News24
01 Jun 2020, 23:42 GMT+10
Major League Soccer's return from its coronavirus shutdown could be in jeopardy after negotiations with the players union hit an impasse, US media reported on Monday.
ESPN reported that MLS had set a deadline of 12pm (16:00 GMT) on Tuesday to reach an agreement on a labor deal or else players could be locked out.
The MLS Players Association and the league had agreed terms on a new collective bargaining agreement in February, with the proposed deal running until early 2025.
However the agreement was not formally ratified, and the MLS has reportedly sought to revise certain conditions of the deal in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The MLSPA said on Sunday its members had voted to approve a deal which included a number of concessions, including salary reductions and reduced team and individual bonuses.
"While a difficult vote in incredibly challenging times, it was taken collectively to ensure that players can return to competition as soon as they are safely able to do so," the union said in a statement.
However according to the Washington Post, there are at least two major obstacles to a formal agreement.
The Post said the two sides have been unable to agree on a proposal which gives players a smaller share of revenue from a television deal due to take effect in 2023.
The MLSPA has also objected to the wording of a force majeure clause which would enable owners to impose salary cuts and suspend contracts in the event of another crisis.
According to ESPN, the league would be able to back out of the collective bargaining agreement if five teams in the league were hit by a 25 percent fall in attendance figures.
The 2020 MLS season has been on hiatus since 12 March, when the Covid-19 pandemic erupted and left US sport at a standstill.
MLS has been working on a plan to return from the shutdown with a 26-team tournament staged in Orlando, Florida starting in early July.
Get a daily dose of Orlando Echo news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Orlando Echo.
More InformationMADRID, Spain: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in Spain. Spanish...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...
President Donald Trump's plans to build a space-based Golden Dome missile defense shield have drawn immediate criticism from China,...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Paramount has agreed to pay US$16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by U.S. President Donald Trump over...
LONDON, U.K.: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won a vote in Parliament this week to move ahead with changes to the country's welfare...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a significant ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users...
EVERGLADES, Florida: Over the weekend, a diverse coalition of environmental activists, Native American leaders, and residents gathered...
(Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images) The Toronto Blue Jays placed right-hander Yimi Garcia on the 15-day injured list with a...
Washington DC [US], July 5 (ANI): Julian McMahon's ex-wife, Brooke Burns, remembered the actor with a heartfelt message for the actor...
Washington [US], July 5 (ANI): Elon Musk is threatening Republicans who voted for President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' posing...
(Photo credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images) Catcher Agustin Ramirez, who entered this weekend leading all major-league rookies with...