed professionally by the MLS club and the DA team could be afforded an nominal development fee. This again would incent the DA team players with no direct access to professional soccer to now have a method where both teams and player wins. They would have a desire if they realize that some of our nation's youth do not have access to professional soccer and if they see that signing our nation's talented youth ultimately is a good investment to the future betterment of their club. Similar to signing their HG and realizing there are better players than their HG players. We're not talking millions of dollars here. It isn't a perfect system where every top player will sign, but I would envision a set amount based on certain criteria not a negotiated amount, at least not initially. Of course it would have to be with the approval of the player and family. If they don't want to go or they want to go overseas there would be no MLS signing hence no fee paid. There could be a market if there is a supply and demand. If teams realize there is a market for the elite American Youth player to ultimately make their team better they will be willing to pay, and we already know that many young players want to sign professionally but are hit with lame MLS rules to make that difficult. At some point wouldn't it be better if Wood, Gyau, Agbossomonde, etc all could easily start their career in the MLS as youths.?
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? I think this is the future of youth soccer in the next ten years. Instead of MLS poaching there these other clubs best players, these clubs should get some form of money in a scholarship. It would also give these clubs more incentive to develop players. I guess that is legal and should be done.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Nah, the whole premise of the original article is wrong: The first paragraph is flawed. "US soccer has progressed to the level where like the rest of the world, MLS clubs should considering paying modest youth transfer fees to local clubs that develop the young players they select for their U16 and U18 academy teams." A) The kids aren't under contract in any way to local clubs. In. Any. Way. People can say "it would be nice" if these clubs were compensated.........but there's no reason to do so. B) Not only that, the kids have to PAY to PLAY for those clubs. It's the parents of the kids that are really making the investment. We can talk about how "wrong" that is, but it's the truth. A transfer fee of any kind to the club would be stunningly ludicrous. Keep in mind many of the quotes in that article are from people at these non-MLS DA teams. They have a certain agenda. And that's trying to figure out how in the world they're gonna compete with MLS clubs. Ultimately.........they can't. If I was an MLS club, I'd tell the kid to simply leave his local club.........as there's nothing binding him to that club. NOTHING!! And then they can sign him for nada. For MLS clubs, the situation is much easier. If they think they have an elite prospect on their hands, and want to prevent the player being poached by another club.........they can sign him to a homegrown contract. That's supposedly the reason FCD signed Richard Sanchez, their 16 year old keeper. Mexican clubs/scouts were snooping around, and FCD decided to tie him up. These kids can still play on the academy teams, as Fagundez has been for New England.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? I agree your rite but the MLS is trying to put pay to play out of business they will just take there players for free. But is that good for youth soccer development to put them out of business? There is not enough MLS teams go around to develop players rite now that would leave alot of kids to fall through the cracks, they already are now with 80 teams in the DA. There needs to be a way for them to be able to work together to develop talent and by compensating teams and giving them the piece of the pie. Rite now it doesn't look like that will ever happen. MLS wants total control and it will take years before they will have enough academies to cover the U.S.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? After you pay your college four years worth of tuition for your degree, does the college deserve to be compensate by your employer after you get a job when you graduate? Under the pay-to-play system, the club already gets compensated. On the front end. And it gets compensated whether the player develops into a pro or a college player or never plays again above HS. They've made their money. Now, if all the players were playing for free and the club was investing big sums of money on the front end, then yeah, some compensation might be in order if MLS poaches their best talent. But the club's already get paid for providing a service to the player and his family. They don't deserve or need to be compensated by the players' new team.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Most Euro players are not under pro-contract prior to their 17th B-day (and in many cases, after it). The "training compensation" for a prized star (Rossi, Pique at ManU; Fabregas, Merida at Arsenal) is peanuts compared to the amount that a player of that talent would fetch on the open market. What would a 17-YO American player fetch on the same open market? Aside Adu, a big fat nada.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Well that would be the idea for the pay to play clubs change there business model to develop players to be professionals so they can make a profit model. There clubs would be free they wouldn't charge any money just develop the kids they think can be professionals. They would develope there kids and if the MLS or Europe want to sign them when there 17 or 18 or younger they get compensated them going pro. Your rite as long as it's pay to play they don't have a rite to be compensated but it's scholarship kids there losing too the mls clubs too. MLS can get them all for free if they want too, its not fair but they do. It just makes the pay to play clubs have no desire to develop kids, they mite as well keep doing what there doing in be in the business of winning trophies and tournaments.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Juan Aguedelo is 17 if he were not under contract by the red bulls I bet he would fetch something in the open market. Andy Najar and Omar Salgado too. Europe is watching those three believe me, when there contract is up with there teams, they will probably be heading to europe.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Where are you getting money for this plan? It's nice saying "these local clubs should be free, wouldn't charge money, and would just develop kids to be professionals." That costs big bucks. And trust me..........it's not gonna come from the USSF. Not in the amounts required to do what you want to do. If you read that article, most of the pro-youth transfer fee people are guys from these local clubs. (who are desperate for any source of revenue) I've never heard anybody from the USSF or MLS ever mention anything about it. MLS academies hold ALL of the cards in this situation. Not some of the cards. All of the cards. A European or Mexican club, of course, could also come and grab whatever players they want from these local teams without paying a fee. And Sandon makes a very good point. Should DC United compensate Chicago Fire Premier, the USSF Bradenton academy, and Akron University for their role in developing Perry Kitchen? Of course not. That would be absurd. And everybody would agree to that. But in that article, a guy from Real Colorado suggests that when Jozy Altidore was sold to Villarreal...........the local club he trained at should have been given a piece of the transfer fee. On what planet is he living? The rest of us are living in the real world here. Not fantasy land.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Agudelo went down to Millonarios in Colombia after his stint at Bradenton. If they had signed him............would the RBNY academy have been compensated? The answer is hell no. MLS signed Omar Salgado after he left the Chivas academy.........did we compensate Chivas? Hell no. And yes, if their contracts expire..............they can leave MLS on a free transfer. MLS won't get any compensation for their development efforts. That's the way the world works. To prevent that, MLS can sell the player before their contract expires. Which is what they did in cases like Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Your rite but is putting all these clubs out of business which will eventually happen that do develop players the best thing for youth soccer? MLS can't cover the country thats what I am saying.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? Why do you assume that MLS academies are putting anyone out of business?
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? The the other clubs won't be able to compete, all the best players are going to want to go to the mls clubs. Parents aren't going to pay to play for teams that won't be able to compete. MLS will be totatlly running the show.
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? How is it that there have been 4+ thriving clubs in many markets already, then? MLS academies can only take so many players. There will be plenty of players left over for other youth clubs even if MLS gets the pick of the litter. Parents already do pay for clubs that aren't the best in their region, why would that change?
Re: Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US? they all might want to play for an mls academy but the reality is most wont. another thing is that mls academies might take players on potential and not how good they are at the moment.