You knew this was coming, MLS adds a second DP slot and more

In 3 years since the rule was established to allow teams to sign “big name, big impact” players none of the teams to do so have won the biggest prize MLS Cup. Yes 3 of 4 did have DP’s last year, I am sure Houston would have loved to have their money back instead of the lackluster Landin. Of course you can also point to the worst team in MLS having a DP, and a second DP slot that they didn’t use.

It is a risk, I have never doubted that but it is a risk that the big dollar teams can afford much more easily than smaller market or “poorer owner” teams can do. The pockets of AEG, Red Bull, or Roth and Allen, are much deeper than those of Checketts, and others. That is a simple reality, so giving those with deeper pockets another chance to buy their team more talent is in fact a bit of “favoritism”. I am actually fine with a second slot going to each team, as the league did address somethings that had made been allowed to “pass” with the old rule.

Having Landycakes be a DP, is a good thing and should have happened when he signed his new contract that clearly was outside of the “non-DP” rules. This fixes that, The Galaxy will have to pay Beck’s but like last year when he played less than half the season, he will likely again this year only count half of a DP against the cap (link )

The effect of his absence will not be felt until July 15, when Beckham was due to return and when his pro-rated salary-cap number, which could be as low as $162,500 as the Galaxy’s second designated player along with Landon Donovan, will begin to count against the team’s cap.

I still think the rule should have been 2 DP’s per team, no buying another slot, no trading them, and they should have counted the full $415,000 against the now larger cap. The new rule again is leverage to favor owners and teams with deep pockets, by lowering the amount DP’s count against the cap, they now have more money to spend on others. Last year if Landon and Becks had counted the full amount LA would have been over the cap by over $400,000, to claim that something like that doesn’t give one team an advantage is a bit naive.

I do think RSL has looked at DP candidates, but as a team that is just now going to break even, and hopefully in 2011 make a profit (so they can pay down their huge debt for the new stadium), they have to be very careful about it. I do believe it would take DP numbers to keep Saborio after his loan, and that will be based on his performance. The harsh reality is that unless they get a player who can come in at the low end of the DP scale ($5-700,000), that player will need to be able to cover the gap by jersey sales, sponsorships, or some way to offset the costs.

I believe this is a situation most teams find themselves in, and while LA, Seattle, New York, Chicago, and maybe TFC and Philly can afford this, San Jose, Houston, and KC all have stadiums that they need to pay for, FC Dallas can barely get 1/3 of their stadium fully, and Colorado has an owner more interested in the EPL than MLS.

My premise that we all knew this was coming, was correct, while the details were sketchy, I think most people who cover MLS saw the writing on the wall about more DP’s in bigger markets. I actually am fine with the ruling, but I find great humor when MLS tries to play this like it is something less than a gift to big market teams. If it helps with TV, great lets hope it leads to a new deal with more money for everyone, so all of the teams can start having more to work with.

Funny since I started typing, this came in via twitter (USA/ GALAXY, Tracking Trezeguet) They didn’t waste anytime now did they?