MLS Designated Player Rule Email

So far in my research, I have learned a lot about the designated player rule.  Not only have I learned how it works but I have learned why it is in place.  After research and getting in contact with Kyle McCarthy, a technical coordinator for the Philadelphia Union, I can now understand the rule and its importance to the MLS.

The way the designated player rule works is each club gets a salary cap of $3.49 million.  The maximum salary for a single player is $436 thousand.  Each team gets 2 designated player slots, with the option to purchase a 3rd.  The designated players have no salary cap, nor do they count towards the $3.49 million salary cap.  The rule was introduced in 2007 so the MLS club LA Galaxy could sign David Beckham, also why the rule is sometimes called the Beckham rule.

The rule is very important the the MLS.  In the 70/80s the NASL (North American Soccer League), went bankrupt due to unnecessary and crazy spending.  The league had no time to build up and quickly collapsed.  To make sure the same mistake does not happen again, the MLS introduced salary caps.  Each year the salary caps change.  For example, back in 2007, they introduced the Designated Player Rule.  This allowed clubs to spend a little more money and sign some big names.  Players like Villa, Beckham, Henry, Gerrard, and Lampard, all legends at their former clubs, got to play in the MLS.  This brings much more popularity and income into the MLS.  Who wouldn't want to go out and watch a legend like Lampard or Gerrard play.  Here in the US, we don't get the chance to watch these top class players in person.

Another reason the rule is so important is the future of the American National Team.  We need the MLS to give our future soccer stars a place to play.  If we go and sign a bunch of Europeans and South Americans that have already developed into top class players, the MLS popularity would increase but our national team would take a hit.  We have a lot of good athletes here in the United States and it is only a matter of time before we get our first super star player.

MLS designated player rule

My proposal for the research project is the MLS designated player rule.  I do not know much about this rule but I know that it has brought some of the MLS's greatest players into the league.  I would like to find out:

-The salary cap for these designated players

-What a team has to go through to get a designated player

-Why this rule exist  (why are teams limited to these types of players)

-Identify these designated players and see if they really stand out

-The difference between a designated player and average, normal player

This topic interest me because the "designated player rule" has brought in many great players into the MLS.  Without this rule, the league is empty.  Legendary players like Pirlo, Kaka, and David Villa would have never graced these fields.  Although these players are out of their prime, their past achievements show how good they really are and bring more popularity to MLS soccer.

Academic Rules: Division 1 Athletics

Division 1 Athletes go to school thinking about one thing: sports.  These athletes could most likely not care less how they are doing academically, as long as they are performing athletically.  The rule is that a student athlete has to keep his/her grades up in order to be allowed to perform on the field. Specifically a 2.3 GPA average, which is equivalent to a C+. There have been reports of athletes getting all their work done by their "tutors".  Although there are many cases of schools trying to boost their "student athletes" GPA's, one specific case belongs to The University of South Carolina.  The University of South Carolina was steering their athletes into a GPA booster.  The athletes took specific, easy courses that they would be able to pass with hardly trying at all.  The school got charged with; violations of NCAA legislation regarding academic fraud; impermissible benefits; impermissible participation; unethical conduct; failure to monitor; preferential treatment; failure to cooperate and failure to report outside income.

How much money is spent on "Student Athletes"

We all know that division 1 athletes do not get paid.  They get benefited with a free education and college experience.  It was discovered that colleges pay more money per student for athletics than they do for academics.  This however, is not surprising.  You cant expect coaches, training facilities, and stadiums to cost as much as classrooms, books, and teachers.  It is the difference in amount spent on students to athletes that will shock you.  Top football programs in the country spend about $91,936 per athlete.  These same schools spend about $13,628 per student.  Not only are these numbers extremely far apart,  but are increasing at different rates.  The cost per athlete rate is increasing by about double what the cost per student rate is increasing.  It is pretty clear that these students are attending these schools for more than just an education.  You could argue that the schools are actually using the students to make their school look better,  As athletic competition grows so will the funds spent by these colleges.  I can see a future law declaring a "salary cap" on how much money can be spent per "student athlete"

Life as a Division 1 Football player vs Division 1 Soccer player

Division 1 sports are a huge commitment.  Whether you are a soccer player or football player, you can agree that the commitment is huge and time consuming.  It has to be something you are willing to work at for years.  You know that you are not getting paid and that your career as a player will most likely be over at the end of it.  Although you have to be incredibly talented and committed to play at a division 1 college, both soccer and football players will agree that their experiences are completely different.

Division 1 football is more about getting a free education.  The athletes attending these schools are completely focused on football as oppose to school.  Many colleges have been caught cheating trying to help their players maintain their grades so that they can practice more.  There is big money involved in college football so extreme measures are taken by the coaches and the school to make sure there athletes are ready to play.  If an athlete cant play it can effect the whole school, not just the athlete or the team itself.

Although division 1 soccer is extremely competitive and one of the most competitive leagues of soccer in the United States, education is more relevant to them.  Division 1 soccer players do not get as much sympathy as football players. Soccer brings in very little income so their games are not nearly as important.  The school/coaches will not go to the extreme that they go to in football to make sure their players are ready to play.  Missing the captain of the soccer team may affect the team, but missing the quarterback of the football team will affect the school.

The Biggest Story of 2015

In the Premier league season of 2014/15, Chelsea FC won the Premier league for the first time since the 2009/10 season.  The only difference is this time, they have not proved that they deserved to win the title.  Normally the team defending the title puts up a fight the next season to try and defend the championship.  This time however, things are different.  Chelsea is currently sitting in 15th place with only 18 points.  They are 3 points away from being at the bottom and in relegation form.  Relegation means that they would no longer be in the premier league and move down to a lower division.  Chelsea has recently fired their coach Jose Mourinho, hoping that his tactics were weak and they will be better off with a new manager.

This is the biggest story of the year because it is unheard of that a team as rich, successful, and talented as Chelsea would be in such horrible form while they were on top of the world last season.  They have not lost any key players.  There is obviously problems behind the scenes as you can tell from the post/pregame interviews and the way the players are playing on the field.  They simply just aren't playing for Mourinho.

High School Sports Mission Statements

Castro Valley High School mission statement:  The mission of the Castro Valley High School Athletic Department is to provide student-athletes with an opportunity to compete successfully in a high school program that is an integral part of their educational experience. The experience will provide a personalized learning environment with equitable participation opportunities for student-athletes to develop their leadership potential. Win or lose, the CVHS Athletic Department will encourage student-athletes to provide a winning effort, exhibit sportsmanship, and demonstrate respect for all.

Squalicum High School Mission Statement:  The Squalicum High School athletic department will create and foster an environment that provides opportunities for student-athletes to enrich their high school experience through participation on athletic teams, which are competitive at the conference and state level.  We are dedicated to providing opportunities, which will enhance the intellectual, physical, social, moral and cultural development of the whole person, while conducting all activities with honesty and integrity in accordance with the principles of good sportsmanship and ethical conduct.

My High-School Mission Statement:  Our Mission here, at CHS is to create an Athletic Department that will help students excel in something other than school, stay fit, and learn teamwork and responsibility.  We want to enrich their participation in extracurricular activities.  Whether we win or lose our students will learn good sportsmanship, a will for competing, and respect for others.