Supporting the call for free agency in MLS

The great unspoken of 2009 in MLS is the looming negotiations over the new collective bargaining agreement. MLS fans, already in a near constant worry over whether the league is going to suddenly disappear one day (although that fear has faded in recent years) can't possibly imagine a scenario where the players go on strike or are locked out.

The league can't handle it, it's thought. There are too many casual fans that would simply buy an extra pint at the pub on Saturday mornings than wait out a MLS work stoppage.

So, it's a bit worrying to see that the players are asking for free agency and guaranteed contracts. Two things that, if granted, would shake the very foundation of the league's single entity structure and cheapskate ways. Conventional wisdom says the owners won't bend on either.

And that's too bad. Although it's likely that the players are putting free agency out there as an effort to get the contracts guaranteed (and they really should be), the truth is that MLS needs to start to move away from the single entity structure if it is to truly grow to more than a the novelty league it is now (in the eye's of most of the world). Allowing teams to bid on players would go a long way to doing that. unfortunately Since no one is talking about killing that cap outright it’s not like salaries are going to go through the roof.

If you love this league you should want it to grow. This is the next step.

And that's why I fully support the player's in their call for free agency.