General Allocation Money (GAM) and Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) were crucial components of the 2022 MLS salary budget system. GAM could be used to buy down any player's salary budget charge, sign new players, or acquire international roster spots. Teams received GAM through various means including roster compliance rewards, performance bonuses, and trades.
TAM was specifically designed to help teams sign players earning between the maximum salary budget charge and the Designated Player threshold. In 2022, TAM could only be used for players whose salaries and acquisition costs were above $612,500 but below the DP threshold. This mechanism allowed teams to sign higher-quality players without using precious DP slots.
Both GAM and TAM had specific rules about transfer between teams, expiration dates, and usage restrictions. Teams could trade these allocation money types, but unused amounts would expire if not utilized within specified timeframes, making strategic allocation money management essential for roster building.