The Official Major League Soccer Thread

[LittleOzzy]

Thank you for the suggestions J-Mezzy & edfmx86

Most of those ideas I have created on the new board, so I think we are right on track with what people will want/need.

[LittleOzzy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TotalMLS/status/567494967514259456[/tweet]

Odds for winning the MLS cup released, do you agree with Vegas?

I think both teams in New York are way too high, and I think Sporting KC and Houston are likely too low.

Who would you put money on to win it all?

[LittleOzzy]

Just received news that the new forum will launch March 1st.

[J-Mezzy]

Will the team threads be moved there?

[LittleOzzy]

Will the team threads be moved there?

Yup, anything MLS related will move to the new forum.

[edfmx86]

Great to hear. Lets just hope the season starts on time now.

[LittleOzzy]

MLS, players union not backing down from CBA positions on free agency

With less than two weeks remaining until the start of the MLS regular season, neither MLS nor the MLS Players Union are backing down from their respective positions as it relates to negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.

While the issue of player compensation -- both in terms of minimum salaries and the overall salary cap -- is still to be hashed out, free agency remains the main sticking point. MLSPU executive board member Dan Kennedy indicated that the union membership remains committed to gaining increases on all of these issues.

"I don't want to say [free agency] is priority No. 1 because there is so much that goes into a CBA," he said. "But certainly we feel as players that every other sports league in the world -- whether it's soccer or not -- enjoys a form of free agency, and we feel that we're at a level where we're playing in the same arena. We need those same rights. Certainly we feel free agency is up there with some [salary] budget issues being salary cap and minimum salary."

Kennedy added that the union has no intention of using free agency as a bargaining chip as a way to extract concessions in other areas, and that he sees salaries and free agency as being two separate issues. In other words, he doesn't anticipate a large increase in the salary budget as being enough for the union to give up on its quest for free agency.

"I don't think we can be bought on [free agency]," he said. "The players feel so strongly about it."

That will not stop the league from trying. A league source who asked not to be identified indicated that MLS and its owners remain staunchly opposed to any kind of internal free agency. In addition to controlling costs, there is a desire on the part of MLS to protect the single entity system upon which it is based. Instead, the source highlighted that MLS intends to offer the union significant increases in both the salary cap and minimum salaries.

"The league has been very clear, they're prepared to invest more money in the player pool," said the source. "We have every year, and we're prepared to do that now. This is very different than any other sports league. All of their CBAs were about cutting back compensation. Ours is about investing more."

That approach could be interpreted as a way of trying to split the union, especially given that free agency figures to impact just a fraction of the union membership every year. Kennedy insisted the union remains unified.

"When we poll the players, [free agency] continues to be on top of the list," he said. "At one point, it's going to affect everybody. It won't be year in and year out. In any sports league that's not the case. Players just want to have the right to choose where they go and ply their trade."

Both sides emphasized that there remains time to get a deal done. For that reason the league source said, "It's premature to talk about a work stoppage."

http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-socc ... ree-agency

Still really hoping a deal is worked out before we hit March 2nd.

[LittleOzzy]

RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen on free agency: A "waste-of-time conversation"

Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen made a statement on the CBA negotiations that have plagued the offseason, and the highlight was undoubtedly his calling the desire for free agency a "go-nowhere conversation."

His statement from his interview on RSL-owned ESPN700, with specific focus on his discussion of free agency and the CBA negotiations, follows. He had plenty of other things to say, but these are probably the most notable.

I think there are some really fair offers that have come from the league. The perennial issue is that "we want free agency," but that can't exist where everyone's employed by the same employer.

How do you have free agency when you're going to go talk to yourself at the next employer? That's not going to change. That's a "go-nowhere" conversation. When you look at all the owners, they've all been in pro basketball, baseball, football, and that was the one thing they all vowed they'd never do is go through that again.

They've tried it twice, it's been defeated by the courts. It's just a foolish place to waste time. If that's still open, it's just foolish.

The rest, there's some great agreement everyone can reach, but every time I read "we're going to work on free agency," well, you know, that's one of those real waste-of-time conversations. I think everyone's very intense on it. I know that the league and the owners are seriously looking at that.

http://www.rslsoapbox.com/2015/2/26/811 ... nversation

The season starting on time looks doubtful at this point.

[J-Mezzy]

Crap, I already made plans with friends and family to go to the game. ARRGGHH

[edfmx86]

the timing for a players strike right now is so unfortunate. If it doesn't start on time or even losses a huge chunk of the season because of this, everyone is going to have a bad time. New fans, old fans, players, owners, stadium owners....this is terrible. I don't feel too good about it.

[LittleOzzy]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U84mgiXkcLA[/youtube]

Hard not to get hyped about the season when they are already running ads like this.

Hopefully the players don't strike.

[LittleOzzy]

How to watch MLS in English on UniMas or Univision Deportes Network with SAP

Viernes de Fútbol is here. Most every Friday night UniMás or Univision Deportes Network will broadcast a top MLS matchup in Spanish and in English using secondary audio programming (SAP).

It only takes a few steps with your remote to change the audio feed from Spanish to English. The table below provides links instructions on how to use SAP.

WATCH ONLINE: You can also watch the match online at deportes.univision.com or the Univision Deportes app. Look for a toggle on the video player to change the feed to English.

RECORDING A MATCH: If you plan to record a match on UniMás or UDN, you may need to change your audio settings on the DVR before you start recording. Check you provider's instructions in the table below.

Remember to turn off SAP after you finish watching the match.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sap

Follow the link for better instructions, but I thought this was really cool for MLS fans in the States. It just means more MLS games will be available in English for fans. Both Spanish networks carry a lot of games, so now you won't be missing out.

[LittleOzzy]

With just five days until the start of the 20th Major League Soccer season, a new era has begun on RealGM with the creation of it's own MLS forum.

Come join other MLS fans, and discuss the upcoming season.

[edfmx86]

Excellent! A new home. Very excited for this season to start, but also very pessimistic about when we'll actually see it begin.

[LittleOzzy]

Hope week 1 happens! Looks like a great start to the 20th MLS season.

Which game are you most looking forward to?

[J-Mezzy]

So how are things looking? Will the games start?

[LittleOzzy]

So how are things looking? Will the games start?

Strike? Don't talk about—strike?! You kidding me? Strike?!

It's almost here! After months without a local footy fix, we are less than a week from the start of another MLS season.

Maybe.

We could also be less than a week from the start of MLS' first ever work stoppage. Not that you'd know that by listing to any of the league affiliated media. There, it's smooth sailing and talk of Kaka. The non-affiliated media is debating what top 6 forward the Winnipeg Jets need to make a playoff push, or whether Boise State will get the No 6 seed in the Northeast Region (depending on what country you're living in). The MLS labour dispute is a wire story curiosity that might fill a two inch hole on page S15.
Making things even more frustrating for MLS fans desperate for information is that both sides are being tight-lipped. Whereas in 2010, you couldn't take a free kick in your beer league without hitting an agent looking to give you off-record info, this year it has been mostly quiet.

Michael Bradley said free agency was the hill the players would die on. Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen responded by telling Bradley and the players they should get busy dying then because free agency was a non starter. He was fined $150,000 for his efforts, a figure higher than 61% of the players on RSL made last season.

Other than those black and white positions, not much else has trickled out. That's caused people to conclude that we are looking at a 50/50 chance of a work stoppage.

It says here it's higher than that.

Although, as said, it's hard to get solid information about the negotiations, what info we are getting suggests two sides that aren't bending. The owners (and many fans) may feel that the players don't make enough money to afford a strike, but that position ignores the possibility that they have planned for a stoppage and it dismisses the idea that the players are willing to sacrifice for what they believe in.

Still, it is true that the majority of these players aren't rich. In fact, of the 575 players in the union last year more than half -- 330 -- made less than $100,000. There were 134 players making between $100,000 and $200,000 and 111 making more than $200,000.

So, this is upper middle class players versus billionaire owners. Hardly a fair fight.

Last week, player agent Ted Philipakos used legal documents filled with the US Department of Labor to determine that the MLS Players Union have a strike fund of about $6-million. That's not terrible for the local tire plant, but not great for a pro sports union.

http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/index ... game-r5070

MLS labor talks enter late stage

For the first time, team owners are participating in the discussions. FC Dallas’ Clark Hunt was among them Sunday and New England’s Jonathan Kraft was expected to arrive Monday. Numerous players from around the league are also present.

Teams have conducted training camp without a collective bargaining agreement but players say they will not start the season unless a new pact is struck. Free agency and compensation issues are at the heart of the matter.

“Ultimately, everybody wants to play, but it might not be a situation where we can play,” United midfielder Davy Arnaud said. “If it’s not something that is good for the players, we are not going to be able to play.”

Although no firm deadline exists, teams playing on the road this weekend are scheduled to begin traveling Thursday. The MLS opener is Friday, with Chicago visiting reigning champion Los Angeles. Without a deal, or signs of major progress, players are not expected to board their flights.

“We’re trying to find a deal and, with the tone [league representatives] came in with, they are trying to find a deal too,” said Boswell, who attended Sunday’s meeting and, after practicing Monday at RFK Stadium, headed to the second session. Teammate Chris Rolfe missed practice to join the talks Monday morning.

“Getting done is the hard part. I am not going to act like that is an easy task,” Boswell continued. “I am always optimistic. We have made a lot of concessions and we’re trying to keep the ball rolling. It’s in their court.”

Boswell declined to discuss specifics or what concessions were made by the union but said talks are proceeding cordially.

“People aren’t throwing chairs,” he said. “Some of it is philosophical but we’re all trying to hear each other out and make moves to get a deal done.”

Without it, MLS is facing the first work stoppage in the league’s 20-season history.

“We’re not naïve,” Boswell said. “We knew going into this that every [U.S. sports] league that has won free agency has won it through a work stoppage. We’re hoping to be that outlier.

“At the end of the day, we are soccer players and want to play soccer. The league is saying they want to see the first game kick off, but it’s easy to say that. Let’s make sure it happens.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soc ... 5329846028

Looks like it's still a pretty big unknown.

[LittleOzzy]

Strike grows more likely

CSN has learned that the MLS Players Union is close to walking away from the CBA negotiating table.
Multiple player agents spoke to CSN off-record today to stress that the negotiations are close to breaking down. It's possible that the players may formally walk away from the table as soon as this afternoon.

The agents say that the owners have refused to budge on the issue of free agency at all. Although they say the players are willing to be creative to find a solution that both allows for freer movement and keeps salary inflation under control, the owners refuse to consider any change to the way players move between clubs.

One agent wrote to CSN that "If the players are properly and financially supported throughout the strike...they would be on board for a long strike." The same agent went on to write "it doesn't look like the season will start this weekend."

Although the agent was careful to stress that his position was based only on the position of the players they represented, other agents expressed similar things.

Overnight, CSN was told that the union may have some powerful allies in the form of the other pro sports unions. It was suggested that the other unions would help to increase the player strike fund to allow for MLS players to make a living wage while on strike. The motivation to do so comes from a desire to see MLS move away from core concepts of single entity ownership. It's felt that the model is a threat to all professional sports in North America and there is a fear that other leagues could try to emulate all or parts of the system in the future. The other unions want to do what they can to make sure that doesn't happen.

http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/index ... kely-r5073

Players may walk away today. I very much doubt the season starts on time.

[truth18]

sucks for everyone, but especially the Orlando fans that were hoping to attend that game

[LittleOzzy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SoccerInsider/status/572845598145171457[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SoccerInsider/status/572846417649274881[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SoccerInsider/status/572846962946519042[/tweet]

Owners not budging, and players look ready to walk.