MLS Problems

MrMarcello

Players want big changes in MLS structure - MLS - ESPN Soccernet

MLS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS
Players want big changes in MLS structure

MIAMI -- Major League Soccer's players are demanding significant changes to the way their league is organized as part of contract negotiations now entering a critical phase.

MLS is notably different from most leagues in the world in that player contracts are owned by the league and not individual clubs and there is no internal transfer market.

The players' union, MLSPU, has a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league that ends on Jan. 31 and the parties have spent the last year in negotiations.

If a new agreement is not reached the league risks being without any contractual arrangements in February, around six weeks before the start of the new season.

"It is certainly our sincere hope that we can have an agreement in place by (Jan. 31)," union executive director Bob Foose told Reuters on Wednesday.

"But in order to do that there are going to have to be significant changes made to the way the league functions and obviously we would have to come to agreement on economic pieces."

MLS commissioner Don Garber warned recently that talk of a strike or shutout was premature and could be damaging to the league and Foose agreed it was too early to be considering industrial action.

"It is certainly not something we have raised at the bargaining table," Foose said.

"There is an old labour [movement] saying that you have to hope for peace but prepare for war and there is certainly some truth in that.

"In any collective bargaining negotiations there is that risk but it is early to be talking about that and we sincerely hope it doesn't come to that."

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This week FIFPro, the international players association representing professionals from 42 nations, urged soccer's global governing body FIFA to tackle what it sees as discrepancies between its statutes and the operating rules of MLS.

"[MLS] ignores FIFA rules in several respects," FIFPro said in a statement.

"There are players without a guaranteed contract, player contracts are routinely terminated by the league, MLS acts as a cartel, there is no freedom of movement for any MLS player and virtually any player can be transferred to another club in the league without his consent.

"[We] demand that FIFA take responsibility in these matters, take account of the views of the players and ensure that the (FIFA) regulations are enforced on a global basis, particularly in the USA".

Garber said last week the union was wrong to say they were not in line with FIFA's rules.

"I will say emphatically that we are operating in compliance with the FIFA regulations and the union is simply wrong on this point," he said.

"We spent a lot of time creating the structure for MLS with tremendous legal support and financial commitment, they have reviewed the regulations and we are in fact abiding by them."

FIFA said in a statement they would not interfere.

Speaking to reporters at the MLS Cup final on Sunday, Garber said talks had been productive but were also tough.

"We understand and accept the fact that they will be tough negotiations but we are very committed to putting together a deal that will be good for our players, for management so that we can continue to together grow the sport."

AlwaysRedwood

That would be all US sports. Not sure why this was highlighted. I can't see them changing most of this.

Hopefully they can get the situation changed, so individual clubs own contracts. I know the new guard of owners want that, but the old guard don't. (MLS owners are split down the middle, with clubs like Seattle on one side and clubs like Dallas on the other. Seattle wants change, Dallas does not)

Dr. Dwayne

The league is relatively well established now, isn't it? I think it's time for them to get in line with how football works in the rest of the world.

MrMarcello

Huh? MLB and NBA have fully guaranteed contracts, the NHL did and might still, and the NFL players often receive bonus money in exchange for not fully guaranteed contracts, while all of the big four have free agency, salary minimums are in the low-to-mid six figures, and the clubs (not the league) dictate player movement. Big name players have no-trade clauses in their contracts and each league has rules for 5-and-10/veterans of a certain number of years having the right to refuse trades.

olesmyhero

I've been wondering when FIFA would step in and have say in how the league is run.

I don't like how the league itself runs everything, not each club individually. I hope there is change to come.

AlwaysRedwood

Huh? Aside from the guaranteed contracts, which most MLS players have except the lowest rung, MLS also has free agency. When you're contract is up, your free to go whereever.

Salary minimums are being negotiated and were necessarily low to begin the league from nothing.

Big name players in other leagues have no trade clauses because their agents negotiate them. Has nothing to do with the leagues.

Refusing trades is something the players bargained for over a period of time. MLS is new, when the league is stronger and they have the power, they can ask for it.

Personally, I think the European way of doing things is a bit horseshit. Contracts mean nothing. You may as well pay them on a weekly basis with no contract at all.

SirAF

I'd love to see the MLS become competative compared to Europe - unfortunately that will never happen, not in our time at least. In the wake of the MLS Cup final I have been doing some reading on Wikipedia about the structure of the league and even though myself find if a bit fascinating (the Conferances that is, not the pay structure) I can see that it would be better to change it towards a more european model.

As for the pay structure, it's very odd that the LEAGUE own the rights to the player. Should be changed in my oppinion to give the clubs more power.

Wandering Red

The league owns contracts because when MLS started, you had more teams than there were owners, so multiple teams had the same owner. To prevent anything funny from going on, all the contracts had to go through the league. It was also a way of preventing one team from from amassing a large number of top players to the detriment of the rest of the league, which is what happened with the New York Cosmos in the old NASL. That type of system might work for Real Madrid and other clubs in other countries, but with a league that was not yet established, it would have been a huge risk.

The plan was always to go to a more free system once the resources became available and the league became more stable. Maybe that time is now.

SirAF

I see, makes sense from that point of view - cheers.

MrMarcello

What part of the MLS controls player movement where as in any other league in the world it's the clubs that do so do you not comprehend?

Player unions also bargain for veteran clauses (like the 5-and-10 trade rule in MLB). Each CBA has specific language for contracts, revenue sharing, salary caps, etc.

The MLS is a stable league now and the players deserve better pay compensation. If the MLS wants to become a viable league it needs to offer better pay and other incentives to entice overseas players and to retain North American players. The lower tier and developmental players should not be paid semi-pro wages when the league claims to be a full professional level.

Alex

The MLS should offer me pay if they want to become a bigger league because that is the only way i would watch it that much

Anderson Searl

I think after this recent wave of expansion concludes, the conference system will be abolished, and the playoffs will be limited to the top 4, which is bearable.

AlwaysRedwood

Other American leagues don't have competition. Americans are free to ply their skills in many leagues around the world. To compare them is, quite simply, ridiculous. Do they have free agency, compared to other US leagues? No. Are they free to go to whatever team they wish when their contract expires? You bet.

Things that took a while to get, as I stated before, as is shockingly obvious. With success, comes more bargaining power. If the league is successful, the players will get what they want.

There are no developmental players. They've been tossed out. Before this last season began.

Most teams can't afford to pay high salaries. When former Champion Columbus has horrible attendance for the playoffs while defending their crown, it's pretty obvious this league has a ways to go. It's not capable of competing with other leagues now.

Red Dreams

may not be directly related...but it seems the MLS is much better organized than the previous version that failed...the NASL....or is it because we have more interest in soccer here in the States?

still I think players need to have more freedom...sure something will change.

AlwaysRedwood

MLS was designed specifically not to repeat the problems of NASL, so you're right about that.

There may be a bit more interest, but it's mainly for foreign leagues.

MrMarcello

According to the FC Dallas roster, the MLS still has developmental (American or international) players. There's also the GAs (Generation Adidas) players. FC Dallas has five such players. FC Dallas: Roster: Main

Interesting comments from Jimmy Conrad on how he would like to see MLS. I agree on his take about acquiring the other leagues in the US and creating a farm system (like professional baseball and hockey). The talk of creating a MLS1 and MLS2 is interesting albeit most likely improbable when expansion costs 30m and rising.

Conrad's Corner: A vision for the future of Major League Soccer - MLS - ESPN Soccernet

Another take on the CBA, cap, etc. CBA dispute threatens MLS progress

USDevil

IMO, since we're behind in the footballing world, we should line up under their rules. I'd expect the same if some other country wanted to compete against us in the NFL, NBA, etc.

Anderson Searl

Cost TFC Maurice Edu after one less than stellar year because the pay in Scotland was much much higher.

Depressing.

AlwaysRedwood

Come on. Be realistic. That's not the reason he left. Or maybe Toronto is playing in the Champions League and I'm not aware of it.

AlwaysRedwood

All it will do is destroy the league. Not that it's anything now, but take a player like Stewart Holden. He's leaving in the next transfer window because his contract is up. Dallas certainly can't afford to pay him what he's going to get in Europe. They were only able to hold onto him as long as they did because of the "ridiculous" contracts.

The leagues still building. New rules just make it easier for foreign clubs to poach anyone who looks decent, pay them more than MLS can afford and have them play in the reserves.

Feel free to explain how that's good for MLS, because I'm not seeing it.

Wandering Red

For now, I agree. They need to stick with the system that has made them financially solvent even though they're not pulling in nearly the money that other leagues here are.

Remember, for US sports leagues, television money far outweighs ticket money. The NFL receives $3.1 billion per season in television money for the domestic rights, whereas MLS receives just $23 million per season currently. Even a much smaller leagues like the NHL receives $170 million per season. So, still a ways to go for MLS to get that kind of money. Hopefully within the next 5-10 years this can happen.

MrMarcello

To get that kind of television revenue the MLS needs to raise the level of play on the field and entice more American, Mexican and foreign stars (or even semi-stars). To do this the MLS needs to offer higher pay and develop new talent. Raiding various regions for young players would help though very few would probably jump at the chance of playing in the MLS, especially for a salary that I double.

Other leagues are getting well above 50% of the television money placed into the player salary pool while the MLS is less than 50%.

EZee

mls... who cares...

Wandering Red

The league has definitely brought in some quality Latin players, like Cuahtemoc Blanco, Guillermo Baros Schelotto, Christian Gomez, Juan Pablo Angel, Marco Pappa, Fredy Montero, and Wilman Conde, just to name a few. Seems like the reasonable path as they're usually cheaper than European players and typically seem more dedicated to their teams (although Euro stars like Stoichkov and Ljungberg have been great additions too). It's helped raise the level of play and has also increased the interest in the Latino community, so it's been rather win-win for the league.

Hopefully it translates into greater revenues all around.

olesmyhero

Probably people who live in the states and want to have a good national league.