New CBA will bring more charter flights
Inter Miami CF have walked away as one of the bigger winners of Major League Soccer’s new collective bargaining agreement.
The MLS and MLSPA announced on Thursday that the parties have reached an agreement in principle on the terms of a new CBA which will span five full seasons (from Feb. 1 through Jan. 31, 2025). The deal is subject to approval by the MLS Board of Governors and the MLSPA membership, whose executive board includes Inter Miami goalkeeper Luis Robles.
One of the key items of the new agreement is an increase in the use of charter flights, so players won’t have to fly commercial airlines as much. MLS clubs will be required to use charter flights for at least eight legs of travel during the 2020 regular season, growing to 16 legs for the 2024 season.
This is particularly helpful for a team like Inter Miami that have to travel longer distances for matches; including against LAFC (March 1) in Los Angeles, Real Salt Lake (April 29) in Sandy, Utah and to Canada twice for games against Toronto FC and Montreal Impact during its inaugural season in MLS.
In the previous CBA, clubs had the discretion but not the requirement to charter up to four legs per season. Clubs will also be required to use charter air travel for all MLS Cup Playoff matches and CONCACAF Champions League games involving international travel.
Other key components in the agreement are:
■ Expanded free agency
■ Greater salary budget flexibility across rosters
■ Increased investment in player spending
■ New “Under-22” player initiative
■ Players earning a share of new MLS media rights deals
“As we prepare to celebrate our 25th season, we are very pleased to finalize a new five-year collective bargaining agreement with our players,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a league statement. “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.
“We had constructive, positive discussions with the leadership of the MLSPA and the players’ bargaining committee during the negotiations over the last few months and I would like to thank them for their collaboration in concluding an agreement that will serve as the foundation for a new era of partnership with our players.”
The eligibility criteria for free agency has been lowered. Players who are 24 or older and have five years of MLS service will now eligible for free agency. The previous criteria was being 28 years old with eight years MLS service.
During the past three seasons, clubs were provided an additional $1.2 million per season in Targeted Allocation Money to be used for the acquisition or retention of players within a specific salary budget range. Under the new CBA, that $1.2 million per season has been converted to General Allocation Money and may be used across the entire roster.
Also, the league’s minimum annual salary for senior roster players will increase each season to $109,200 in 2024, in addition to increasing from $70,250 to $81,375 in 2020.
Beginning in 2021, MLS will have the discretion to allow clubs to sign up to three players who are 22 or younger on a reduced charge to a club’s salary budget. More details regarding the new initiative will be provided at a later date.
And starting in 2023 and 2024, MLS will increase player spending by an amount equal to 25 percent of the increased media revenue above the amount generated by the league in 2022 plus $100 million.
The league’s current local, national and international media rights partnerships expire at the end of 2022.