Labor talks loom over MLS final

SEATTLE — Whether it’s the increased talent in the league, a highly successful format change for the postseason or the addition of more expansion teams, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber sees a wave of momentum heading into this weekend’s MLS Cup final.

That momentum could all come to a halt in a hurry, though, if the league doesn’t reach a labor deal with its players before the start of the 2020 season. Negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement are set to take the offseason spotlight.

“We and our players are focused on doing everything possible to reach an agreement that’ll make sense for ownership and makes sense for the players,” Garber told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday.

MLS will celebrate the conclusion of its 24th season Sunday when the Seattle Sounders host Toronto FC in the league championship game. It’s been a banner year for the league on the field with the debut of FC Cincinnati, the announcement of St. Louis and Sacramento as the latest expansion franchises to come on board starting in 2022 and a dazzling MVP season from LAFC’s Carlos Vela that rewrote the record book.

Carrying that momentum into 2020 and beyond will require a labor agreement with players who appear more unified and more willing to walk out than in 2015 when a strike was averted by just a couple of days. Players want to see another bump in salary. They want more free agency and increased choice in where they play. They also want the arduous travel of a long season eased by more charter flights allocated for teams.