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MLS Real Salt Lake

MLS Expansion Draft Set for Wednesday

November 19, 2007 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SALT LAKE CITY (Monday, November 19, 2007) - Major League Soccer will hold the 2007 MLS Expansion Draft on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. MT). The League's 14th team, the San Jose Earthquakes, will begin to take shape following the 10-round draft.

After building its roster through the 2004 MLS Expansion Draft, this marks the second straight year in which Real Salt Lake will lose a player to an expansion team, this after Toronto FC made its MLS debut during the just completed 2007 season. Real Salt Lake's list of 11 players protected from Wednesday's draft includes:

Goalkeepers: Nick Rimando

Defenders: Matías Mantilla, Chris Wingert

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Atiba Harris, Javier Morales, Nathan Sturgis, Carey Talley

Forwards: Alecko Eskandarian, Fabian Espíndola, Robbie Findley

In addition, as members of the Generation adidas youth development initiative, DF Nik Besagno, FW Yura Movsisyan, and GK Chris Seitz are automatically protected from selection in Wednesday's expansion draft. However, as recent graduates of Generation adidas, MF Christian Jimenez and M/F Jamie Watson will be available for selection by the Earthquakes.

Listed below are the details regarding the League's expansion draft. San Jose may not claim more than one player from any given team in MLS, and three teams will not have a player taken in the expansion draft. At the conclusion of the Expansion Draft, results will be posted on MLSnet.com and teams may resume trading. For the full list of unprotected players from all 13 MLS teams, please visit www.MLSnet.com.

MLS Expansion Draft Rules

Senior Roster

Teams may protect 11 players between their Senior and their Developmental Roster.

If the Player's contract expires at the end of 2007, he will still be considered part of the Team's Senior Roster.

If a Team protects a player, it is not obligated to exercise the player's option. It may renegotiate a new budget number for the player as in previous years.

If a player retires, he will not be a part of the Senior Roster, but his Team will lose its right of first refusal to him should he ultimately decide to play.

Designated Players do not have to be protected unless the player has a No-Trade clause in his contract in which case the player must be protected.

Developmental Roster

Players on a Team's Developmental Roster, other than Project 40/Generation adidas players who have not been graduated at the end of the 2007 season, will be part of the expansion draft.

Project 40/Generation adidas players who have not been graduated at the end of the 2007 season are automatically protected (teams do not have to use a protected slot on them)

If San Jose selects a Developmental Player it must offer him a Senior Roster position and he must be on San Jose's Senior Roster as of Roster Compliance Date.

International Players

Teams may make available no more than one Senior International player. A player shall be considered a Senior International if he will be a Senior International in 2008 (e.g., a 2007 Youth International who becomes a Senior International in 2008).

For purposes of this expansion process, for US-based teams, any non-domestic US player would count as an International and for Toronto FC, any non-domestic US player or non-domestic Canadian player would count as an International.

Maximum Player Loss

Once a player has been claimed from a Team's non-protected roster, that team is eliminated from the expansion draft and may not lose any further players.

Right to Renegotiate

San Jose will have the right to renegotiate a drafted player's salary (either up or down) without having to place such player on waivers or giving his previous Team a right of first refusal.

Discovery Priority

San Jose shall have priority on the opening day of the signing period with respect to USL players playing professionally in the USL first or second division.

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