These are surreal days as Major League Soccer fans around the country stand helplessly by as the MLS Players Union and league owners/investors try to get to some last-minute agreement that would prevent a disruption of the 2010 season.
So, yesterday we had Sounders majority owner Joe Roth speaking out in the Seattle Times and the Tacoma News Tribune, while outspoken union supporter Kasey Keller was playing nice and chatting live at the Times. Meanwhile, Freddie Ljungberg was in the news for his "McDonald's analogy" and Tim Leiweke of AEG and the Los Angeles Galaxy was digging his heals in. (See our earlier strike story links here.)
Joe Roth:
Freddie Ljungberg:
"Imagine you work at Burger King and you get sacked. Now, you want to get another job at McDonald's, but you're not allowed to unless McDonald's compensates Burger King. It seems absurd, but that's the way certain things work in MLS at the moment. If your team terminates your contract, it still can demand a trade from another club before you can go and play for that other club.
The CBA, for me personally, is a sad saga. I was told it would be settled when I came back to the USA in January. Now it plays a lot on the minds of players in the preseason because we don't know if the first game is going to be played on March 25 or not. If it isn't, it will be a very sad day for players and fans in this country."
Tim Leiweke:
"Even if it means that we go a year without soccer, so be it," he said. "We went a long time without soccer in this country and we''re not going to give up our belief in a system that works.
We are unanimous within the owners. We will wait as long as it takes. We will never, ever agree to change the system."
These sorts of discussions and negotiations often go down to the final minutes. The deadline in this case is March 23rd. The Players Union says it will strike if an agreement isn't reached two days before Sounders FC are scheduled to kick off at Qwest against the Philadelphia Union. (Who named them, anyway?)
I understand last-minute posturing, but I also understand that both sides must 'save face' after an agreement is reached. The league needs to watch what Tim Leiweke says so that he doesn't paint them into a corner. Some parts of the 'system' must eventually change. Maybe the owners think that time has not yet come, but it will. The players have already promised a strike if they don't like the last, best offer from the league. They have already painted themselves into their corner. Who will blink first? What will we all be doing on March 25th?
Comments
I must admit that the polarizing talk is a bit worrisome.
I thought there was a 'gag' order while mediations are taking place? Please someone, gag Leiweke, and SOON.
Futbol is not entertainment, Joe. It's LIFE.
Union's nickname comes from the city's place in our nation's founding. It's actually rather good.
Leiweke is a d-bag, guess how much he's been making off MLS for years. If the commissioner sees it fit to raise his salary over 15% then something stinks in MLS.
There's a reason that MLS is on the razors edge, while the sport thrives in the USA:
Their model is completely bunk. If this league goes away, hopefully we will get an independent USSF that will finally adopt an open league system featuring independent clubs, promotion and relegation.
Imposing mediocrity on their own clubs to maintain their closed league entitlements is not a solution.
I like relegation. Will there be refunds for tickets?
I can't stand lewiekekeke. I mean what kind of idiot would say something like that? The Sounders owners are not in agreement with the other owners - so NO, you DON'T have a complete backing of the owners group. In fact, you are missing the support of the biggest cash cow in your organization, and a ownership group that brought you more publicity and recognition as a legitimate league than ANY OTHER TEAM (including LA) has done previously. Shame, shame, shame!!!!
I understand there's a nice plot available for the MLS right next to the grave of the North American Soccer League.
Michael: I am well aware of how the Union got their name. I was just muddling in the irony of their 2010 debut.
Its just like the all the other greedy bastards that rule our country. lets hope to hell we get to watch some soccer this summer. my gosh!
My son got the Holiday Ticket package for the FC Dallas home opener for Christmas. He has been waiting for our trip to the game for three months. We have hotel reservations and everything. He is a nine year old keeper and if they dash his hopes I will never spend ONE PENNY on the league again.
When players make barely enough to live on and some one in NY makes irresponsible comments it is a sad day for soccer. For the love of the game, damn right! Most don't get paid enough to make ends meet so the palyers are there for the love of the game!
Tim Leiweke is the type of person who will run an organization into the ground in order to avoid admitting he is wrong. He says the system is not broken--clearly if free agency works in the NFL--one of the biggest money makers in sports--it will work for the MLS. Roth is absolutely right--we fans may be disappointed if the season doesn't happen, but there will be no outrage from the masses as there would with a strike in the NFL. The league would disappear and Leiweke would be out of a job. Maybe he should reconsider his stance.
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