The All-Star game demands public attention. It presents the best of Major League Soccer and pits it against a European superpower. This year, the All-Stars were beaten 3-0 by Atletico Madrid in what was not a great advertisement for the league as a whole. But while the festivities are certainly fun and lighthearted, the most important part of the week’s activities happens far and away from the white lines of the football pitch. No, the most important points come in board rooms in discussions between men in suits. I am, of course, talking about the MLS governors meeting.
Making this year’s meeting different than others was the fact that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is set to expire in January, setting the stage for a possible work stoppage ahead of the 2020 season.