MLS SuperDraft
Encyclopedia
The MLS SuperDraft is an annual event, taking place in January of each year, in which the Major League Soccer
teams 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.
with the now-defunct College Draft
. Originally created to ensue strict parity in the league, the draft was designed to merit weaker clubs for their shortcomings. The first draft was held in 2000, and since then has become the flagship draft of the league. Recently, the draft has been considered to be secondary to youth academies.
. Below was the process for the 2011 MLS SuperDraft
:
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
teams select players who have graduated from college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
or otherwise been signed by the league. The SuperDraft was first instituted in 2000, as a combination of the MLS College Draft
MLS College Draft
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...
, in which players having graduated from college were selected, and the MLS Supplemental Draft
MLS Supplemental Draft
The MLS Supplemental Draft had a number of incarnations:From 1996 to 1999, all players playing in the United States currently playing professionally in the United Soccer Leagues were eligible for the MLS Supplemental Draft, where they could be selected by all Major League Soccer teams. Players...
, 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.
History
The MLS SuperDraft was created by merging the original Supplemental DraftMLS Supplemental Draft
The MLS Supplemental Draft had a number of incarnations:From 1996 to 1999, all players playing in the United States currently playing professionally in the United Soccer Leagues were eligible for the MLS Supplemental Draft, where they could be selected by all Major League Soccer teams. Players...
with the now-defunct College Draft
MLS College Draft
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...
. Originally created to ensue strict parity in the league, the draft was designed to merit weaker clubs for their shortcomings. The first draft was held in 2000, and since then has become the flagship draft of the league. Recently, the draft has been considered to be secondary to youth academies.
Rules of Draft Selection
The draft process for the SuperDraft closely resembles the NFL DraftNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. Below was the process for the 2011 MLS SuperDraft
2011 MLS SuperDraft
The 2011 MLS SuperDraft was the twelfth annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It was held on January 13, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland, during the 2011 NSCAA Convention at the Baltimore Convention Center. The 2011 SuperDraft consisted of three rounds with eighteen selections each, for...
:
- Any expansion clubExpansion teamAn expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
automatically gets the first pick; should there be two expansion teams, a coin toss determines who picks first; the other team will pick second in the expansion draft. - The winners of the MLS CupMLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
are given the last selection, and the losers the penultimate selection. - Teams that made the MLS Cup PlayoffsMLS Cup PlayoffsThe MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason elimination tournament of Major League Soccer held at the end of the regular season en route to the MLS Cup, the league's championship game. 10 teams in total from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference qualify for the tournament based on regular-season...
are then ordered by which round of the playoffs they are eliminated. - Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record.
- Remaining ties are broken by the goal differential, goals scored, goals conceded, and then the flip of a coin.
| Status | Draft picks |
|---|---|
| Expansion clubs | 1-2 |
| Non-playoff clubs | 3-10 |
| Eliminated in quarterfinals | 11-14 |
| Eliminated in semifinals | 15-16 |
| MLS Cup finalist | 17 |
| MLS Cup winner | 18 |
List of SuperDrafts
- 2000 MLS SuperDraft2000 MLS SuperDraftThe 2000 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:...
- 2001 MLS SuperDraft2001 MLS SuperDraft-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:-External links:*...
- 2002 MLS SuperDraft2002 MLS SuperDraftThe 2002 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:...
- 2003 MLS SuperDraft2003 MLS SuperDraftThe 2003 Major League Soccer SuperDraft was held January 17, 2003 in Kansas City, Missouri.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:References=* USA Today MLS Draft List...
- 2004 MLS SuperDraft2004 MLS SuperDraftThe 2004 MLS SuperDraft, held in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 16, 2004, was the fifth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft, and was most notable for the selection of one of the youngest athletes in American sporting history, Freddy Adu, with the first pick.-Player...
- 2005 MLS SuperDraft2005 MLS SuperDraftThe 2005 MLS SuperDraft, held in Baltimore, Maryland on January 14, 2005, was the sixth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Expansion club Real Salt Lake had the first pick as the result of a coin toss . RSL drafted Under-17 midfielder Nikolas Besagno with the first selection...
- 2006 MLS SuperDraft2006 MLS SuperDraftThe 2006 MLS SuperDraft, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 20, 2006, was the seventh incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection originally belonged to C.D. Chivas USA, but they traded it to the MetroStars for the fifth overall selection and Jason...
- 2007 MLS SuperDraft2007 MLS SuperDraftThe 2007 MLS SuperDraft, was held in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 12, 2007. It was the eighth annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection belonged to expansion team Toronto FC.The SuperDraft was followed by the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft....
- 2008 MLS SuperDraft2008 MLS SuperDraftThe 2008 MLS SuperDraft took place on January 18, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the ninth annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection was made by the Kansas City Wizards, after acquiring the selection from the expansion San Jose Earthquakes...
- 2009 MLS SuperDraft2009 MLS SuperDraftThe 2009 MLS SuperDraft took place on January 15, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the tenth annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The first selection was owned by the expansion Seattle Sounders FC...
- 2010 MLS SuperDraft2010 MLS SuperDraftThe 2010 MLS SuperDraft was the eleventh annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It was held on January 14, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the 2010 NSCAA Convention. The 2010 SuperDraft consisted of four rounds with sixteen selections each, for a total of 64 players...
- 2011 MLS SuperDraft2011 MLS SuperDraftThe 2011 MLS SuperDraft was the twelfth annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It was held on January 13, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland, during the 2011 NSCAA Convention at the Baltimore Convention Center. The 2011 SuperDraft consisted of three rounds with eighteen selections each, for...
- 2012 MLS SuperDraft2012 MLS SuperDraftThe 2012 MLS SuperDraft will be the thirteenth annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It will be held on January 12, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. . The draft will be reduced from three rounds to two. The 19 MLS clubs will select a total of 38 players...