MLS SuperDraft

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The MLS SuperDraft is an annual college draft for teams of Major League Soccer in the United States and Canada. It takes place in January and is used by teams to select players who have graduated from college or otherwise been signed by the league. The SuperDraft was first instituted in 2000, as a combination of the MLS College Draft, in which players having graduated from college were selected, and the MLS Supplemental Draft, in which all other players were chosen. The draft is divided into three rounds in which each club has a selection, the order of which is determined by a combination of the teams' playoff and regular season positions, with the last placed team (or expansion teams) getting the first pick.

Contents

History

From 1996 to 1999, all American players graduating college were entered into the MLS College Draft, and were eligible to be selected by all Major League Soccer teams. Players who had already graduated from college were entered into a separate MLS Supplemental Draft.[ citation needed ] The division between the two was eliminated in 2000, when they were combined into a single MLS SuperDraft. Originally created to ensure strict parity in the league, the draft was designed to allow weaker clubs to develop their rosters. The first SuperDraft was held in 2000, and since then has become the primary draft of the league. Recently, the draft has been considered to be secondary to youth academies. [1] [2] [3]

The importance of the SuperDraft waned in the 2010s as MLS teams established their own youth academy systems and acquired young players from other leagues. The 2020 MLS SuperDraft was conducted exclusively by conference calls and online streaming for the first time. [4]

Eligible players

Only players from the American college sports system (e.g., the NCAA and the NAIA) are eligible to be drafted. Canadian U Sports men's soccer players are not included, despite numerous proposals and discussions in 2010 [5] and 2012 [6] when U Sports was Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). In previous SuperDrafts, a few players were drafted directly from clubs outside the U.S. or Canada.

Rules of draft selection

The draft process for the SuperDraft closely resembles the NFL Draft. Below is the process for the 2023 MLS SuperDraft:

  1. Any expansion club automatically gets the first pick; should there be two expansion teams, a coin toss determines who picks first in the SuperDraft and who picks first in the expansion draft.
  2. Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record.
  3. Teams that made the MLS Cup Playoffs are then ordered by which round of the playoffs they are eliminated.
  4. The winners of the MLS Cup are given the last selection, and the losers the penultimate selection.
  5. Remaining ties are broken by the goal differential, goals scored, goals conceded, and then the flip of a coin.
StatusDraft picks
Expansion clubs1
Non-playoff clubs2–17
Eliminated in knockout round18–21
Eliminated in conference semifinals22–25
Eliminated in conference championships26–27
MLS Cup finalist28
MLS Cup winner29

List of MLS College Drafts

YearDateRoundsPicksCityFirst
selection		Team
1996 March 4, 1996330 Fort Lauderdale, FL Flag of the United States.svg Matt McKeon Kansas City Wiz
1997 February 1, 1997330 Fort Lauderdale, FL Flag of the United States.svg Tahj Jakins Colorado Rapids
1998 January 31, 1998336 Fort Lauderdale, FL Flag of the United States.svg Leo Cullen Miami Fusion
1999 February 6, 1999336 Fort Lauderdale, FL Flag of the United States.svg Jason Moore D.C. United

List of MLS SuperDrafts

YearDateRoundsPicksCity First
selection 		Team
2000 February 6, 2000672 Fort Lauderdale, FL Flag of the United States.svg Steve Shak MetroStars
2001 February 5, 2001672 Davie, FL Flag of the United States.svg Chris Carrieri San Jose Earthquakes
2002 February 10, 2002670 Lake Buena Vista, FL Flag of Liberia.svg Chris Gbandi Dallas Burn
2003 January 17, 2003660 Kansas City, MO Flag of the United States.svg Alecko Eskandarian D.C. United
2004 January 16, 2004660 Charlotte, NC Flag of the United States.svg Freddy Adu D.C. United
2005 January 14, 2005448 Baltimore, MD Flag of the United States.svg Nikolas Besagno Real Salt Lake
2006 January 20, 2006448 Philadelphia, PA Flag of the United States.svg Marvell Wynne MetroStars
2007 January 12, 2007452 Indianapolis, IN Flag of the United States.svg Maurice Edu Toronto FC
2008 January 18, 2008456 Baltimore, MD Flag of the United States.svg Chance Myers Kansas City Wizards
2009 January 15, 2009460 St. Louis, MO Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Steve Zakuani Seattle Sounders FC
2010 January 14, 2010464 Philadelphia, PA Flag of the United States.svg Danny Mwanga Philadelphia Union
2011 January 13, 2011354 Baltimore, MD Flag of the United States.svg Omar Salgado Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2012 January 12, 2012238 Kansas City, MO Flag of the United States.svg Andrew Wenger Montreal Impact
2013 January 17, 2013238 Indianapolis, IN Flag of the United States.svg Andrew Farrell New England Revolution
2014 January 16, 2014477 Philadelphia, PA Flag of Jamaica.svg Andre Blake Philadelphia Union
2015 January 15, 2015484 Philadelphia, PA Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Cyle Larin Orlando City SC
2016 January 14, 2016475 Baltimore, MD Flag of England.svg Jack Harrison Chicago Fire
2017 January 13, 2017481 Los Angeles, CA Flag of Ghana.svg Abu Danladi Minnesota United FC
2018 January 19, 2018481 Philadelphia, PA Flag of Portugal.svg João Moutinho Los Angeles FC
2019 January 11, 2019475 Chicago, IL Flag of the United States.svg Frankie Amaya FC Cincinnati
2020 January 9, 2020477via teleconference Flag of the United States.svg Robbie Robinson Inter Miami CF
2021 January 21, 2021375via teleconference Flag of Venezuela.svg Dani Pereira Austin FC
2022 January 11, 2022379via teleconference Flag of the United States.svg Ben Bender Charlotte FC
2023 December 21, 2022 [upper-alpha 1] 383via teleconference Flag of Senegal.svg Hamady Diop Charlotte FC
2024 December 19, 2023 [upper-alpha 2] 387via teleconference Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Tyrese Spicer Toronto FC

Notes

  1. ↑ Although the draft took place in 2022, the draft retained the 2023 MLS SuperDraft branding
  2. ↑ Although the draft took place in 2023, the draft retained the 2024 MLS SuperDraft branding

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References

  1. ↑ Walter, Tyler (January 8, 2011). "MLS SuperDraft: Why the Rise of Youth Academies Causes the Draft To Be Obsolete". Bleacher Report . Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  2. ↑ McCarthy, Kyle (December 13, 2010). "Monday MLS Breakdown: Academy Programs Increasingly Influence SuperDraft Pool". Goal.com USA. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Let's abandon the MLS draft". ESPN.com. January 14, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  4. ↑ Creditor, Avi (January 9, 2020). "The Highs and Lows of a Dwindling MLS SuperDraft". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  5. ↑ "CIS pushing for MLS draft entry: Coach". Canadian Soccer News. November 24, 2010.
  6. ↑ Rycroft, Ben (February 15, 2012). "Road to pros may ease for university stars". CBC Sports. CBC.
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