Major League Soccer Players Association Approves Ratification Vote

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Major League Soccer will go ahead in 2021 despite weeks of uncertainty surrounding the ongoing negotiations between the league and the Players Association regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Last last week, the two parties came to an agreement on the CBA, however, the Players Association requested that the broader playing group vote on the new CBA agreement.

Today, the Players Association announced that the “MLS Players have ratified amendments to the Collective Bargaining Agreement” and are “ready to play.”

Statement on MLS Players’ Ratification Vote: https://t.co/Gqk3Ft50Iz

Players are ready to play. pic.twitter.com/y03JzafjV4

— MLSPA (@MLSPA) February 8, 2021

The 2020 season saw the league lost roughly $1 billion in revenue due to the global coronavirus pandemic that forced the world to shut its doors and remain home. The 2021 season will hopefully allow a handful of spectators inside stadiums if and when it is safe to do so. However, the future of MLS in 2021 seems far brighter than it did this time last year.

The negotiations between the two parties began on December 29th when the league invoked a force majeure clause following the 2020 season that wreaked financial havoc on the league as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic.

The negotiations surrounding the timeline of the CBA were a direct result of the financial status of the league following the conclusion of the 2020 season.

Pre-season is scheduled to begin on February 22nd and the season will start on April 3rd.