MLS: When will TAM and GAM not ruin the league?

The offseason of MLS is conducted via Target Allocation Money and General Allocation. But the lack of information in ruining the enjoyment of the league. When will it end?

Major League Soccer is unlike any other football league in the world. Because of its Americanisation with heavily Americanised rules, it conducts business very differently to the rest of the world.

Elements like trades, salary caps, roster slots, from homegrown through to Designated Players, are all alien to many leagues across the globe, especially in Europe. Apart from the major competitive disadvantage, it is a key reason why the league has not taken off in other countries.

And as, at present, we are right in the heart of the offseason, it is the time when many of these convoluted and confusing rules come into play. Trades are happening left, right and centre, with TAM and GAM bandied around as if everyone knows exactly what they are, and major moves, from within the league to the SuperDraft to international transfers are being completed, all to the enforced ignorance of the general public.

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Paul Tenorio did a Q and A regarding GAM, TAM and DP rules this week, asking for a variety of questions on Twitter and then attempting to answer as many as possible in a piece for The Athletic. The first comment on the piece says, ‘That made my head spin.’ That tells you all you need to know.

Nevertheless, there was one question and answer that was extremely interesting. Tenorio was asked whether there is a resource for fans and media members to research the amount of GAM and TAM teams had remaining. This was his answer:

"“MLS does not disclose the amount of GAM or TAM held by any one team. It would be an incredibly useful tool that would completely change how we talk about MLS teams, offseason needs, in-league trades and roster building <…>  It’s why discussions around MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA teams are far more advanced in this sphere. Just take a glance at the data available on sites like Spotrac for other professional leagues. MLS is far behind those leagues in sharing information.”"

Now, I knew that to be the case already. And I am sure many reading this also knew that already too. But Tenorio makes a very important distinction between the vague and unclear discussions that surround MLS trades to the far more detailed, defined and insightful conversations that surround NFL or NBA or MLB moves.

If I wanted to, I could go and look up the amount of cap space the Dallas Cowboys have this year and next year to see what kind of contract they could afford to give Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot. I could check to see if the Los Angeles Rams have overstepped their mark with the major contracts that they have given to a slew of star players. I could compare possible destinations for Antonio Brown, should a potential trade take place this offseason.

But none of that is possible in MLS because they are too scared of the information being made public. The reasoning, they say, is that they do not want negotiations to be impacted by knowledge of TAM and GAM — even teams are not disclosed information on other teams’ remaining TAM and GAM. The real reason, I believe, is to protect the organisations from stupid trades that make little sense, if you have all the information available to properly assess it.

All this leads me to ask one simple question: When will MLS stop ruining the league with TAM and GAM? In principle, they are fine, though a tad convoluted. But without public knowledge, in practise, they do not help advertise the league. It is time for change.