Potential MLS Lock-Out

I didn't see a topic on here for it, though I'm not really posting about the main topic of the CBA negotiations.

My question is this:

If the MLS locks out its players and isn't having games, does that mean Everton gets to extend Donovan's loan?

 

I would think so.

 

RE: Re: Potential MLS Lock-Out

Oh goody! This should get much more entertaining before I lose interest again.

Having a certain amount of success now is showing that it also brings a certain amount of vulnerability. The MSL could very soon reach crisis level,....and who to blame?

 

I haven't been paying attention. How likely is this actually? Has the league gone as far as to threaten it or are we just speculating that they might? Wonder what FIFA would have to say about. Can't imagine there's much precedent.

Nice to see you actively rooting against American soccer PCB. And although it would be a total disaster in this case the lockout, for what its worth, did save the NHL. I know the entire American sports media, public, and Don would rather continue to blindly belittle it but hey.

 

It's pretty likely. The players can't continue under the status quo (rightly so, IMO) and the owners don't appear to be willing to budge.

 

Wouldn't that make a strike rather than a lock out likely though?

 

And it's probably beneficial for the players if you think about it. If they lockout, fine -- they'll just go play somewhere else, and get paid more.

Whereas in other (American) sports the players usually cave because they have no where else (they're willing) to go.

 

What percentage do you think will really be able to "just go play somewhere else"?

 

Alright Don. Lets break this down;

The Minnesota Wild have sold out every game they've ever played. That's seven years in with a so-so team. Local TV ratings have not been in decline, just the opposite in fact. I was at a UM game last week and can verify that it was not sold out. Yes college hockey is important in Minnesota, it isn't above the NHL however.

They didn't widen the goals! And how many 21 goal games can you point to Don? They put stricter limits on goalie pads, eliminated the the red line (in line with both college and international rules), cracked down on clutch and grab play, introduced the trapezoid to cut down on goalies handling the puck, put in a few other measures to generally speed up the pace of play, and changed overtime format to include shootout. So what has the actual effect been on scoring?

yr gpg
2008-09 5.83
2007-08 5.57
2006-07 5.89
2005-06 6.17 -first season with new rules
2003-04 5.14 -last year before lock out
2002-03 5.31
2001-02 5.24
for comparison
1988-89 7.48 -Gretzky's first season in LA
-goal per game averages were plus 7 for the entire 80's decade

Average attendance in the last year before the lockout was 16,534. Last season it was 17,475. With rinks that virtually all have an 18,000 cap, this number means if you simply drop Florida, Tampa, Atlanta, and Phoenix you can see than the other 26 teams are pitching near sellouts every game. Average team revenue is up 24% since the lockout. In the US TV ratings have been a mixed bag. The 2007 Stanley Cup was the lowest rated ever, however 2008 was the highest. In Canada the game remains incredibly strong. The World Junior Championship on Tuesday drew 5.3 million viewers. That's 1 in 6 or the equivalent of a viewership 50 million in the US. The game has been on the up and up, if the American sports media gave it some respect it would be even more so. These are the same folks who misrepresent soccer all the time so don't regurgitate them on this Don!

 

One word of advice before you continue down that path, Spencer: Ritalin.

 

Unless USSF steps in, they CAN'T play somewhere else, as MLS holds their FIFA registration.

In reading the court case in which the courts rules in favor of MLS so many years ago, I think the MLS would lose such a case today. The whole reason they won was that the players couldn't prove the bounds of the market for MLS in which MLS has the monopoly. It's been much more clearly established now and with the uncertainty around div II soccer in the US/Canada (the market), the case for MLS being a monopoly for top professional soccer in both the US and Canada is a much easier sell.

 

The sons of Bosman.

I don't think any organization, including FIFA, wants to go down the freedom of movement of players road again. But as litigious a society that we are, wouldn't surprise me if we did. And you want to see some confused sports reporters in the United States?? That would almost make it worth it!

The ball is round. (Not pointy and played in only one,..okay two countries.)

 

Thank you Spencer for defending my second favorite sport. I've been a season ticket holder for the St. Louis Blues for 5 seasons now. COYW and Let's go Blues!

 

This is not to get anything beyond Bosman. This is just to get to the same Bosman level of treatment as players in other leagues.

Currently, MLS owns your rights, negotiates the contract, and determines where you play. Additionally, most contracts are not only not guaranteed (dropped at any time, no compensation), but have 1 year options that MLS can turn on. And, while your contract is not guaranteed, you can't sign for another MLS team for 2 years after they cancel your contract until THEY decide to release you.

 

Yep, it's the anti-Bosman on steroids with the single-entity structure.

It served a purpose, but now it MUST be broken!

The chickens are coming home too roost, and reading about this on Big Soccer, I seriously have to wonder who pays for that site and some of its "writers".

 

I'm still unclear on why exactly there would be a lockout.

The MLSPA is making demands, the league is as of now refusing to comply with those demands. However, presumably the league is completely willing to continue operating under the terms of the old CBA as it has done for the past five years or whatever. The impetus should then be on the union to call a strike (something I highly doubt they have the unity to do). Otherwise, it seems to me, operations will proceed without a new CBA in place and whatever agreement is eventually struck would apply retroactively. Unless the league is demanding concessions from the current CBA (as was the case with the NHL), rather than just fighting union gains in the next one, why would they impose a lockout?

As far as Donovan is concerned, if the Galaxy/MLS were acting in the spirit of a true lockout they would do every thing they could to prevent their players from practicing their trade ANYWHERE as to maximize they're leverage.

But as I said I can't see the union ballsing up enough to strike or a motivation for the the league to impose a lockout, especially before a world cup. They'll come to an agreement even if it is a year from now, in the mean time they'll work without a new contract under the terms of the expired one.

Am I missing something?

 

How many MLS players start for their World Cup team??

Someone mentioned the "lock-out" statement as a sort of pre-emptory salvo, before the infamous "strike" word is officially put into rotation. As Don said, this may be the PR saber-rattling as the league tries to paint the players as selfish, contract-breaking primadonnas. And this may be one of those instances where the lack of domestic understanding and attraction to the game works in the leagues favor. After all, the current players are getting paid now as professionals to do what they might otherwise be doing in a pub league...