The MLS SuperDraft happens Friday, January 11. At one point, MLS teams could count on acquiring frontline talent that could realistically start on Opening Day. With the rise of the academy system, and with more and more youth players eschewing college soccer to turn pro — either in Europe or elsewhere — the SuperDraft isn’t what it once was.
With New York City FC, there’s added complexity. The Pigeons have shied away from doing what other MLS teams do, because they have both the benefit and burden of being part of a larger global enterprise. Unlike the rival Red Bulls, New York City hasn’t really established a reserve system.