MLS - Major League Soccer

The designated player rule served its purpose. It allowed the league to bring better players to its teams and to use celebrity to create a sort of cachet and credibility, both within the game and with fans. But as the league has changed, it has been slow to adapt to the increase in teams and, more importantly, the increasing cost of doing business in global soccer. The designated player rule isn’t enough for MLS to keep up. If anything. the rules as they stand present very real limitations to the on-field product.