Major League Soccer
With CBA Settled, MLS' 20th Season Kicks Off in LA
Los Angeles' highest-paid player scored a goal and one of its lowest-paid players kept a clean sheet in the first MLS match under the new collective bargaining agreement.
CARSON, Calif.—It has been a terrific week for Los Angeles Galaxy backup goalkeeper Brian Rowe.
After tumultuous labor negotiations nearly derailed the start of the season, Rowe was one of several dozen players to emerge from the new collective bargaining agreement with a pay raise. Then, the Galaxy called upon him to make a surprise start Friday night in place of Jaime Penedo.
Capping things off, he posted a clean sheet to lead Los Angeles to a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Fire before a sellout crowd of 27,000 in Major League Soccer’s 20th season opener.
Jose Villarreal and Robbie Keane scored, and Baggio Husidic and Omar Gonzalez each had an assist, while Rowe repelled the few counterattacks that came his way.
"You always have the game focused in mind," Rowe said. "Just in case it (happens), you want to be prepared for it. The season was able to start on time, and it was great getting the 2-0 win here."
Throughout the week, published reports indicated that several players were unhappy with the labor agreement. On Friday night, all those who agreed to speak said they were satisfied with the union's efforts.
"I think we're all pretty happy," Husidic said before the game. "In my opinion, for me, I think they did a pretty good job."
Chicago Fire forward Quincy Amarikwa said he was also content with the agreement, which he believes will be a building block for future progress.
"It's been a pretty hectic week," Amarikwa said. "A lot of things have been on players' minds. It's good to get everything behind us. Obviously, this wasn't the result we were hoping for. We knew it was a tall order coming in here.
"At the end of the day, we stand strong as a player union," he added. "The deal is moving things along for guys. Hopefully, some great things will come from it."
MLS now enters the season with momentum, and Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said it was critical to get the games going.
"I think the league had to start on schedule this year," he said. "I don't think we could have received the kind of support we need if there had been a strike."
For months, the free agency issue got most of the attention. It was the top sticking point between players and ownership, and in the end players who are at least 28-years-old with eight years of service in the league will be able, with some conditions, to shop their services at the end of their contract terms.
However, perhaps the biggest winners of the new collective bargaining agreement are the league's lowest wage earners, like Rowe. Under the new deal, MLS's minimum salary increased 64 percent, to a decidedly middle-class income of $60,000, up from a paltry $36,500. As late as 2008, the league's lowest wage earners made a shockingly low $12,900, according to figures provided on the MLS Players Union website.
This will result in an immediate positive impact for a huge number of players. As of Sept. 15, 2014, the latest date the union publicly posted its wages, 203 players earned base salaries that were less than $60,000.
Friday night, there were seven players combined on the Galaxy's and Fire's 18-man game-day rosters who earned less than $60,000 last season, according to the union's figures.
Despite the apparent victory, MLS's smallest salaries still pale in comparison to the other four major professional sports. The NHL currently has the top minimum wage of $550,000, followed by Major League Baseball ($507,500), the NBA ($507,336) and the NFL ($435,000). MLS's new minimum wage does beat the smallest salaries that minor league baseball players who have signed big-league contracts earn ($41,400).
Even with the boost at the bottom, MLS remains a league of vast wealth inequality. All those $60,000 wage earners still make a pittance compared with league MVP Keane ($4.5 million), newcomer Kaka ($6.6 million) and national team stars Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, and Jermaine Jones, all of whom earn base salaries well in the seven figures.
None of that mattered Friday night to Rowe, though, who was grinning from ear to ear when asked about getting a 19 percent bump.
“It never hurts,” he said.
Nathan Max is a freelance writer. This is his first piece for American Soccer Now.
Jose Villarreal and Robbie Keane scored, and Baggio Husidic and Omar Gonzalez each had an assist, while Rowe repelled the few counterattacks that came his way.
"You always have the game focused in mind," Rowe said. "Just in case it (happens), you want to be prepared for it. The season was able to start on time, and it was great getting the 2-0 win here."
Throughout the week, published reports indicated that several players were unhappy with the labor agreement. On Friday night, all those who agreed to speak said they were satisfied with the union's efforts.
"I think we're all pretty happy," Husidic said before the game. "In my opinion, for me, I think they did a pretty good job."
Chicago Fire forward Quincy Amarikwa said he was also content with the agreement, which he believes will be a building block for future progress.
"It's been a pretty hectic week," Amarikwa said. "A lot of things have been on players' minds. It's good to get everything behind us. Obviously, this wasn't the result we were hoping for. We knew it was a tall order coming in here.
"At the end of the day, we stand strong as a player union," he added. "The deal is moving things along for guys. Hopefully, some great things will come from it."
MLS now enters the season with momentum, and Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said it was critical to get the games going.
"I think the league had to start on schedule this year," he said. "I don't think we could have received the kind of support we need if there had been a strike."
For months, the free agency issue got most of the attention. It was the top sticking point between players and ownership, and in the end players who are at least 28-years-old with eight years of service in the league will be able, with some conditions, to shop their services at the end of their contract terms.
However, perhaps the biggest winners of the new collective bargaining agreement are the league's lowest wage earners, like Rowe. Under the new deal, MLS's minimum salary increased 64 percent, to a decidedly middle-class income of $60,000, up from a paltry $36,500. As late as 2008, the league's lowest wage earners made a shockingly low $12,900, according to figures provided on the MLS Players Union website.
This will result in an immediate positive impact for a huge number of players. As of Sept. 15, 2014, the latest date the union publicly posted its wages, 203 players earned base salaries that were less than $60,000.
Friday night, there were seven players combined on the Galaxy's and Fire's 18-man game-day rosters who earned less than $60,000 last season, according to the union's figures.
Despite the apparent victory, MLS's smallest salaries still pale in comparison to the other four major professional sports. The NHL currently has the top minimum wage of $550,000, followed by Major League Baseball ($507,500), the NBA ($507,336) and the NFL ($435,000). MLS's new minimum wage does beat the smallest salaries that minor league baseball players who have signed big-league contracts earn ($41,400).
Even with the boost at the bottom, MLS remains a league of vast wealth inequality. All those $60,000 wage earners still make a pittance compared with league MVP Keane ($4.5 million), newcomer Kaka ($6.6 million) and national team stars Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, and Jermaine Jones, all of whom earn base salaries well in the seven figures.
None of that mattered Friday night to Rowe, though, who was grinning from ear to ear when asked about getting a 19 percent bump.
“It never hurts,” he said.
Nathan Max is a freelance writer. This is his first piece for American Soccer Now.
