Other Considerations:
Regular Season: All suspensions must be served during the same regular season, except in the event a red card occurs on the final game of the regular season. For example, if Team A does not play Team B again the remainder of the season, Team A’s player who received the red card would serve his 1 game suspension in the next regular season game.
Final Regular Season Game: If a player receives a red card in his team’s last regular season game, then the 1 game suspension would be served in the playoffs (if applicable) or the first game of the next regular season.
Player Trade: The rule applies in the event of a player trade. For example, if Player X from Team A receives a red card against Team B, and then is traded to Team C, he would serve his 1 game suspension when his new team (Team C) plays Team B; if his new team does not play Team B, then he would be suspended for the first game with his new team.
Failure to Serve Suspension: If a player does not serve his suspension because he is no longer eligible (e.g., retires, season ending injury, released, transferred, etc.), the player will be required to serve his suspension in the event he returns to MLS NEXT Pro. If the player signs in a new league, such suspension may also carry over to the other league (e.g., if the player is transferred to Manchester United, then he may be ineligible to participate in his first English Premier League game).
Supplemental Discipline: If a player is issued supplemental discipline (i.e., additional games), such supplemental discipline will be served in games immediately following the game to which the player received the red card, and then the 1 game suspension from the red card would be served the next time his club plays the original opponent.
Non-Player Related Ejection: The rule also applies to non-player related red cards (e.g., red card resulting from a confrontation with the opposing team’s technical staff or a confrontation with a referee).
Ineligible Players: The rule does not apply to (1) players on loan from a club’s first division affiliate and (2) amateur players. Such category of players would be ineligible to play in the next MLS NEXT Pro league season game (status quo).