Do MLS Players Deserve More Money?

We all already know and have been losing sleep over whether the league will lock out the MLS players at the end of the month. One of the larger issues at stake in these negotiations appears to be over the yearly salary for MLS players.

The minimum right now appears too be $20,000 and a few Sounders in fact made that much playing in the MLS last year. Interestingly, players in the MLS are employees of the league and are not technically employed by their respective teams.

This is where the MLS asserts it’s rights over how players are payed and how they can move within the league.

This is unique to the MLS only, all other leagues function in a more localized setting and do not assert dictatorial rights over their teams and players. Back to my original question though, do MLS players deserve more money?

Lets see, I could go find a job tomorrow that pays $11 a hour for moving pallets with a forklift, or I could get $20,000 a year playing for a MLS team. Err maybe I will just take that electricians job and make twice as much as either of the two positions.

My point is, I see why the MLS has not gotten the recognition around the world that it could deserve. The problem right now is a lack of transparency. The league refuses to share the books on what they make with the league, so the players have no way of knowing if they are getting a fair deal.

If the league could prove they simply can’t afford to pay the players more then fine, but until that day, the players simply deserve more money.