MLS: Desperation to play must override sensibilities

Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes has said that he and his players are desperate to play and compete again. As MLS hopes to return, this desperation must override the sensibilities against a restart.

While discussions regarding the new CBA, which Major League Soccer tried to crowbar added incentives into off the back of a global pandemic despite having already agreed upon a deal earlier this year, are ongoing, the league has ploughed forward with plans to restart play, in one form or another.

At present, the league’s plans involve all teams, coaches and players flying to Orlando in late-June and competing in a World Cup-style competition which is held at the ESPN’s Wide World of Sports. All games will be played behind closed doors but will be televised, thus clawing back a portion of the revenue that the league has lost due to play being suspended.

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Teams will compete in a group stage format before a knockout round with some games counting in the regular-season standings and a cash prize for the area the winning team is from. Players and coaches will have to self-isolate in hotels at the resort and will not be allowed to see their families throughout this period, which could be as long as six weeks.

Any return to play was never going to perfect. The situation is simply too extreme and difficult to deal with. But there are numerous aspects to the proposal that seem unfair, especially to the players and their families.

Is it safe? What happens if — and likely when — someone contacts the coronavirus? How will the families cope at home, especially if they are difficulties regarding childcare? If games count towards the regular season, how can they be fairly determined without fans, home advantage, and certain players potentially missing matches due to health concerns?

There are plenty of questions regarding the proposal, and thus far, there are very few answers. Nevertheless, Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes says that he and his players are desperate to return to play. Speaking to mlssoccer.com, he said:

"“It’s good to be on the field every day, but I think all of our guys are ready to take the next step. You want to start competing, and more importantly [the players] want to start playing games. That’s probably the big thing <…> For me it’s always, give me a date of a game, and then let me work backwards from there. That’s when I can tell you what I can put together. But it’s really going to come down when we have a date for when our first game is.”"

Ultimately, MLS’ plans to play depend on the players being willing to do so. The players can be strongarmed into competing, of course, with punishments for those that refuse to play without a sufficient reason, but the MLS product is dependent on those that serve it. And make no mistake, without the best players on show, the product will be hugely diluted.

Ultimately, MLS’ hopes to restart the season the save its revenues rests on the players. Vermes says they are desperate to play. But that desire will have to overcome some of the sensibilities and questions against the proposal. We will, then, find out just how much they want to play.