Changes from 2009 2010 Major League Soccer season

1 changes 2009

1.1 managerial changes
1.2 personnel
1.3 collective bargaining agreement

changes 2009

the players union , league passed new collective bargaining agreement adjusted players contracts.
the philadelphia union joined league 16th club , playing in eastern conference. first 2 home games of season – against d.c. united april 10 , fc dallas on may 15 – played @ lincoln financial field while permanent home, ppl park in chester, pennsylvania, opened game against seattle sounders fc on june 27.
a natural grass field replaces fieldturf surface @ toronto fc s bmo field.
the new york red bulls began play in new stadium red bull arena, defeating chicago fire in first mls match played there on march 27 score of 1–0.
adidas provided jabulani match ball mls colors of blue , green season, new referee kits.
new designated player rules agreed upon in season:

teams can sign 2 designated players, 1 under previous rules, , pay luxury tax of $250,000 right sign third designated player. $250,000 distributed evenly mls teams have not signed third designated player in form of allocation money.
each designated player counts $335,000 salary cap, down $415,000 under previous agreement, , counts half amount if player signed during middle of season. teams can use allocation money reduce salary cap value of designated player.
teams no longer allowed trade additional designated player spots, new york red bulls receive $70,000 of allocation money in exchange nullifying earlier trade chivas usa second designated player spot.
teams have designated player transfer out of country during mls season recoup portion of money spent on designated player.
landon donovan no longer grandfathered agreement, , must counted designated player.
unlike previous designated player agreement, set expire after 3 seasons, agreement has no set expiration date.
the new designated player rule resulted in explosion of dp signings in 2010, league boasting 13 designated players @ conclusion of regular season (omar bravo signed kansas city in summer of 2010 remained previous club guadalajara remainder of season).



managerial changes

personnel

note: flags indicate national team has been defined under fifa eligibility rules. players , managers may hold more 1 non-fifa nationality.

collective bargaining agreement

after 2 extensions facilitate additional talks, collective bargaining agreement between league , players union expired february 25, 2010. league had said not lockout players. union had voted in favor of strike if new deal not reached before beginning of season. players seeking free-agent rights , more guaranteed contracts league. on march 20, 2010, mls , players union agreed on new, 5-year collective bargaining agreement allowed season start on time.