Despite season success, MLS fiscal losses near $1 billion
Commissioner Don Garber said while Major League Soccer is on track to have losses nearing $1 billion this year because of the coronavirus, he’s proud of the way the league was able to navigate the pandemic and complete a difficult season.
Garber gave his annual State of the League address Tuesday in advance of the MLS Cup final Saturday between the Seattle Sounders and Columbus Crew.
The league was shuttered by the pandemic on March 12 but it went on to hold the MLS is Back tournament in a bubble in Florida before returning to local markets for an abbreviated season. Garber first projected in June that league losses would be $1 billion, and with the season nearing a close he said lost revenues were indeed approaching that number.
“Not only have we lost a significant amount of revenue, as have so many other businesses, certainly in our industry, but we’ve also incurred expenses that we were not intending to incur,” Garber said. “... So actually, the impact of all this is probably deeper than what we expected and that is concerning to us.”
Garber said the league and its teams have tried to offset losses with
“traumatic” layoffs of league and club staff and a 5 percent pay cut for players. But the reality is the league is reliant on game-day revenue, drastically cut during the pandemic with limited or now crowds at games.
Garber said the current target remains to start the 2021 season in early or mid-March. He would not say whether the league would invoke the clause in the collective bargaining agreement with players that would allow either side to withdraw from the deal and renegotiate if adverse economic conditions persist.
“We negotiated hard for that clause, but at this time, there’s nothing really for me to add as to when and if that clause would be triggered,” he said.
Black Players for Change win Humanitarian award
Black Players for Change, a group formed by MLS players to confront racial injustice, has earned the league’s Humanitarian of the Year award.
The group, which came together following the death of George Floyd, set out to create positive change within MLS and in local communities. Among its accomplishments was an extensive getout-the-vote effort and the construction of a mini-pitch for underserved youth in New Jersey.
Black Players for Change involves 170 players and league staff.
“We’ve had some successes, we’re still fighting some battles, and we’ll continue to fight those battles,” said Toronto defender Justin Morrow, the group’s founder. “We’re making sure that we will not go away and this organization will be here for future generations.”
Black Players for Change has three goals: to give black players a voice in the league; to encourage black representation in the players’ association and higher levels of MLS; and to help local communities.
Portland’s Jeremy Ebobisse, Chicago’s CJ Sapong, Nashville’s Jalil Anibaba and the Union’s Ray Gaddis are among the board members. MLS WORKS will donate $5,000 to the organization.
In his State of the League address, Commissioner Don Garber recalled how the group came together at the start of the MLS is Back tournament.
“That, I think, was one of the special moments in the history of our league. It was incredibly moving for all of us,” Garber said.
Ronaldo, McKennie lead Juve
BARCELONA,SPAIN» Cristiano Ronaldo got the better of Lionel Messi by scoring two penalties to lead Juventus to a 3-0 win, dealing the Spanish side its first home defeat in the Champions League in seven years.
Ronaldo converted spot kicks for Juventus’ 13th-minute opener and a third goal early in the second half after U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie doubled the advantage on a volley in the 20th.
Messi and Ronaldo briefly embraced with one arm behind each other’s back and exchanged a few words before kickoff.
Racist incident postpones Champions League game
PARIS » The Champions League game between Paris Saint-Germain
and Basaksehir was postponed until Wednesday when players walked off the field after alleging that fourth official Sebastian Coltescu of Romania directed a racial term at a Black assistant coach.
Players from the Turkish team were furious after assistant coach Pierre Webo was shown a red card by referee Ovidiu Hategan, saying Coltescu had used a racial term to describe the Cameroonian Webo.
Basaksehir substitute Demba Ba, from Senegal, demanded the fourth official explain himself, while PSG players Neymar and Kylian Mbappe also demanded an explanation. Basaksehir coach Okan Buruk said “you are racist” to Coltescu.
The score was 0-0 when the incident took place about 14 minutes in. UEFA said the match would resume Wednesday with new officials.