Tuesday, December 1, 2009

What Makes up an MLS Roster?

Note: This is part of a long-term series meant to introduce new MLS fans to the league, its rules and its regulations. We will cover many topics between now and first kick of the 2010 MLS season, starting with the MLS roster.

Because soccer is an international sport, and the MLS is unaffiliated with any other US soccer leagues (in that there are no official MLS 'minor leagues'), an MLS roster is much more complex than a given MLB, NBA, NFL or NHL roster.

To start, the MLS roster is split into two separate rosters: the senior roster and the development roster. The senior roster can hold between 18 and 20 players who are categorized as 'domestic' or 'international.' Players given the domestic title mean they are a US citizen, are considered permanent residents (have a green card), or hold some other special government-given status (such as being a refugee or given asylum). Toronto FC can only categorize players who are proper residents in Canada as 'domestic.' Players brought in from abroad are listed as 'international.' Each MLS team is by default allotted 8 international player slots, with the exception of Toronto who by default has 13 international player slots, five of which are limited to US domestic players. These international player slots can be traded to other teams, so in reality a team can have as many or as few international player slots as they want. Regardless of international or domestic status, the salaries of players on the senior roster count against the salary cap.

The development roster can hold up to four players who are 25 or younger. It is exempt from any international or domestic limits (that is, an 'international' player on the development roster does not fill up one of his team's international player slots). Being on the development roster doesnot affect a player's eligibility to play in any game, regular season or playoffs, it's just a further classification MLS has instituted. The salaries of players on the development roster do not count against the salary cap.

There is one other type of player that can be on an MLS senior roster: a 'Designated Player' (often abbreviated as DP). A DP is a player whose salary mostly does not count against the cap. Each MLS team, by default, is alloted one DP, but like international player slots, DP slots can be traded and each team can have a maximum of two DP slots. Their relation to the salary cap is a little tricky: in 2009, $415,000 of a DP's salary counted against his team's cap. If that team had a second DP, though, only $335,000 of the second DP's salary would count against the cap. Those numbers are anticipated to go up for the 2010 season.

Altogether, an MLS team can have anywhere between 22 and 24 players. Right now, the Union has 11 players (including GK Chris Seitz, whose acquisition from MLS Cup-champion Real Salt Lake went through yesterday) whose total salaries are $690,200. That leaves plenty of room under the salary cap to acquire additional players, and perhaps a DP (Piotr Nowak says acquiring a DP is a "very real possibility") before the beginning of the season.