With this winter quickly approaching now that we are in the fall season it seems only fitting to really start the discussion on what will certainly be the number one topic all off season in Major League Soccer, the CBA negotiations. The big one comes down to the great wage debate.

I bring it up today because of a link I found late last night over on one of my favorite sites, Pitch Invasion. The Daily Sweeper from yesterday talked all about the great wage debate and those parties that have already entered the discussions around the soccer blogging world. On one side you have blogs like Fake Sigi going against Ben Knight up in Canada.

Pitch Invasion puts as they call the Northern Internationalists (Knight and possibly others like 24thminute.com’s Duane Rollins) against the MLS Exceptionalists (Bill Archer, Dan Loney and Fake Sigi).

Where do I stand here? Really in neither corner as of yet. Both bring up decent points but I know the league is still a good bit away from becoming what we all want it to really be, which won’t be fully in either corner. That’s what makes MLS special if you ask me, they may piss you off by not conforming to some norms but the ones they do go for are typically the right ones.

I’ll be sure to have more discussions on the CBA later this fall but until then I’m sure both the league and the players are slowly working this matter out in a way that will benefit both sides. Continue Reading…

The Philadelphia Union will become the 16th MLS club at the start of next season and will play in the new Chester Stadium. But news came out this morning that their first game could be in another venue.

Philadelphia’s front office are keeping their options open as to the site of the first kick in 2010. Right now the likely destination for the first Union game will be at a NFL venue, Lincoln Financial Field.

This stadium hosted both Gold Cup and international friendlies this summer and is no stranger to soccer. Sure its disappointing to hear that Union won’t be in their new stadium at the start of next year but if they can pack in a good chunk of fans at this venue like Seattle did to open their expansion season this year it could be a good thing.

Word has it the opening kick schedule for next season could be out in a couple weeks too. Steve Goff reported this morning that it has undergone a couple different revisions as of late.