In North American sports contracts, waivers is a type of player transaction. A player under contract to a team is placed on "waivers" for a specified period of time; during this time other teams may submit a claim for that player's contract. Based on a priority system, the team with the highest priority earns either the right to negotiate with the player's current team, or in some cases, the right to assume the contract of that player from the current team. Each of the four
major league sports has somewhat different procedures for handling waivers. The purpose of waivers is to prevent teams from colluding to exchange players outside of the normal
trade
Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market.
An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...
rules, as well as to encourage parity by giving lower-ranked teams the
right of first refusal
Right of first refusal (ROFR or RFR) is a contractual right that gives its holder the option to enter a business transaction with the owner of something, according to specified terms, before the owner is entitled to enter into that transaction ...
to claim players who are no longer wanted by their former club.
Major League Baseball
Players may be placed on waivers at any time. Teams may claim any waived player during the first three days after being placed on waivers. If more than one team claims the player during the three-day window, the team with the lowest win percentage has first priority. Once a player is claimed, the player's current team may either negotiate a trade, rescind the waiver, or do nothing and allow the claiming team to assume the player's contract. Any player that remains unclaimed (or whose waiver offer is not rescinded) after three days, the player may be sent outright ("outrighted") to a club's
minor league baseball affiliate or, if the player has already been outrighted to the minors once before in his career, granted unrestricted
free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
to sign with any club.
National Football League
Players in the National Football League may be placed on waivers at any point between July 4 to February 1. Between July 4 and the end of the regular season, the waiver window is 24 hours. Between the end of the regular season and February 1 the waiver window is three days. If more than one team claims the player during the waiver window, the team with the lowest win percentage has first priority. Once another team claims a player on waivers, they assume that players contract without the need to negotiate with the player's former club. Any player that clears the waiver window becomes a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. Waivers are not possible between February 1 and July 4; players released outside of the season become free agents without having to clear waivers.
National Hockey League
Players in the National Hockey League are placed on waivers following any of several conditions. Firstly, players who meet a certain threshold of league experience (based on a complex formula based on position, age, and time spent in the NHL) cannot be designated for assignment to a minor league club unless first placed on waivers. Secondly, players who spend at least one season playing in another country's major professional hockey league are placed on waivers when returning to the NHL. Thirdly, players who are released from their parent club unconditionally are placed on waivers before they become free agents. Teams have 24 hours (measured from noon
Eastern Time
The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, Panama, Colombia, mainland Ecuador, Peru, and a small port ...
following the announcement of the transaction) to place a claim on a player. If more than one team claims the player during the 24-hour window, the team with the lowest win-loss-tie point total has first priority. The claiming team then assumes the contract. If the player clears waivers, the intended transaction (either changing teams or outright release) proceeds.
National Basketball Association
Players in the National Basketball Association are placed on waivers if they are released by their parent club during the season. Other teams have 48 hours to claim the waived player. If more than one team claims the player during the two-day window, the team with the lowest win percentage has first priority. The claiming team assumes the player's contract when they claim them, however for players signed off of waivers after March 1, they are ineligible to participate in that season's playoffs. Players who clear waivers become unrestricted free agents. Players released by their parent clubs in the off-season do not have to clear waivers before signing with another club.
See also
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National Rugby Championship
The National Rugby Championship, known as NRC, was an Australian rugby union competition. It was contested by eight teams, seven from Australia and one from Fiji. The tournament ran from 2014 until 2019 before being disbanded in 2020 following t ...
*
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...
References
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Terminology used in multiple sports
Sports labor relations