MISL Tentative Agreement Awaits Owners’ Decision; Strike Delayed

The players association and owners in the Major Indoor Soccer League reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract Thursday night, according to John Kerr, the players association director of operations.

“The agreement is subject to confirmation by the negotiators for the owners,” Kerr said.

The owners will vote today.

“It is basically settled,” said Socker player representative Kevin Crow. “I don’t think there will be a strike. The players will vote on it within a week.”

The deadline for a proposed strike by the players association was postponed 24 hours from 12:01 (EST) a.m. Friday to 12:01 (EST) a.m. Saturday.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Kerr said the parties compromised on the issue of a team salary cap, settling on $1,275,000, which is between the $1.25 million offered by the owners and $1.3 million set by the players.

The foreign-player issue was settled when the MISL limited the number of new foreign players to 18 next season, 15 during the 1987-88 season and 12, or one per team, in the final year of the three-year contract.

Additionally, six Canadians will be permitted to enter the MISL during each year of the contract, but each must have an “H-1” visa, which means he must be a player of “star quality” as determined by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Under terms of the new agreement, players also will receive increased health and welfare benefits, a player will be given $30,000 if he suffers a career-ending injury and a player who is cut after the 12th game will be paid for a whole season.