The New Working Poor: Players in MLS?

I think a professional sports league -- and one that says it is "major league" and grooms players to compete in the World Cup -- having 10 percent of its workforce below $40,000 is a pretty noteworthy number. Hell, half the players are below $92K, and most people would find that in itself a surprisingly low number for a professional athlete.

 

At $36,000 they can probably qualify for EBT cards like some of their
fan base.

 

WNBA minimum is $35K for first year players. Granted, the season is only four months a year.

 

That's more than I was offered to join an MISL team many years ago.

 

But unlike most of their fanbase, they're here legally.

 

The tough thing about the salary is that it kind of locks you in from March to October. There aren't a lot of soccer camps, or teams you can get a side gig as an assistant coach in the off-season.

 

There are camps and club teams running year-round. No such thing as off-season. An enterprising young player could make more coaching that than he would playing.

 

MLS is not a major league yet, but it is growing for sure and is on stable financial footing. The salaries will rise as the league grows. But it may take organized industrial action (i.e. a strike) to shake a few shillings loose from the league.

The single entity has led to the league's survival, but there is little pressure on salaries to rise. Klinsi doesn't mind if the stars go to Europe to get paid, of course.

 

You take the good, you take the bad...

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-chivas-usa-ceases-operations-20141027-story.html

 

This story was written for one reason and one reason alone… MLS CBA is getting negotiated this offseason!

The players are going with the “we’re so poor, we have to have roommates” argument.

USSF determines league level designation. Another league cannot just start up and declare themselves top flight. Ask the NASL folks how that is going…

Not for nothing, but how is it that we’ve dictated that professional athletes should make some astronomically high salary?

I’m not sure what you would classify as a “major league.” With the CBA up, I’m sure the player’s salaries will rise, just as they did last time.

Klinsmann is a clown when he talks. Taking what he says seriously should never be on anyone’s radar.

What is bad about this?

 

I've seen the Goats play. Nothing is bad about making them go away.