MLS
reaches deal with players to avert strike
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[March 05, 2015]
By Simon Evans
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major League Soccer
and its players struck a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement
on Wednesday, avoiding the threat of a players' strike two days before
the start of the season.
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MLS commissioner Don Garber confirmed to Reuters the MLS Players
Union (MLSPU) and the league had reached agreement after four
straight days of negotiations at the Washington offices of the
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
"I am pleased to announce we have reached an agreement in principle
with our union," Garber told Reuters.
"We are not going into details tonight but it is great to be able to
continue the momentum that we have been able to build for this
league and do it in partnership with our players."
With the 20th MLS season scheduled to open on Friday, labor talks
went down to the wire as the two sides hammered out a new five-year
deal to replace the previous agreement which expired on Jan. 31.
"The deal is done," Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando, the
team's union representative, told Reuters as he left the talks.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Mar/05/images/ads/current/pest_control_bch_092414.png) Orlando City representative Tally Hall, whose team makes their MLS
debut on Sunday against fellow-expansion team New York City FC, said
he was proud of the work of the players.
The main sticking point in the talks was the players' demand for the
introduction of free agency.
MLS has never suffered from a work stoppage but some players had
publicly threatened to strike if their demands were not met.
Hall told Reuters the deal included a form of free agency, albeit
restricted to players 28 years and older with at least eight years
in the league.
"When you take a step back and look at the deal we have, a free
agency system in place that other leagues in North America had to
have several work stoppages," he said.
"...and we get something in place without a work stoppage and I
think it changes the dynamic of the league."
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The deal also includes a rise in the minimum wage in the league and
the overall team salary cap although full details were not
immediately available.
Chicago Fire players had flown to Los Angeles for Friday's game
against the Galaxy not knowing if the match would go ahead.
Among the scheduled games for Sunday, two MLS teams will make their
debuts as New York City FC travel to Orlando City, who have sold
over 60,000 tickets for the clash at the Citrus Bowl.
A new eight year domestic television deal, with games featuring on
Fox Sports and ESPN also gets underway this season while the league
recently signed a broadcast deal with Britain's Sky Sports.
"This agreement will provide a platform for our players, ownership
and management to work together to help build Major League Soccer
into one of the great soccer leagues in the world," said Garber.
(Additional writing by Ian Ransom; Editing by Julian Linden)
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