MLS offseason moves
We find ourselves among a flurry of MLS offseason moves this week, starting with the MLS Waiver Draft. Only two players were selected by clubs today, with the remaining eligible players now free to sign with whomever they choose.
MLS announced late last week an increase to Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) by a total of $1.2 million in comparison to the 2017 allotment. In addition, MLS teams will be able to spend an extra $2.8 million of their own funds as TAM. This influx of cash has already begun to exchange hands, with Atlanta United sending a potential total of $1.65 million in allocation money to Portland Timbers in exchange for midfielder and U.S. International Darlington Nagbe. The announced deal is expected to be the richest trade in MLS history. Portland is also expected to announce the signing of former New York Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese.
Interested in seeing how salary spending has changed over the last decade in MLS? Take a look at this sweet interactive graph.
Before @MLS piles on an extra $2.8 of discretionary TAM per club, let's look at the progression of wages 2007-2017.
Interactive????https://t.co/pJMr2boPvr pic.twitter.com/R8oybcRWIP— Steve Fenn //\ Mast: StatHunting@skrimmage.com (@StatHunting) December 13, 2017
Allianz Field construction update
Construction continues to make progress at the future site of Allianz Field. Structural steel first installed in the southeast corner of the stadium now wraps around the south side, with steel along the east side expected to start going in after the new year.
News bits
- Minnesota United announced another pop-up store for holiday shoppers at their team headquarters in Golden Valley, now open during the week through Friday, December 22.
- Smaller stadiums and pricier tickets seem to be the desired model to follow for USSF’s World Cup Qualifying matches.
- NBCSN’s Joe Scarborough will host a new show about the Barclay’s Premier League starting December 26. Expected cancellation date is later that day.
- James Montague pens a story about the Lebanese men’s national team and their bizarre trip to Pyongyang for a match against North Korea.
- David Beckham’s Miami ownership group is changing a bit, with LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly replaced by brothers Jose and Jorge Mas of MasTec.
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