Law Commons^™

Kicking "Single-Entity" To The Sidelines: Reevaluating The Competitive Reality Of Major League Soccer After American Needle And The 2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Matthew J. Jakobsze

Northern Illinois University Law Review

The negotiation of the 2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement brought tense times for professional soccer in the United States. The Major League Soccer Players’ Union sought free agency as a part of the 2010 CBA, a term that would have brought considerable relief from the restrictions imposed through Major League Soccer’s centralized contracting system. In a steadfast effort to retain control, minimize labor costs, and avoid antitrust liability, Major League Soccer refused to yield to the players’ demands. As a result, the parties reached impasse. Devoid of decertification as an option to expose the teams to antitrust scrutiny, the players threatened …