11/21/24
March 20, 2010
Major League Soccer Reaches New CBA, Avoids Strike: Major League Soccer and its players union announced a five-year collective bargaining agreement Saturday afternoon, ensuring that the league's 15th season will kick off on time Thursday. The new deal with players has a majority of contracts guaranteed and greater ability to change teams at the end of a contract -- though not outright free agency, reports USA Today.
Does the agreement cover who tips in a restaurant?
My client, a Mr D.B., wishes to know.
posted by owlhouse at 12:06 AM on March 21, 2010
Is it imaginable that semi-formal relationships might spring up between MLS teams and foreign clubs that run a winter season? I worry that such a thing, or even an expansion of ad hoc loan arrangements will leave the most talented players with limited recuperation time, a higher risk of injury, and potentially shortened careers.
As for Donovan, it's clear that there's a mutual desire to bring him back to Goodison on loan next season. As he packs up for yet another twelve-hour round trip on an MLS away day, he might want to consider that an attack of the jitters in front of goal on June 13th will be helpful in that regard.
posted by etagloh at 01:04 AM on March 21, 2010
So, sports strikes... Has one EVER happened, or come close to happening, outside of the US? OR is it a fundamental difference in how the sports are run in the US and Canada compared to the rest of the world that makes it seem much more common?
posted by Drood at 05:47 AM on March 21, 2010
Has one EVER happened, or come close to happening, outside of the US?
Well, there's a fundamental difference in the way that the big leagues are set up -- the standard take is to say that major-league American sport is structurally 'socialist', a planned economy with centralised contracts, local monopolies and redistribution of talent to unsuccessful franchises through the draft system, offset by strong collective bargaining on the player side.
Power is much more scattered in most of the world's professional leagues, with clubs collectively holding the balance over leagues (along with contract rights, image rights, etc.) so while you might have the odd localised spat, international arbitrage through the transfer system has generally served as a release valve on local restrictions, and things like the Bosman ruling have brought players greater freedom through the equivalent of free agency.
posted by etagloh at 01:58 PM on March 21, 2010
Is Landon Donovan happy or sad about this? He certainly put on a nice face, but he must already be missing the blue side of Liverpool.