Major League Soccer could have a labor situation on its hands, and the latest edition of the KYW Philly Soccer Show is here to help make sense of it all.
The collective bargaining agreement between the MLS players’ union and the league expired on January 31, leaving open the possibility of a strike.
KYW’s Greg Orlandini and PSP’s Eli Pearlman-Storch are joined by local labor attorney — and PSP contributor — Steve Holroyd (click here to see his recent posts at PSP on labor law in sports and lockouts).
Holroyd, with his years of experience in labor law, not to mention as a soccer historian, gives some insight into the situation.
Greg, Eli, and Steve discuss some the MLS Players Union demands and how the owners could react. They also discuss how a players strike will impact not only MLS, but the sport of soccer in America.
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To listen to the pod, click on the player above or visit the Philly Soccer Show iTunes page. Follow the pod on Twitter at @KYWPhillySoccer.
I just wanted to say I really appreciated this podcast and all the info. Thanks guys!
Many thanks, gentlemen. Sounds as though Andy Delort may have been wise to stay away. Think how hard “infant industry” worked to keep its protective tariff in the post-Civil War era. Ownership will likely do the same, as they have everything they want already in hand. If I lose my season ticket money, I will never return, never. I do not make idle threats.
Great pod. Steve articulated both positions very well. His point on why sports programming is so valuable to networks for the advertising revenue is often overlooked in the on-demand/DVR/cord-cutting world that we live in. I do hope that he’s wrong on his prediction of a strike, but he clearly has studied it.
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I think that as long as the union gets some concessions like free agency after a certain amount of service time and an increase to the minimum salaries as well as the overall cap, they will likely not walk. And as long as the owners keep the increases to the overall salary cap to a minimum (i.e. – start out at 5-10% higher than current cap with 3-5% percentage annual increases going forward), they should be happy as well. If I were the owners, I would give more on allowing some sort of free agency while keep a tighter lid on the cap.
Its!-think because put attention about soccer with special history any years ago and for me was enough to listen this broadcasting in other to make improve my english self.
Excuse me, but I will willy to learn thoses subjects around the soccer world.