Despite two months of what some league sources called "encouraging" collective bargaining agreement talks it appears the 2010 season is about to be derailed.
If a new collective bargaining agreement is not in place by March 25, the first game of the season, the players union voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to go on strike. The league has yet to respond to the vote, but it seems that the keys to keeping this season on track are solely in their hands.
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The center of the controversy stems from the way the league is designed to handle player contracts. For example, say Juan Pablo Angel of the New York Red Bulls is cut from the roster before the season begins. He would be unable to sign with another team because A) the Red Bulls still hold his rights via contract and B) the league must approve all trades. Mr. Angel would be barred from playing despite still being under contract.
The second issue is fair pay for players. We know Freddie Ljungberg makes over $1 million per season with the Sounders. Would it shock you to know that the lowest paid player on the same team makes just over $20,000 per year? Because the MLS controls player contracts, they also control the size of contracts as well as any bonuses.
It would benefit not only the players, but the league as well, to avoid a work stoppage at all costs. The NHL has still not recovered from the complete loss of the 2004-05 season. That strike lasted 310 days and the NHL has watched helplessly as fan interest dwindled along with their TV ratings ever since. The MLB saw a similar trend after the 1995-95 season strike, which saw nearly 950 games canceled along with a World Series.
Just as quickly as fan fervor was built here in Seattle over the arrival of the Sounders, a spring and summer without “the beautiful game” could do more harm to the ten-year-old MLS than could ever be undone.
Reach Galen Helmgren at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
