Prior to the Homegrown Player Rule coming into being in MLS, the regular route through to the pro ranks for up-and-coming youngsters was via such mechanisms as the SuperDraft. But times they are changing…
When Tristan Bowen was signed to a professional contract by LA Galaxy on November 12, 2008, he became the first of the fruits from the development academies, which had dropped a year earlier.
Today, there are around 100 active homegrown players in the league, with many more having flown the MLS nest, such as DeAndre Yedlin, Matt Miazga, and Andy Najar.
As with all other major North American sports, the draft system was a known and comfortable quantity.