//MLS Avoids a Lockout as League, Players Agree on Return Plan, Ratify CBA

MLS Avoids a Lockout as League, Players Agree on Return Plan, Ratify CBA

MLS’s return plan in Orlando is now set following an agreement between the league and its players and a roller coaster of a route it took to get there.

The MLS Players Association on Wednesday morning announced the finalization of a revised and extended collective bargaining agreement with the league, paving the way for labor peace through 2025 and a return to the field this summer. MLS can now move forward with its plans for a tournament in Orlando featuring all 26 clubs.

Faced with a noon (Eastern) Wednesday deadline imposed by the league, and the threat of a lockout, the players were voting on the league’s revised proposal received Tuesday. Discussions about returning to play in Orlando and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic evolved into a de facto renegotiation of the most recent CBA, which was reached in February but never ratified. Two primary stumbling blocks reportedly emerged.