Collective Bargaining Agreement released
- by Soccer America , Mar 23, 2010
[MLS] Major League Soccer released details of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement it reached with the MLS Players Union on Saturday. Here is the key
elements of the deal ...
TERM: 2010–2014.
GUARANTEED CONTRACTS: The
CBA provides for guaranteed contracts for all players who are at least 24 years old with three years of MLS service. The majority of the players in the League will have guaranteed contracts each
season.
SALARY BUDGET: An increase of the salary budget from $2.315 million per club in 2009 to $2.55 million in 2010 (10.15%) and an
increase of 5% per year thereafter.
An increase of the minimum salary for senior roster players from $34,000 in 2009 to $40,000 in 2010 (17.64%) and an increase of 5% per year
thereafter.
PLAYER MOVEMENT: While there will be no bidding by MLS clubs against each other for out-of-contract players, the
League will establish a “re-entry draft” for players who are out of contract. Although the specific parameters of that draft are being finalized, it will address players in each of the
following categories:
Option Not Exercised
A player who is at least 23 years old with three years of MLS service and whose option is not exercised
will be placed in a re-entry draft and made available to all clubs at his option salary.
Contract Terminated
A player who is at least 22 years old with one year
of MLS service and who is asked to take a pay cut after contract termination will be placed in a re-entry draft and made available to all clubs at his current salary.
Contract
Expires
A player who is at least 30 years old with eight years of MLS service and whose contract has expired will be placed in a re-entry draft unless his team makes him a qualified
offer that must be at least 105% of his last salary. If placed in the re-entry draft, the player will be made available to all clubs at a salary equal to 105% of his last salary.
A
player who is at least 25 years of age with at least four years of MLS service whose contract has expired will be placed in a re-entry draft unless his team offers him a base salary of at least as
much as the base salary paid to him in the last year of his contract. If placed in the re-entry draft, the player will be made available to all clubs at a salary equal to the salary in the final year
of his contract.
OPTIONS IN PLAYER CONTRACTS: A limit on the number of options in player contracts to two for players who are at least
25 years old with four years of MLS service. Contracts for all other players may have up to three options.
For players whose annual compensation is less than $125,000, the
minimum increase in base salary will be 10% for players who play in at least 66% of his club’s games and 12.5% for players who play in at least 75% of his club’s games.
PLAYER BENEFITS: The CBA includes a package of benefits that include increases in 401K contributions by the League, appearance fees, per diem when
traveling and relocation expense reimbursement. Among the additional player benefits in the CBA are full health care benefits for every player and his family at no cost, 401(k) contributions and
expanded insurance benefits.
BONUSES FOR WINS AND EXHIBITIONS: The CBA includes a package of bonuses for wins in MLS games and
international tournaments as well as appearance fees for international exhibitions.
GROUP LICENSE: The League and Players Union reached
agreement on an extension of the Group License that will run through 2015 (a year longer than the CBA).
RESERVE DIVISION: MLS and the Players Union will
establish a joint committee to study the re-launch of a Reserve Division. In the event the rosters are expanded, the salary for those players will be a minimum of $31,250 with additional annual
increases.
Major League Soccer’s 15th season kicks off March 25 when the expansion Philadelphia Union travel to Seattle to take on Sounders FC in a nationally televised match
on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes (9:30 p.m. ET). The other 14 MLS clubs are in action on March 26 and 27.
