MLS Designated Players

[dimau79]

I figured out that some MLS teams have more than 2+1(under 23) Designated Players. How is that possible? Can you trade DP slots or something like that?

 

[wkdsoul]

I think its based on if you club can afford the salary charge for them, rather than a limit on how many you can have, looking at the rule revamp from 2012.

The 2012 changes:

Starting with the 2012 season, the rule was changed with respect to younger players. MLS announced the changes in August 2011 after clubs expressed concern about signing young international players with no guarantees that they would develop into stars.

• Designated Players over the age of 23 will carry a salary budget charge of $350,000, unless the player joins his club in the middle of the season, in which case his budget charge will be $175,000.
• Designated Players 21–23 years old count as $200,000 against the club’s salary budget.
• Designated Players 20 years old or younger count as $150,000 against the club’s salary budget.
• The budget charge for the midseason signing of a young Designated Player (23 years old and younger) is $150,000 and this amount cannot be lowered with allocation funds.
• Clubs will not have to buy the third DP roster slot to accommodate Designated Players 23 years old and younger.
• Age of player is determined by year (not date) of birth.

The maximum budget charge for Designated Players over age 23 was increased to $368,750 for 2013, $387,500 in 2014, $436,250 in 2015, and $457,500 in 2016. The budget charge for those who join during the midseason transfer window has remained at one-half of the full-season cap charge since the inception of the rule. The budget charges for younger players have not changed since 2012