MLS reaches labor agreement with players

Major League Soccer and its players association have reached agreement in principle on a new five-year collective bargaining agreement that eases rules on player spending, expands free agency and increases the number of charter flights each team can use during the regular season.

The agreement, a major victory for the players, must be ratified by the league and union members, which is expected.

“This agreement addresses key strategic priorities for the league and our players while also retaining the basic player compensation structure that has been the foundation for the growth and stability of Major League Soccer,” said commissioner Don Garber. He called the CBA something that would “serve as a foundation for a new era of partnership with our players.”

Five years ago, federal mediators were called in and the union held a strike vote before an agreement _ one neither side was totally comfortable with _ was reached days before the start of the season.

But this time, both sides came to the table early and talks appeared to progress amicably. When the five-year CBA expired Friday, the league and the union agreed to a weeklong extension to work out the final details.

The key changes in the new CBA include increased spending on salaries, greater budget flexibility, expanded eligibility for free agency and an expansion in charter flights from four to 16 for the 2024 season, the final year covered by the new agreement. MLS is the only major professional sports league in the U.S. that requires its teams to use commercial flights.