Free agency rights and a larger cut from guaranteed deals continue to be sticking points.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the agency mediating the dispute said that the two parties had agreed to meet again to resume negotiations.
The MLS season is set to being March 25th.
Stan Chelney of Soccerlaw explains why MLS will not accept free agency. Basically, if it does so, it undermines its own single entity structure by which the league, not the team decides, owns and negotiates player contracts. MLS has already been challenged by players in court which has upheld its single entity structure.
SW, I agree. When many MLS players get something like $12,000 salaries, something is not quite right. Unfortunately their bargaining powers are not as powerful as the NFL and MLB. If these leagues strike there are big economic repercussions for all parties concerned. Free agency came to these leagues through lawsuits and work stoppages.
Some sort of limited free agency should be introduced- maybe one or two players in a team if they can keep within the salary cap.
players are right, the mls is not doing the right thing!