MLS announces major increase in TAM spending

Excellent news for MLS fans: The league is investing more in players. A lot more.

Major League Soccer announced on Friday that the Board of Governors approved an increase in the amount of Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) available to each club. Following the 2017 MLS season where each club received an allotment of $1.2 million dollars of TAM, all 23 MLS teams will continue to receive $1.2 million of TAM per year in 2018 and 2019. MLS clubs may pull forward and use immediately the $1.2 million of TAM designated for 2019.

MLS clubs also will have the flexibility to spend up to an additional $2.8 million of TAM, on a discretionary basis funded by the team, per year in both 2018 and 2019, which will further enhance the quality of play across the league. This injection should increase a teams ability to build their rosters with increased flexibility and help add high-quality players outside of their Designated Player spots.

This is a fantastic all-around development. Doubling the amount of TAM will undoubtedly improve the quality of play while making it easier for MLS to transition into a seller’s league.

The biggest question mark for LA heading into 2018 was how to disassemble and rebuild a roster with lots of missing parts. Well, the Board of Governors just tossed Chris Klein a life preserver. Even with all three Designated Player slots currently filled, the Galaxy will have far more flexibility to improve what is currently a bare-bones squad for next season.