The MLS Player's Union, which was set to start before the Seattle Sounders were to host new expansion team Philadelphia Union this coming Thursday, announced today just after 1 p.m. they had reached a new 5-year collective bargaining agreement.All along the players complained that the MLS single-entity format was hindering the players' ability to make more money essentially because the league negotiated all deals, the players wanted greater free-agent rights and a higher percentage of guaranteed deals.
As has been greatly reported by ESNPsoccernet and other websites the following paragraph was one of the Players Union's biggest argumentt, "Player income averaged $147,945 at the start of last season, according to the union. But the median -- the point at which an equal amount make above and below -- was $88,000 for 323 players listed."
This Associated Press story highlights all the items that were worked out and settled between the players and the league. Some interesting stuff with some of the main stipulations being nearly all players will have guaranteed contracts and although the players did not gain free agency, they will receive greater rights at the expiration or release of their contracts
But with so many clubs in MLS reportedly losing money in recent years, only time will tell if the league can afford to sustain this sort of most likely increase in players salaries along with a continuously expanding league. It would not surprise me if in five years when this CB is coming to an end that there is another bitter standoff between the players and owners with instead of a potential players' strike like this go around I would suspect the owners' will contemplate a lockout.
While we're also talking about the MLS, and
instead of being all doom and gloom, Kyle McCarthy of goal.com wrote a piece about five of the league's most influential players, and he listed the Revolution's Shalri Joseph No. 2 behind Landon Donovan. Joseph, who has trained at the Topsfield Indoor Arena on several occasions - I know because I worked there - will need to have another huge season for New England because of the losses of Jeff Larentowicz, Steve Ralston, and Jay Heaps.
instead of being all doom and gloom, Kyle McCarthy of goal.com wrote a piece about five of the league's most influential players, and he listed the Revolution's Shalri Joseph No. 2 behind Landon Donovan. Joseph, who has trained at the Topsfield Indoor Arena on several occasions - I know because I worked there - will need to have another huge season for New England because of the losses of Jeff Larentowicz, Steve Ralston, and Jay Heaps. 
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