MLS CBA talks near a boiling point

Thursday is the deadline for a new MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement, and according to various reports, things aren't going well -- and that seems like an understatement from this perspective.

In a great examination of the free agency issue, this article breaks  down why the league is hesitant to loosen the strings on player movement. Equating the single-entity model to a game of Jenga is quite clever, and makes sense. Take one of the blocks out, and the foundation becomes shaky and unstable.

That being said, isn't shedding the single-entity model the overall goal one day? Perhaps the owners are afraid of the inherent risk, and to be fair to them, avoiding a NASL-like collapse is still in the back of their minds.

But isn't the league past that? 16 teams, soon to be 18, all operating under a single entity. While some teams still don't turn a profit, it's hard to know exactly what owners are losing -- if they are losing any money.

Unfortunately for the players, the timing of the labor dispute couldn't be worse. Not only is it a big year for the sport of soccer, but millions of Americans are out of jobs, and can't find gainful employment. And while the issues the players are fighting for are fairly basic -- can't they agree to something short term to tide things over?

Of course, that's a route the owners will likely avoid, though one of the largest issues is rather peculiar. This new round of CBA negotiations is trying to look out for the MLS veteran -- someone who is good, but not good enough to go over seas, perhaps into the later stages of his career. So when he is cut by his current team, he might not be good enough to get a job elsewhere, or have enough value for another team to acquire his rights.

With that issue really at the forefront, it will be interesting to see just how united players are on the strike front. Those who have been around the league the longest, will surely be adamant about a work stoppage, trying to hold out for an improvement.

Then you have to consider the younger players. MLS has made a push to keep younger players around, and have compensated them well in an effort to avoid them heading off the leagues in Scandinavia or other far-flung corners of the globe. This infusion of young talent makes things more difficult for the older pro, who is still an asset to his team and doesn't like the trend MLS is heading in.

That's just it however -- to grow as a league, money needs to be spent on keeping those young players around when they develop their talent.

And what about the new talent that's been brought in? Danny Allsopp, one of many new acquisitions by D.C. United, surely doesn't know enough to have an opinion to strike. Freddie Ljungberg considered bolting for Europe with the uncertainty. 

Then there are the players who hope to make the World Cup squad. Robbie Rogers, Sacha Kljestan and Troy Perkins need games to prove that they are ready. Striking wouldn't benefit them -- they're well-paid, on steady contracts and want to make the final roster. Finally, America's best player Landon Donovan needs to be match fit heading into the World Cup for the U.S. to have any chance. Would a strike see him stay at Everton?

No one really knows what is exactly happening in labor talks. Last week's media blitz was ripe with rhetoric and spun to either make their side look good or the other look bad. A strike seems like the outcome, and maybe that's a good thing -- as long as it doesn't cut into the season. 

MLS is heading towards a critical juncture. So what's it going to be?