2005 MLS SuperDraft Rules and Selection Order Unveiled
Published on January 7, 2005 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK (Friday, January 7, 2005) - Major League Soccer today announced the rules and selection order for the 2005 MLS SuperDraft(tm) presented by adidas at the Baltimore Convention Center on Friday, January 14, 2005 (12:00 p.m. ET). The 2005 SuperDraft, traditionally a six-round draft, will consist of four rounds in this year's edition. The Fifth and Sixth Rounds of the draft will become the First and Second Rounds of a four-round draft for the soon to be named MLS developmental league, which will be held at a later date. The draft order is initially determined by reverse order of finish in 2004 with the exception of Real Salt Lake and CD Chivas USA, the 2005 expansion teams that will select with the top two spots in each round.
The annual MLS SuperDraft is held in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention, the largest soccer gathering held in the United States which celebrates its 58th edition in 2005. Head coaches and general managers from all 12 MLS clubs, League executives including MLS Commissioner Don Garber and several of the players expected to be selected in the SuperDraft will join other prominent soccer figures and college coaches at the event.
Major League Soccer broadcast partner Fox Sports World will carry the first
hour of the draft live at 12:00p.m. ET. MLS Wrap co-host Sean Wheelock will
lead coverage on-site in Baltimore along with longtime international and MLS
television analyst Allen Hopkins. Live streaming video of the entire
four-round event will be available at the League's official web site
www.MLSnet.com
Last year's SuperDraft featured No. 1 selection Freddy Adu (D.C. United), Crew starting defender Chad Marshall (No. 2), 2004 Gatorade Rookie of the Year and New England Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey (No. 8) and Jeff Parke, the last selection in the SuperDraft (No. 60) who proceeded to start 27 games with the MetroStars.
Major League Soccer has issued the following procedural rules for the 2005 MLS SuperDraft:
Draft Rounds: The draft will include four rounds and 48 overall selections. If a team passes on a selection, it forfeits participation in any manner for the remainder of the draft.
Selection Clock: Teams are permitted five (5) minutes to make a selection in the First and Second Rounds. Teams are permitted three (3) minutes to make a selection in the Third and Fourth Rounds.
Intermissions: There will be a five (5) minute break between each Round.
Timeouts: Each team is permitted only one (1) timeout. Timeouts are five (5) minutes in duration. Selections must be made immediately following the timeout (no additional time given). No more than two teams can call consecutive timeouts.
Failure to Make Selection in Designated Time: Teams that fail to make their selection in time must wait until the next selection is made, regardless if their choice is presented prior to the next team's decision. The team that was delinquent with its selection must immediately have its choice in hand following the selection of the team that follows. If not, the original team must again wait for the next selection to be made.
Trades: Prior to being announced, trades must be verified and approved by the League Commissioner or his designee.
The order of picks in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft as of Jan. 7, 2005 is as follows. Of the two expansion teams, Real Salt Lake won the right to select first in each round based on a coin toss that took place at MLS Cup 2004. Selections may still change hands based on previously existing trade conditions (see below):
ROUND 1
1 Real Salt Lake
2 CD Chivas USA
3 Chicago
4 FC Dallas
5 San Jose
6 Los Angeles (from MET)^
7 Colorado
8 Los Angeles (from CLB)^
9 New England
10 Los Angeles^
11 Kansas City
12 D.C. United&
ROUND 2
13 Real Salt Lake
14 CD Chivas USA
15 FC Dallas (from CHI)**
16 Colorado (from FCD)+
17 San Jose
18 Chicago (from MET)
19 Colorado <+
20 Columbus (from COL, CLB)
21 New England
22 Los Angeles
23 Columbus (from KC)
24 Kansas City (from DC)
ROUND 3
25 Chicago (from RSL)
26 CD Chivas USA
27 FC Dallas (from CHI)
28 KC (from FCD)**
29 San Jose
30 San Jose (from MET)
31 Colorado%
32 San Jose (from CLB)
33 Kansas City (from NE)
34 Los Angeles
35 Chicago (from KC)
36 Kansas City (from DC)
ROUND 4
37 Real Salt Lake
38 CD Chivas USA
39 Chicago
40 FC Dallas
41 Colorado (from SJ)%
42 San Jose (from MET)
43 Colorado%
44 Columbus
45 New England
46 Los Angeles
47 Kansas City
48 D.C. United#
CONDITIONAL PICKS BASED ON PAST TRADES:
% SJ receives Colorado's highest 2005 3rd and 4th round picks
+ DC receives Colorado's highest 2005 2nd round pick
# SJ receives DC's highest 2005 3rd round pick. If no 3rd round picks, SJ receives DC's natural 4th round pick
** KC receives FC Dallas 2005 2nd round pick, if not available KC receives natural 3rd round in 2005 and 2006
^ Chicago receives a 1st round pick from LA (either LA, MET or CLB) at LA's choice
& MetroStars receive either Top 30 pick in 2005 or Top 20 pick in 2006 at DC's choice; in addition to 1st round in 2005 or
2006 at MetroStars choice
< Chicago receives a Colorado 3rd round pick; if not available Colorado's natural 2nd round will be used
NOTE: Dallas receives MetroStars' 2006 natural 1st and 2nd rounds, but MetroStars may provide 2005 1st round instead if they acquire such pick prior to the SuperDraft.
In the days preceding the 2005 MLS SuperDraft, a selection of more than 60 players will participate in the annual adidas MLS Player Combine which will be held for the second consecutive year at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California from January 8-11, 2005. MLS general managers and members of all 12 MLS coaching staffs will be in attendance during the four-day combine to scout the top talent in America. A total of 42 players who participated in the 2004 Player Combine were later selected in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, in which a total of 60 players were drafted.
Major League Soccer Stories from January 7, 2005
- Wizards Staff to Scout New Talent at MLS Combine - Sporting Kansas City
- 2005 MLS SuperDraft Rules and Selection Order Unveiled - MLS
- D.C. United Re-signs Brandon Prideaux - D.C. United
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