Latest news with #SeattleSounders
Forbes
11 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Seattle Sounders Players Accuse MLS Of Club World Cup Cash Grab
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 01: Cristian Roldan #7 of the Seattle Sounders walks onto the field for ... More warm ups before the game against the Minnesota United FC at Lumen Field on June 01, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by) Seattle Sounders players wore t-shirts bearing the slogan 'Club World Cash Grab' ahead of their game against Minnesota United on Sunday night, as they seek bonuses more in fitting with the prize money received by clubs' participation in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The 's' was stylised as a dollar sign to represent the lucrative amounts of money on offer to clubs in the tournament, which players feel is out of step with the latest collective bargaining agreement between the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) and Major League Soccer (MLS). The players were quickly backed by the MLSPA, who had prepared a statement and released it to coincide with the unveiling of the t-shirts worn pre-match. 'The MLSPA and all MLS players stand united with the Seattle Sounders players who tonight demanded a fair share of the FIFA Club World Cup prize money,' read the MLSPA statement. 'FIFA's new tournament piles on to players' ever-increasing workload without regard to their physical well-being. In order to seize this additional calendar territory, FIFA had to commit historic amounts of prize money to secure club and player participation. 'As a result, MLS will receive an unprecedented financial windfall. Despite this windfall, the league has refused to allocate a fair percentage of those funds to the players themselves.' SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 01: Captains Michael Boxall #15 of Minnesota United and Stefan Frei #24 ... More of Seattle Sounders pose with referees before the MLS match on June 01, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by) The Sounders qualified for the now expanded and quadrennial Club World Cup on the back of their landmark Concacaf Champions League victory in 2022. The latest collective bargaining agreement was last updated in 2021, prior to the Sounders' qualification for the Club World Cup and before the United States was confirmed as the tournament's host. As a result, Club World Cup bonus payments are not specifically mentioned by name in the current CBA, as other tournaments outside of MLS, such as the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Leagues Cup, the Campeones Cup, the US Open Cup, and the Canadian Championship are. The relevant wording in the current CBA for non-specific tournaments, applicable to the Club World Cup, is: 'If an MLS Team or MLS receives prize money by virtue of the Team's performance and/or participation in a Compulsory Tournament or Non-Compulsory Tournament, players competing in that tournament will receive the following: If the Team or MLS receives prize money, fifty percent (50%) of such prize money up to a maximum payment to the Players (collectively) of $1,000,000 per tournament.' The prize money on offer at the Club World Cup means the MLS teams involved will receive at least $9.55 million just for participation, and this could rise depending on results in group stage matches. A team qualifying for the knockout rounds would receive an additional $7.5 million, meaning a prize pot could soon reach $20 million for any team that progresses from its group. Inter Miami and Los Angeles FC join the Sounders as MLS representatives in the tournament, and though they will be underdogs in their respective groups, the $9.55 million for participation alone is substantial, and far more than the prize money MLS receives in any other tournament. This is where the maximum of $1 million in bonuses to be shared among an entire team begins to look paltry in comparison to the money the clubs and the league will receive. If there was no $1 million limit and the 50% arrangement remained in place, the guaranteed bonus pool from the $9.55 million would amount to over $4,7 million shared out between the players. It is for this reason that the players believe the Club World Cup renders the CBA out of date with regards to bonuses, and are looking to come to an agreement with the league in relation to this tournament. 'For months, the players have privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal,' the MLSPA added in its statement. 'Instead of recognizing the players who have brought MLS to the global stage, the league—which routinely asks the PA to deviate from the CBA—is clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions. 'It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect.' Players are being asked to play more games than ever before, and with all the money swilling around in the game, especially at the top level, it is only right that they seek their fair share for the additional work. A players' association, such as the MLSPA, is important in a league like MLS where a salary cap is in place and the amount most players can earn is artificially limited by that cap and other roster rules and restrictions. The players' issue is not with the Club World Cup itself, but with MLS for not coming to an agreement regarding bonus payments from what is an unusually lucrative tournament for its teams.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Seattle Sounders players call for 'fair share' of Club World Cup prize money
SEATTLE - Seattle Sounders players called for a bigger slice of the prize money for competing at the Club World Cup in June by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Cash Grab" and "Fair Share Now" ahead of a Major League Soccer (MLS) match on June 1. Seattle are set to earn at least US$9.55 million (S$12.3 million) for competing at the June 14 to July 13 tournament in the United States, where the total prize money runs to US$1 billion, but under the MLS collective bargaining agreement (CBA) the players' share is capped at US$1 million per club. Seattle are one of three MLS teams that will compete in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup. Teams from North America are guaranteed almost US$10 million just for participating and can earn more depending on their results. MLS did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment after Seattle players warmed up in T-shirts with the phrases "Club World Cup Ca$h Grab" and "Fair Share Now" written on them ahead of their 2-3 home defeat by Minnesota United. The MLS Players Association said in a statement on June 1 that players had "privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal". It added that the league was "clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from Fifa prize money in global competitions. "It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect." Seattle are in Group B at the Club World Cup along with Brazil's Botafogo, Uefa Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and LaLiga's Atletico Madrid. They face Botafogo in their opening game on June 15. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
a day ago
- Business
- CNA
Seattle players call for 'fair share' of Club World Cup prize money
Seattle Sounders players called for a bigger slice of the prize money for competing at the Club World Cup this month by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Cash Grab" and "Fair Share Now" ahead of a Major League Soccer match on Sunday. Seattle are set to earn at least $9.55 million for competing at the June 14 to July 13 tournament in the U.S., where the total prize money runs to $1 billion, but under the MLS collective bargaining agreement (CBA) the players' share is capped at $1 million per club. Seattle are one of three MLS teams that will compete in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup. Teams from North America are guaranteed almost $10 million just for participating and can earn more depending on their results. MLS did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment after Seattle players warmed up in T-shirts with the phrases "Club World Cup Ca$h Grab" and "Fair Share Now" written on them ahead of their 2-3 home defeat by Minnesota United. The MLS Players Association said in a statement on Sunday that players had "privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal". It added that the league was "clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions. "It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect." Seattle are in Group B at the Club World Cup along with Brazil's Botafogo, UEFA Champions League winners Paris St Germain and LaLiga's Atletico Madrid. They face Botafogo in their opening game on June 15.
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Seattle players call for 'fair share' of Club World Cup prize money
June 2 (Reuters) - Seattle Sounders players called for a bigger slice of the prize money for competing at the Club World Cup this month by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Cash Grab" and "Fair Share Now" ahead of a Major League Soccer match on Sunday. Seattle are set to earn at least $9.55 million for competing at the June 14 to July 13 tournament in the U.S., where the total prize money runs to $1 billion, but under the MLS collective bargaining agreement (CBA) the players' share is capped at $1 million per club. Seattle are one of three MLS teams that will compete in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup. Teams from North America are guaranteed almost $10 million just for participating and can earn more depending on their results. MLS did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment after Seattle players warmed up in T-shirts with the phrases "Club World Cup Ca$h Grab" and "Fair Share Now" written on them ahead of their 2-3 home defeat by Minnesota United. The MLS Players Association said in a statement on Sunday that players had "privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal". It added that the league was "clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions. "It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect." Seattle are in Group B at the Club World Cup along with Brazil's Botafogo, UEFA Champions League winners Paris St Germain and LaLiga's Atletico Madrid. They face Botafogo in their opening game on June 15.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
Sounders players protest MLS's Club World Cup ‘cash grab', fair player payments ahead of match
MLS players are not letting the fight over Club World Cup bonuses go away. The Seattle Sounders held a player protest over the issue Sunday ahead of their match with Minnesota United, wearing shirts that read, 'World Cup Cash Grab.' 'FAIRSHARE NOW' was written across the back of the shirts. Every member of the Sounders squad wore the shirts during warmups. 3 Cristian Roldan walks onto the field before the Seattle Sounders' match June 1. Getty Images The shirts were in protest to MLS players' concerns over the cut of bonuses they'll receive from their participation in the upcoming Club World Cup, set to begin later this month in the United States. Inter Miami, the Sounders and LAFC will all represent MLS in the 32-team tournament, and FIFA announced in March that MLS teams would get $9.5 million alone just for participating. There are also additional bonuses for teams when they win or tie, setting up the possibility for the MLS clubs in the tournament to come away with large sums of money from the Club World Cup. 3 Seattle Sounders players warm up before their match June 1. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect However, a clause in the current MLS collective bargaining agreement — Article 10.8 — limits how much players get from non-MLS tournaments, which caps it at 50 percent of the tournament prize or up to $1 million. 'The MLSPA and all MLS players stand united with the Seattle Sounders players who tonight demanded a fair share of the FIFA Club World Cup prize money. FIFA's new tournament piles on to players' ever-increasing workload without regard to their physical well-being. In order to seize this additional calendar territory, FIFA had to commit historic amount of prize money to secure club and player participation. As a result, MLS will receive an unprecedented financial windfall,' the MLS Players Association said in a statement in support of the Sounders' protest. 3 Seattle Sounders players jog onto the field for warmups before their June 1 match. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'Despite the windfall, the league has refused to allocate a fair percentage of those funds to the players themselves. For months, the players have privately and respectfully invited the league to to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal. Instead of recognizing the players who have brought MLS to the global stage, the league — which routinely asks the PA to deviate from the CBA — is clinging to an out-of-date CBA provisions and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions. 'It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect.' MLS did not have a comment when reached by The Post. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Post. The Sounders begin the group stage of the tournament on June 15 when they face the Brazilian club Botafogo at Lumen Field in Seattle.
