Steve Davis ponders the possibility of MLS allowing teams the right to a second Designated Player in his piece, "Is a big-market, small-market divide ahead?" The so-called Beckham Rule was the league's high-stakes experiment that permitted teams to pay extravagantly for one marquee highlight-maker, with only a portion of his compensation impacting the salary cap, explains Davis. With the three-year "study period" over, the league could permit team's a second DP (and perhaps even a third via trade). "Then we'll start to see a big market-small market divide developing in MLS."

Sources tell Davis that ownership in L.A., Seattle, New York and D.C. United are driving the charge to add a second DP asset per club. "The bullish big spenders can afford to take the risk, paying grande on the front end and betting that they'll spin gold on the back end. Meanwhile, the smaller and the spendthrift will be left to purchase economically. It won't exactly be a situation like we see in Major League Baseball, where the Yankees and Red Sox and one or two others out-spend everyone, or an EPL-type deal where the Big Four habitually dominate via the checkbook, but it will move the MLS train down the tracks in that direction."

 

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