Is MLS Ready for Free Agency?

By: Daryl | August 3rd, 2009

The current Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Union ends on January 31st, 2010. So the league and the players are already sitting around a big table to discuss a new deal.

According to Sport Business Journal (via WVHooligan) the Players Union is requesting free agency as part of the next deal. I can’t claim to be an expert in how American sports leagues work, but seems to me like a pretty big deal.

As I understand it (and please correct me if I’m wrong, I can take it) free agency would mean out of contract players entertaining competing contract offers from multiple MLS teams, rather than the current system where the league itself negotiates contracts with players.

This more “free market” approach should/would result in the better MLS players being able to negotiate more lucrative deals as clubs try to outbid each other for their services. It wouldn’t turn MLS into Europe, but would at least bring it in line with more established American sports leagues, and mean less players working part-time in the fast food industry.

But… we want MLS to stay in business. And though it reflects poorly on the league that someone as talented as NYRB’s Mac Kandji makes less in one year than Cristiano Ronaldo makes in three days, that’s the model that has kept MLS out of the red. We’re all keen for American soccer to progress, but not at the expense of sinking the whole operation.

So, my question (and I’m asking this because I have no idea) is: Can MLS afford to introduce free agency in 2010?

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Category: World Football

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morpheus11

First and foremost, the salary cap must be raised. Players don't need to be getting millions of dollars, but they should be getting resonable salarys which most aren't. It is bad when I get paid more for sitting at a desk than most MLS players.

Secondly, yes MLS could handle free agency, if the salary cap is raised. There will be GMs that over spend on players, but that will happen with or without free agency. That is the nature of sports. Free agency will allow for more dynamics between the teams. Just think of the added drama when Player A decides to go to the Wizards instead of DC United. Now, there is more on the line for that player to beat the team that he turned down. And if gives the fans more to argue about.

People are worried about teams not being able to afford the contracts that will come with free agency, but that is not true. The salary cap will dictate what contracts are offered. If a team decides to over spend on one player and the fill the team with mediocre talent that is their problem. GMs that do this won't last long in the league.
quakesin2knever

I worry that it will lead to executives making lots of stupid contracts and sinking the league. If every team was run by a guy equivalent to Billy Beane in baseball, then it would be fine. The problem arises when people like Brian Sabean get put in charge of teams and start handing out contracts like 126 mil for Barry Zito. All it takes is one or two bad executives to drive free agent prices for all teams sky high (aka over-value or pay more than they are actually worth). That could destroy the league, even with a salary cap. Even if you have a salary cap, if you have a bunch of crap players signed to max contracts your team is screwed. MLS execs should all read the book "Moneyball" before deciding to go ahead with free agency.
Franck

Well, depends whether the fans want to see better national players and an overall increase in quality, or lower quality but a few big names? I can't speak for everyone, but I'd take a better overall product over a few superstars.
mlyons

Honestly, if they get rid of the DP rule, there would be a lot more money available for the rest of the league. I think the overall quality of play would certainly go up if squad players were making enough money to live. The only question is if revenues would go down if the overall quality of play were to increase but MLS lost the big stars like Blanco, Angel, Ljungberg, and, of course, Goldenballs. I'd like to think American soccer fans are savvy enough to accept losing big starts for better overall quality of play, but that might just be wishful thinking.
Bishop

Yes, revenue does play a part in the salary cap, Franck.

In the major US sports leagues (I follow all of them equally in addition to the Beautiful Game), salary caps are continually increasing with each Collective Bargaining Agreement that gets established. Free agency would indeed help place MLS in the same pond as the rest of the leagues in the States, but it doesn't make it the same type of fish, if you know what I mean.
Franck

So long as there's a reasonable salary cap, yes. Of course, said cap would probably need to be increased. To how much it gets increased would probably depend on revenue, right?