MLS players face lockout as early as Tuesday

Major League Soccer has issued an ultimatum to MLS players that could see them locked out as early as Tuesday, according to ESPN.

On Sunday, the MLS Player Association voted to approve their latest counteroffer to MLS in negotiations over economic concessions for the 2020 season, modifications to the CBA, and their agreement to play in the summer tournament that the league is hoping to stage in Orlando.

But MLS owners pushed back against players, saying that the offer reviewed on Sunday was the most generous offer the league was willing to make. According to ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez, MLS is giving players until noon on Tuesday to agree to the previous offer or they will instigate a lockout.

According to Gomez, some players chose to show up to training on Monday morning, with The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio reporting along the same lines and Minnesota United’s Ethan Finlay seeming to confirm the action.

MLS shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 12th, less than two weeks after the 2020 season kicked off. Players have been negotiating with the league over the last few weeks regarding the economic impact of the pandemic.

The MLSPA released a statement that said their most recent proposal included “salary reductions across the entire player pool, reduced team and individual bonuses, and additional concessions to the existing and future terms of the CBA.”

But disparities remain between the two sides. While the MLSPA offered to accept a 7.5% pay reduction, MLS proposed 8.75% in their most recent offer, according to ESPN. The total amount of concessions the MLSPA has offered amounts to around $100 million.

One major sticking point has been the force majeure clause that would allow either side to back out of a CBA in the case of a catastrophic event, such as a pandemic. MLS’s proposal would give it the right to invoke the clause and cut player salaries if five teams suffer an attendance drop of 25 percent or more. MLSPA’s proposal removes that stipulation.

The league is aiming for a summer tournament in Orlando. Most of the details have already been negotiated, including health and safety protocols as well as schedule and format. The league hopes that the tournament will start on June 24th.