For those of you who don’t know, the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) is an organisation that looks after players who play in MLS and they do that by agreeing with Major League Soccer (MLS) some ground rules for things like pay, benefits, wellbeing and the wider community too.
We empower the players by establishing a supportive community and unified voice that positively impacts the lives of our past, current and future members.
MLSPA mission – https://mlsplayers.org/about-us/our-mission
The current agreement did end at the end of January 2020, with a mini extension to find a new agreement. If this hadn’t been done then we could have seen MLS 2020 not start. What has been done then? Thankfully the MLSPA have made a nice infographic showing what has been done.
And this is taken from MLSPA.
Washington, D.C. (February 6th, 2020 ) – The MLS Players Association (MLSPA) announced today that they have reached agreement on the terms of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Major League Soccer (MLS), pending a full ratification vote by the players and the league’s Board of Governors.
MLSPA – https://mlsplayers.org/news/mlspa-and-mls-reach-tentative-agreement-on-new-cba
The new five-year CBA commences with the beginning of the 2020 season and runs through January 2025. Under the historic deal, free agency rights will increase dramatically while the percentage of eligible players more than doubles. Salary budgets and player compensation will experience steady growth that by the end of the deal will take the average salary over $500,000 and the senior minimum salary over $100,000. Additionally, owners will continue to invest in players on and off the field. For the first time in league history, the CBA includes mandatory charter legs for team travel that grow incrementally during the term of the agreement.
“This deal is the culmination of our efforts to engage players from every team to define our goals and push for real progress,” said Jeff Larentowicz, MLSPA Executive Board Member. “Through this work and our solidarity, we have been able to reach an agreement that will provide players with greater rights and increased compensation, and will ensure that the league’s resources continue to be used to create a league of choice for players both on and off the field.”
The agreement locks in increases in the league’s investment in player benefits as well dramatic increases to individual and team performance-based compensation. With the league’s existing local, national, and international media rights deals set to expire at the end of the 2022 season, the new agreement also creates a first-ever revenue sharing agreement between players and owners to ensure that increases in media rights revenue will mean further increases to player compensation.
“Players have secured an agreement that will substantially change what it means to be an MLS player,” said Bob Foose, Executive Director of the MLSPA. “Over the past two years, we have engaged in a substantive, comprehensive negotiation process with the league. We believe that the sweeping changes and increased investment in this agreement will not only be integral to the league’s continued growth, but will also move MLS closer to the systems in place in overseas leagues with which we aspire to compete.”
The key points that I have taken away from this is that the Senior Minimum Salary is going to increase, the chartered flights increase, which I’m still amazed that they don’t allow all of them to be that way and the increased performance bonuses too. There are other items like the media revenue sharing and the free agency changes too. Each bit is a good thing and no doubt that they will look to continue improving wherever possible.
Do you agree with the new CBA? Is there anything you think they should have had more of? Drop a comment on social or down below.