MLS, MLSPA Reach Tentative Agreement on New CBA Through 2027

Major League Soccer and the Major League Soccer Players Association have avoided a potential lockout after the two sides reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. 

The MLS said in a statement the agreed-upon CBA will run from 2021-27, pending approval from the board of governors and MLSPA membership:

Per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, the MLS executive board and bargaining committee voted 24-11 to approve the new CBA, and it could be sent to the players' union for a full vote Saturday. 

Carlisle noted if it receives final approval from the board of governors, training camps could open as soon as Feb. 22, and the regular season could begin on April 3. 

As negotiations between the two sides had been ongoing, the league had to extend the deadline to reach a new deal twice in the past week to avoid terminating the previous CBA. 

If a deal hadn't been agreed to by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, the players would have been locked out and the 2021 season would have been in jeopardy. The MLS announced in December it was invoking the force majeure clause in the CBA because of the financial impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Some key points of the new CBA, according to Carlisle, include no cuts to player salaries in 2021 and players 24 years of age and with four years of service would qualify for better free-agency terms in 2026 and 2027. 

All players will receive a 10 percent salary increase in 2027, as well as "improved salaries for players classified as senior minimum."

The 2020 MLS season began as scheduled on Feb. 29, but play was suspended on March 12 because of the pandemic. Play resumed in July with the "MLS is Back" tournament that ran through Aug. 11. 

The regular season was completed on Nov. 8, followed by a three-week postseason. The Columbus Crew won their second MLS Cup title with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Dec. 12.