Sweat-Shop MLS Owners Deserve a Becham Bitch-Slap

[sidney]

As long as MLS owners (like TFC) continue to be content with a pay structure that allows for members of their starting 11 (or even 18) to continue to make malnourished-bedbug-bitten-hand-to-mouth wages, they should never be surprised when the next David Becham(s) give this bush-league a Bitch-Slap!...we fans and your players deserve better. Sorting out this bull-shite should be priority #1, or else MLS-days are numbered.

[Shakes McQueen]

As long as MLS owners (like TFC) continue to be content with a pay structure that allows for members of their starting 11 (or even 18) to continue to make malnourished-bedbug-bitten-hand-to-mouth wages, they should never be surprised when the next David Becham(s) give this bush-league a Bitch-Slap!...we fans and your players deserve better. Sorting out this bull-shite should be priority #1, or else MLS-days are numbered.

I'm confused - are you head of the players union or something? haha. Every post you make, it complaining about the substandard pay that developmental players get.

It isn't the fault of the MLS club owners - it's the fault of the CBA the players have with the league itself.

At any rate, I assume most of the Dev Roster players have other day jobs - just like CFL players.

- Scott

[sidney]

at-a-boy....aim low boy (and the owner's are they biggest part of the mls-salary-equation).

[werewolf]

CBA expires after this season.

Are you suggesting it was Beckham's wages that are the reason he wants to leave?

[AL-MO]

Why create a thread about this?

[Shakes McQueen]

at-a-boy....aim low boy

Aim low? THERE IS A SALARY CAP ON THE TEAMS.

When the CBA gets renegotiated, I hope they increase the salary cap, so that everyone can get paid better. But calling the owners bush league for complying with the CBA, is ridiculous.

- Scott

[Shakes McQueen]

Why create a thread about this?

Same reason he made the thread about Tyler Rosenlund.

- Scott

[AL-MO]

Same reason he made the thread about Tyler Rosenlund.

- Scott

And Tyler Hemming?

[sidney]

CBA expires after this season.

Are you suggesting it was Beckham's wages that are the reason he wants to leave?

...it's Becham playing amongst players making less than shoe-shine-wages, thereby contributing to a poor quality (I'm being kind) league....if the owners and league cared, they'd sort this shit out now not after the season.

[Shakes McQueen]

And Tyler Hemming?

Yes, and Tyler Hemming, haha. :D

I just don't get blaming the teams themselves for this issue. He seems to be implying that MLSE should be paying their rent or food bills, aside from their meager salaries - which of course, is completely against MLS rules.

- Scott

[H Bomb]

...it's Becham playing amongst players making less than shoe-shine-wages, thereby contributing to a poor quality (I'm being kind) league....if the owners and league cared, they'd sort this shit out now not after the season.

that's only true if you think MLS wants to compete with Serie A or something similar. If you believe this then just leave now. MLS knows what it is, hopefully they make appropriate changes with next years CBA arrangements...but they know what they are...you dont seem to Sid.

[werewolf]

...it's Becham playing amongst players making less than shoe-shine-wages, thereby contributing to a poor quality (I'm being kind) league....if the owners and league cared, they'd sort this shit out now not after the season.

and what about the beauty downtown condos that the team lets the "shoe-shiners" live in?

[TFCREDNWHITE]

As long as MLS owners (like TFC) continue to be content with a pay structure that allows for members of their starting 11 (or even 18) to continue to make malnourished-bedbug-bitten-hand-to-mouth wages, they should never be surprised when the next David Becham(s) give this bush-league a Bitch-Slap!...we fans and your players deserve better. Sorting out this bull-shite should be priority #1, or else MLS-days are numbered.

I feel your pain, but don't worry the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will be renegotiated at the end of this season...

Things will get better...

[AL-MO]

...it's Becham playing amongst players making less than shoe-shine-wages, thereby contributing to a poor quality (I'm being kind) league....if the owners and league cared, they'd sort this shit out now not after the season.

How is that possible?

I would normally close stupid threads like this, but I think this time I am just going to leave this one open! :p

[Shakes McQueen]

How is that possible?

I would normally close stupid threads like this, but I think this time I am just going to leave this one open! :p

Please do. I'm hoping he gives me another sarcastic "atta boy", in his quest for social justice. :D

- Scott

[sidney]

...I guess I'll agree to disagree with most of you on this....all that I know is that when I'm at a TFC game, thanks to we-Fans, it seems as it's amongst the best football atmosphere's on the planet. Yet those were cheering (and despite the TFC cash-register-ringing) are making shite-slave-wages!...Why doesn't TFC Management take a f-ing stand for what is not only just, but in the best interests of their own people and the league?

[werewolf]

How much of a wage increase do you think Tyler Hemming got in Finland?

Players generally get what they are worth. We could raise the salary cap and pay the players more, but the money wouldn't necessarily be going to our current roster.

btw, when the team pays, we pay. Are you really itching for more increase in ticket prices?

[MartinUtd]

when was the last cba?

[Carter]

As long as MLS owners (like TFC) continue to be content with a pay structure that allows for members of their starting 11 (or even 18) to continue to make malnourished-bedbug-bitten-hand-to-mouth wages, they should never be surprised when the next David Becham(s) give this bush-league a Bitch-Slap!...we fans and your players deserve better. Sorting out this bull-shite should be priority #1, or else MLS-days are numbered.

I think that sidney needs a "BECHAM" bitch-slap. if your gunna try and trash talk, at least edit your post for spelling errors you moron.


...I guess I'll agree to disagree with most of you on this....all that I know is that when I'm at a TFC game, thanks to we-Fans, it seems as it's amongst the best football atmosphere's on the planet. Yet those were cheering (and despite the TFC cash-register-ringing) are making shite-slave-wages!...Why doesn't TFC Management take a f-ing stand for what is not only just, but in the best interests of their own people and the league?

You've heard FO say that if they could pay the guys more money, but when under a Salary Cap you can only do so much. MAYBE the players union should take a stand when renegotiating the CBA next year..

[Shakes McQueen]

...I guess I'll agree to disagree with most of you on this....all that I know is that when I'm at a TFC game, thanks to we-Fans, it seems as it's amongst the best football atmosphere's on the planet. Yet those were cheering (and despite the TFC cash-register-ringing) are making shite-slave-wages!...Why doesn't TFC Management take a f-ing stand for what is not only just, but in the best interests of their own people and the league?

Firstly, not a single player on our senior roster makes "slave wages". Stop being a drama queen.

Secondly, no one disagrees with you that our developmental players should make better money. With that said, there isn't much the teams can do about it until the CBA is renegotiated (the same CBA that the PLAYERS UNION AGREED TO). Expecting the CBA to get reopened in the middle of a season, is just flat out dumb.

For now, developmental players are probably forced to work day jobs, which sucks. But it's a far cry from the social injustice you're describing it as.

And as WW88 noted, they actually get all kinds of things paid for.

- Scott

[FluSH]

with less sponsorship money it's only going to get worse... this is a league wide problem that one team cannot fix alone (and would be stupid too...) unless it comes from the top (MLS).

[Shakes McQueen]

with less sponsorship money it's only going to get worse... this is a league wide problem that one team cannot fix alone (and would be stupid too...) unless it comes from the top (MLS).

Bingo.

- Scott

[TorCanSoc]

and what about the beauty downtown condos that the team lets the "shoe-shiners" live in?

They're put up in Condos? I don't think its permanent. Its an MLSE thing, not MLS thing. I think they're put up in the high-end rentals right by my office. Lots of sightings. But I think its up to them to find accomodations.

The dev players are local kids, getting 12 grand to play soccer and gauge if this "pro thing" is a go or not. Case in point, one Mr. Andrea Lombardo. Local kid, rides a bus to the stadium, put on a pedestal because of his community involvement, on-field didn't quite live up to it. Quits gracefully, goes to University to get an education. Good on him. Canada needs 100 of these kids a year. One of them will be an absolute beaut, a la Owen Hargreaves.

I digress. Its true MLS has to know their limits. We can't get crazy with salaries if the teams are not turning profits. Its unsustainable.

I will agree with Sid on the fact that it is a bit unsavoury that you have 5M dollar player passing the ball to a 17K a year player. That's nuts.

Is it fear mongering by MLS saying they don't want to make the same mistakes as the NASL. MLS talking about taking it easy, take it slow, build it right? I hope its not rhetoric.

[Azerban]

playing professional soccer is exactly the same as being whipped to death for not picking cotton fast enough

[dantdot]

David Becham, the malnourished and bedbug ridden David Beckham.

[sidney]

I will agree with Sid on the fact that it is a bit unsavoury that you have 5M dollar player passing the ball to a 17K a year player. That's nuts.


Now what's wrong with TFC/MLS/Garber/CBA fixing this painfully obvious bull-shite asap?

(and byw Carter...my wife already bitch-slaps me, so I don't need a Becham bitch-slap)

[Flipityflu]

really, you are preaching to the choir. there isn't anybody here who doesn't think the salary cap needs to be raised.


i'm not sure where you get the idea that we disagree with you. giving an explanation why is not disagreement.

[AL-MO]

Now what's wrong with TFC/MLS/Garber/CBA fixing this painfully obvious bull-shite asap?

(and byw Carter...my wife already bitch-slaps me, so I don't need a Becham bitch-slap)

The contract's not up?

[sidney]

If problems are so painfully obvious, why don't they sort the shit out before it's too late? Do you think the players union would disagree with an MLS/Owners initiative to strike a better deal for players? And before you say that doesn't make any management sense, think about how much bush-league-non-sense the current sweat-shop salary structure is making and much its harming the league and its development.

[AL-MO]

If problems are so painfully obvious, why don't they sort the shit out before it's too late? Do you think the players union would disagree with an MLS/Owners initiative to strike a better deal for players? And before you say that doesn't make any management sense, think about about how much bush-league-non-sense the current sweat-shop salary structure is making and harming the league

How is it harming the league? In their eyes it keeps costs down. And that is exactly why nothing will be done about it.

[Razcle]

Is this guy for real? Although I support the notion that all MLS players should be making a semi-decent wage so they can solely focus on football. To suggest that MLS is a sweat-shop league is absurd.

I don't see these kids being forced to work at these wages. They have plenty of opportunity to go elsewhere (aka USL-1) to make a few more $$ if they want but they decide this is best for their careers to they stick it out and hope to develop.

Chillax and wait for the next CBA. Most MLS teams are still losing money every season, so where exactly are they going to get this money to pay to the 2nd tier players? PS...if your so concerned...why don't you make a personal donation to the TFC lads that arn't making what you term to be fair wages? Because right now that is the only place the money is coming from.

BUT...as the league grows and revenue increases, there will be more for all!

[rocker]

And Lombardo was promoted the senior roster so he could get more money (this cost him his university soccer eligibility last fall actually). Jarrod Smith also got the same promotion when there was a spot available.

Nana and Gala are getting money from the government too this year, so actually they will be making pretty average wages for a citizen in Toronto in 2009.

[Beach_Red]

As long as MLS owners (like TFC) continue to be content with a pay structure that allows for members of their starting 11 (or even 18) to continue to make malnourished-bedbug-bitten-hand-to-mouth wages, they should never be surprised when the next David Becham(s) give this bush-league a Bitch-Slap!...we fans and your players deserve better. Sorting out this bull-shite should be priority #1, or else MLS-days are numbered.


Wow, I thought the problem was they can't sell tickets to this league in any city except Toronto. Selling tickets should be Priority #1.

[Cuchulain]

The money players make in any sport is directly linked to T.V. MLS needs a big network like ABC NBC or CBS to buy games.

[werewolf]

If the players were good enough to make more money, they would go to a different league. Unfortunately for most of them, there really isn't a place that would pay them a substantially more amount of money.

[stretchthetruth]

sidney = lombardo? lol

[oxygenatedbrain]

Cheer up Sid...with the roster reductions many of these "slave-wage" positions have been eliminated, with many of the remaining D slots being taken up by GAs or other carded athletes...fewer jobs, less injustice?

[Kevvv]

Major US networks don't show EPL or other European soccer, they're not going to carry MLS regularly, so no money there.

If the salary cap goes up, will KC, Columbus, Chivas US be able to attract more fans? You know, to pay those higher salaries? This isn't the NHL in 1969, it's much closer to the CFL's business model, but with fewer paying fans and fewer TV viewers.

[Flipityflu]

i really think the only tv money outside the local market that MLS can get its hands on is ESPN.

[sidney]

As long as MLS owners (like TFC) continue to be content with a pay structure that allows for members of their starting 11 (or even 18) to continue to make malnourished-bedbug-bitten-hand-to-mouth wages, they should never be surprised when the next David Becham(s) give this bush-league a Bitch-Slap!...we fans and your players deserve better. Sorting out this bull-shite should be priority #1, or else MLS-days are numbered.


Aim low? THERE IS A SALARY CAP ON THE TEAMS.
When the CBA gets renegotiated, I hope they increase the salary cap, so that everyone can get paid better.....- Scott

Increasing the MLS salary cap won't get it done. There needs to be a decent minimum salary limit for all players. If this league wants to be taken serious no one should make less than a livable wage (e.g., somewhere between $25,000 to $35,000 at the lowest, with appearance bonuses to top-up players at this minimum level)

[werewolf]

Players get paid what they are worth. If they don't like making $20,000 here, they can go make $20,000 in Arctic Circle Norway.

[Shakes McQueen]

Increasing the MLS salary cap won't get it done. There needs to be a decent minimum salary limit for all players. If this league wants to be taken serious no one should make less than a livable wage (e.g., somewhere between $25,000 to $35,000 at the lowest, with appearance bonuses to top-up players at this minimum level)

The basic concept of salary caps that you seem to need spelled out for you, is that minimum salaries won't increase, until THE SALARY CAP INCREASES.

You aren't going to see minimum salaries go up under the current cap, because all that does is further restrict the amount the teams can spend on first team talent.

- Scott

[James Oliphant]

http://www.medwaycropcircle.co.uk/FIG%207%20Circle%20of%20Circles%20EYNSFORD%20GT.jp g