Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Association completed a new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday, paving the way for matches to resume this summer beginning with a marquee tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Disney Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
At the heart of the discussions between MLS owners and the Players Association was goalkeeper Tim Melia, who serves as Sporting Kansas City's primary representative on the MLSPA. The 11th-year MLS veteran joined Sports Radio 810 WHB this afternoon, sharing plenty of fascinating insight with The Zone host Jason Anderson.
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Tim Melia talks Orlando tournament on Sports Radio 810 WHB
Finalizing new CBA, Melia said, was further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Negotiations required hours and hours of phone calls with teammates and league officials, but ultimately the league and its players struck a deal that will allow MLS matches to continue in early July—before any other major men's professional sports league in the country.
"It should be a fun tournament to say the least. Ultimately to just get sports back on TV I think is very important to everyone and all of the fans," Melia said.
"Everyone just wants to play, right? We're athletes and we're competitive by nature. So we're excited that we have games on the docket now where we can roll the ball out there and play."
Melia acknowledges that preparation for the tournament will be challenging, as teams have yet to begin full-team training and will only have a few weeks of regular practice under their belts before games begin. The spectacle will nevertheless be compelling, however, with all clubs playing three group stage matches followed by a 16-team, single-elimination bracket.
"The World Cup setup (of the tournament) will make it even more entertaining and more fun for everybody," Melia said.
More information about the MLS tournament in Orlando, including competition format and match dates, is expected to be announced in the coming days.
