With MLS and the Players Union keeping very quiet concerning the looming expiration of the CBA, we are left to pick through random quotes and 140 character Twitter messages in an attempt to figure out just what is happening. MLS fans are understandably concerned about the potential of a work stoppage and a bit jumpy as well.

As the impasse between Major League Soccer and the Players Union continues, the possibility that the players will be locked-out by the league on February 1st when the current CBA expires becomes increasingly more likely.
There is a mix of concern and fear amongst soccer fans in the United States about what effect a work stoppage would have on not only the league, but on the state of the game itself.

I've attempted to stay relatively open-minded during the MLS CBA nonsense, I really have. I've been frustrated with both the players and the owners, and recently wrote a piece where I came down on...

Want more positive news on a new CBA between the players and the league? John Wolyniec, the player-rep for the New York Red Bulls is said to be hopeful according to the New York Post.

After weeks without much progress being made, Wolyniec said concessions have been made on both sides and he termed his feeling as "hopeful.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK — Representatives for Major League Soccer announced today that a new collective bargaining agreement has been finally reached between players and management, meaning everyone bored stiff with learning the complexities of MLS's single entity system, precedent-setting sports entertainment labour decisions, and whatever Kasey Keller has to say about either, breathed a sigh of collective relief this morning.

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We've rather evaded the ongoing labour talks between MLS and the players' union, mainly because we don't have any insider info or original insight to offer on the dispute. But we're just days away from a lockout, so we are at least keeping a close eye on the proceedings.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

While we all wait for MLS to either reach a labor deal or begin an ugly labor war, it's probably a good time for our latest installment of Your Questions Answered. There just so happen to be a few MLS labor-related questions in this first installment of the January Answers.

A Special Series by Rob Luker This is the final installment in Clarkson University business student Rob Luker's "American Soccer Business Plan". You can read Part I, American Soccer Ambitions here,...

Landon Donovan and Kasey Keller are widely known as important soccer figures in and out of MLS circles. Through FIFPro, Donovan and Keller expressed their concerns on what a potential lock-out could do to the league and the sport in America if owners aren't willing to compromise on a few key issues.

Over at Pitch Invasion:

Seattle Sounders FC player rep James Riley said the union wants the teams, not the League, to negotiate player contracts. The union also wants more guaranteed contracts and free agency after contracts expire. I'll bolden my prediction by guessing that a CBA is not achieved until at least April, meaning that for the first time, MLS games will be missed due to a work stoppage.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Soccer and its Players Union expires at the end of the month. The current agreement can be found at the Players Union website. Negotiations on a new CBA have been ongoing since the end of the season (and some time before that), and according to Ives Galarcep's blog, the sticking points are three major areas: (1) Guaranteed contracts (2) Contract negotiation with individual teams (3) Free agency If there's not a deal by the 31st, the League would no longer be banned from locking out the players from training camp, and conversely the.

By now, you know the deal. We're doing our best to make all of the background behind the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations between the Players and the League super fun and super exciting!...

In the last 20+ years, every one of the so-called "major" sports leagues in America has gone through some sort of work stoppage. Whether it was the NFL in 1987, MLB in 1994, the NBA in 1998 or the NHL in 2004, every stoppage damaged the respective leagues. Attendance declined, playoffs were canceled, interest levels dropped and it took time (and in the case of baseball, two steroid-fueled power hitters) to get the leagues back to their pre-work stoppage levels of success.

Philadelphia will be the center of the American (and Torontonian) soccer universe tomorrow when its annual draft of amateur players into the league takes place there. In fact, Philly just might be...

Freddie Ljungberg's new post on his blog clarifies exactly what his status is for next season. Unsurprisingly, it's "unclear" and it all depends on whether there's a CBA and if there's a lockout. If there wasn't incentive enough for MLS to resolve this situation quickly, a top team losing a DP to Europe because of the labor instability should provide a bit more.

"We have advised our players to report to camp as planned. In the meantime, we will continue to meet with the league to determine if an agreement can be reached. As of this date, however, we have no agreement on a new CBA."

• MLS Players' Union in a statement released last Thursday

So, there you have it.

The deadline is only a few days away but it seems like the more that we hear about the CBA discussions between players and the league the more the two sides are coming together on the issues.

Today another player has come out and said that he is feeling optimistic about a new CBA. Seattle defender Jame Riley, who has at times been out spoken on the CBA and its issues is getting a better feeling on things, though like other players he isn't saying a whole lot just yet.

Freddie Ljungberg speaks and I listen, simple as that. (Getty Images)

I won't lie to ya, anytime I see something Freddie Ljungberg says I believe it to be the truth. That is unless something morally tells me not to do so but 98% of the time I take his word for what it is. Today is no different.

(Repeating a comment I posed on Tom Dunmore's Pitch Invasion blog about the impending expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between Major League Soccer players and league management. Too many seem to think that as of the CBA's expiration, there's automatically a lockout, or that that's what MLS' intent is.

In this special edition of the American Soccer show we have candid conversation with Taylor Twellman of the New England Revolution about the CBA talks, Landon Donovan in Europe and The Bachelor. Taylor offers some excellent insights in to the CBA negotiations and alludes to the timing of a possible resolution.

MLS posted an announcement that they have extended the CBA till February 12 so that they can continue their negotiations towards a new CBA.

Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Union have both agreed to postpone the deadline to come to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement until February 12th. The original CBA – the first in MLS history – was scheduled to expire as of next Monday, but both sides have agreed to continue discussions since progress is being made toward an agreement.

Zach and I cover player movement, the CBA, and the USSF "decision" on Division II sanctioning. Check it out if you please. DOWNLOAD THE SHOW SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES VISIT THE AMSOC WEBSITE

Jason and I cover player movement, the CBA, and the USSF "decision" on Division II sanctioning. Check it out if you please.
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Hi there! Maybe you've heard that Major League Soccer is currently embroiled in labor negotiations, and you thought that maybe you'd like to learn more about them! Or maybe you already think you...

Peter Wilt Plays Nostradamus

OK, you're probably now starting to think that I'm a pretty lazy writer....yes, I'm going with a list column for the third straight week. I'm following up the ever popular "Holiday Gift"and "Best Memories of the Year" columns with the ever popular "Predictions for the New Year" column.

I'll admit, I don't want to dive into this whole CBA mess. The more I look at it the more my head hurts. I still believe and fully expect something to get done before the new season kicks off.

Today a few bloggers out there give their take and keep us all up to date. The best however maybe a summary from Jason Davis at Match Fit USA.

Well hello! Back for more I see! I'm shocked that you're so interested in this mundane labor negotiation business, but to each their own I guess! If you managed to slog through the joy of the...

The guy's just delusional:

Increasingly, the go-to guy in all of this is FAKE SIGI who links today to, among other things, comments from Peter Wilt, an excellent piece by Beau Dure and some intersting stuff on Pitch invasion.
(And despite the deranged mewlings from North of the Ice Curtain, no, FS isn't me.

The more news I read about the current collective bargaining agreement discussions between the league and players, the more I worry that we're going to see some sort of work stoppage whether it be a strike or a lock out. Earlier this past week, two Wizards players spoke about the negotiations, Jimmy Conrad, the Wizards player representative, and Kevin Hartman, who was in on some meetings during the all star break, both spoke with the San Jose Mercury News about the current CBA situation.

New American Soccer Show is available, in which Zach and I cover Donovan, Holden, Adu, CBA and draft with Kyle McCarthy (Goal.com/MLSNet.com/The Boston Herald), and riff on the recent noise from the...

New American Soccer Show is available, in which Jason and I cover Donovan, Holden, Adu, CBA and draft with Kyle McCarthy (Goal.com/MLSNet.com/The Boston Herald), and riff on the recent noise from the MLS Players Union.
The American Soccer Show is part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

This week, Jason and Zach cover Donovan, Holden, Adu, USMNT camp, talk to Kyle McCarthy about the CBA and SuperDraft, and discuss the latest salvo from the MLS Players Union and FIFPro. http://www.csrnusa.com

As promised, we are providing some analysis of MLS SuperDraft coverage from around the country. Before we get into the ESPN broadcast, a couple of quick notes. First, Philly.com, provided a fairly comprehensive running blog of the draft from the convention center in Philadelphia. Each pick was announced and fans permitted the opportunity to comment.

Goff Getting Positive CBA Vibes

After so much doom and gloom I'm glad at least someone is getting a positive vibe on this thing. Camp opens in just over a week for Sounders FC, a tenative agreement would be huge.

I saw this late last night but I was honestly just too tired to comment on it at the time. Steve Goff passed over some fairly positive news regarding the on-going CBA discussions with the league and it's players.

I'm getting positive vibes about the negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement between MLS and the players' union.

Just a year after MLS started, the players association of the NFL stepped in to help the MLS players. Where is that help today as the MLS players' collective bargaining agreement with the league nears expiration? In reality, the NFL players... Read more

The great Red Bulls defender appeared on It's Called Football and talked about the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. The current CBA is due to expire at the end of this month and there could be a player's strike if an agreement on a new one is not reached. Let's all hope for the best and click on the above player to listen.

In a little more than a week Major League Soccer and its clubs may take the foolish step of locking out its players. Negotiations on a new CBA are continuing between the league and the players' union but things haven't been too positive yet. If there is a lockout, it could mean a lengthy delay to the 2010 MLS season.

I was tempted to subtitle this post "But did anyone notice?", but refrained because I'm certain some of you have; for months, all we've heard from MLS players was talk of management intransigence,...