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MLS Poised to Succeed, but Preparing to Fail
by Sounder At Heart on Mar 21, 2010 8:39 AM PDT
in Other Professional Soccer
3 comments
An odd headline right after the sides agree on the new CBA (details please!), but one thing that was clear during the ordeal is that Single-Entity is here to stay, now we get that confirmed for the next five years. This post is not about the new CBA, but instead is about how the lack of tradition should help MLS compete with global soccer leagues/clubs, or it could be titled
Soccernomics isn't about statistics
3 comments | 0 recs |
Now that we have a season... a little something for the back pocket.
Hope you don't mind, Keith.
MLS CBA Insta-analysis
by BayAreaRefugee on Mar 20, 2010 3:59 PM PDT
in Major League Soccer
31 comments
There's only one important thing we got out of today's teleconference: There will be a season. Ok, there's two important things: We don't need to go through this again for at least five years.
I'll stand by my analysis of a few weeks ago in at least one sense: Neither side was looking for a fight. If owners had been looking for a way to break the union, they certainly had their chance to lock the players out or let them strike and hope for a revolt. If players were looking to prove a point, they could have held out for free agency and forced the owners into taking actions they didn't want to like using scabs.
This deal, while short on details, appears to have involved at least one major concession: There will be nothing like free agency in the next five years. I'm guessing the players accepted a large increase in salaries as the door prize.
I would have thought the only way players signed a deal like this without free agency was for a shorter-term deal. Of course, in five years the league will probably have a much harder time pleading for patience.
I give the players lots of credit here for showing a willingness to walk back from so many of their reps' statements. At least a few players certainly had to swallow some pride after so much chest-puffing talk.
Cooler heads prevailed on both sides. And for that we can all be thankful.
UPDATE: It looks like senior rosters will be increased, minimum salaries will be raised and some players could see as much as a doubling in salary. ESPN's Jeff Carlisle also says players with three years of MLS experience and are at least 24 years old will have guaranteed deals.
31 comments | 0 recs |
MLS CBA teleconference game thread
by BayAreaRefugee on Mar 20, 2010 9:59 AM PDT
in Major League Soccer
73 comments
We will be on the conference call. Don't necessarily plan on asking any questions, but if something is really being begged to be asked, we'll have that option.
You can listen at www.MLSnet.com to their feed there.
By the way, you may have notice that BayAreaRefugee has hosted a vast majority of the CBA themed post over these past few weeks. He's on the call, while I (Dave Clark) will be listening, chiming in with comments in the thread, and doing house work as well :(
Sounders have three players in attendence - Riley, Graham and Keller. Some players will be interviewed and the league will post videos of those later today.
73 comments | 0 recs |
1PM EDT Conference Call with Garber, Foose and Cohen
by Sounder At Heart on Mar 20, 2010 8:14 AM PDT
in Major League Soccer
14 comments
Its all over twitter now, and speculation about details is all that remains.
Here's the AP story that says a 5 year CBA has been reached.
Major League Soccer and its players called a joint news conference for Saturday and were near agreement on a five-year contract that would avoid a strike scheduled for next week, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The sides were working on finalizing details, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made.
Seriously.
In other news the Sounders had a closed door scrimmage last night -First Team v Second Team. On the 2nd Team Fucito scored twice. On the first Ljungberg did. Jaqua started for the 2nds, as did Scott. I'm assuming that Parke started at RB and Levesque at RW for the 1sts.
24thMinute will be carrying the conference on their live stream.
http://www.24thminute.com/2010/03/its-called-football-live_20.html
Share your joy!
14 comments | 0 recs |
CBA news update
by BayAreaRefugee on Mar 19, 2010 6:04 PM PDT
6 comments
This really shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but apparently the league sent a letter to the union notifying the players that their insurance won't be paid by MLS in case of a strike.
I can't imagine players really expected the league to continue fulfilling any of their previous promises if there's a strike. I'm sure that doesn't change their perception that the owners are trying to turn the vise.
The Sports Business Daily article also says the league and players have moved closer together on guaranteed contracts. As they've promised, though, owners still aren't budging on free agency.
Generally speaking, it looks as if both players and owners have been reasonably tight-lipped about actual negotiations as all the talk in the last couple days has been in much more general terms, the latest of which came from the mouth of Columbus and Dallas investor-operator Clark Hunt.
“A strike would do nothing but do damage to the process,” Hunt said. “It would be misguided and ill-timed and further solidify the resolve of owners in terms of our current position.”
I'm choosing to take the relative lack of news as a good sign as it at least means the principal players are more interested in negotiating than making phone calls to whichever sympathetic ear they can find.
6 comments | 0 recs |
SB Nation Survey + Chance to donate $500 to a charity of this community's choice
by SB Nation Survey on Mar 19, 2010 5:48 PM PDT
1 comment
>> Take SB Nation Survey
Hello sports fans! We're always striving to provide you with the best experience possible and it's been quite some time since we checked in with you.
So we're rolling out this survey to learn more about you and your sports world. It should only take about 10 minutes to complete.
We really appreciate your time and this is also going to help make a donation to a good cause.
By next Thursday (3/25) at 11:59pm PST the site that has the highest percentage of their community filling out the attached survey about their sports interests and consumption will win $500 to donate to a charity of their choice. We will leave it up to the discretion of the community manager(s) of the winning blog to decide how to choose the particular charity.
You can take the survey HERE
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WYR2WQT
Thanks for your support!
1 comment | 2 recs
Golden Scarf Goes Democratic
by Sounder At Heart on Mar 19, 2010 2:44 PM PDT
10 comments
If you are a season ticket holder, or the rare member of the Sounders Alliance you received this email about a week ago.
Sounders FC Alliance Members -
You voted on it, you got it - 13 fans will receive Golden Scarves during 2010 home matches.
Now we need your help in determining which fans will receive Golden Scarves...Tell us why you think you should receive the Golden Scarf. We'll ask for information on your history with the Sounders, community involvement, soccer involvement and favorite Sounders moment.
Our Golden Scarf committee will whittle nominations down to 65 and then assign five nominees to each of the 13 match dates. Then we'll let you vote on who should receive the Golden Scarf.
For more information visit SoundersFC.com.Deadline to submit nominations is April 30th.
I'm on the Golden Scarf Committee, and so are the rest of your Alliance Council members. We've grown over the offseason, and are meeting with ownership next week.
So today I would like some of your input - how should we judge who gets to be a finalist for the Golden Scarf? What would you like me to bring forward to the Sounders ownership?
Bart Wiley on the change in the awarding of the Golden Scarf "We’re excited about fan nominations for the Golden Scarf and look forward to the process playing itself out. Fans voted this system and will have a direct say in who receives the scarf."
Honestly I'm excited to be part of the process as well. It was a great moment when I was out on the pitch to represent you, and now I look forward to having a small bit of infuence on who gets the honor in the future.
Again, two topics in comments please
What kind of things should influence which fans receive the Scarf?
What would you like the Council to discuss with Ownership?
10 comments | 0 recs
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