MISL Owners Delay Decision to Consider Player Proposals

The Major Indoor Soccer League faced a do-or-die situation Friday for the fifth time in the past week, and, as is coming to be expected these days, ended the day with its future on hold again.

Owners, expecting to hear a counter proposal from the MISL Players Assn., were to talk in a conference call at noon Friday to decide the league’s future. Word was, if the players’ proposal wasn’t accepted, the league could fold.

The players association didn’t get its proposal together until the end of the day, however, so now the owners are waiting until Monday morning to decide on matters.

Here’s what the players want:

--A maximum salary cap of $900,000 per club and a minimum of $700,000. In the event that average club gross revenues exceed $3.5 million per year, the salary cap would be increased by 35% of the excess revenue. If, for example, the teams in the league average $4 million in gross revenue next season--unlikely considering past figures--the salary cap would rise by 35% of $500,000, or $175,000, to $1.075 million for the 1989-90 season.

If the maximum goes up, the minimum would be $150,000 less than the maximum. If there are expansion franchises, their gross revenue figures would not be included in the league-wide average.

--Guaranteed player contracts of $90,000 or less cannot be renegotiated. Those over $90,000 could be subjected to a 20% cut, but not to less than $90,000. Owners, in their proposal earlier this week, had demanded that all guaranteed contracts be terminated and that all players become free agents.

“The reason they asked for that was because they wouldn’t have been able to get under the salary caps they wanted,” said Kevin Crow, the Sockers’ players representative. “But, with our offer, at $90,000, it would be able to work. There’s no way they can just eliminate contracts that have been guaranteed.”

--A freeze on per diem payments at $31 a day per player for the next two seasons. Owners had wanted to cut the per diem to $25.

--Player contracts would be paid over eight months. The players association said it would agree to negotiate necessary modifications so that the league could expand to include outdoor soccer. At that time, the association said, it would agree to discuss year-round contracts.

The owners, wanting an option to expand to the outdoor game, have asked for 12-month contracts now.

“If an individual player wants a 12-month contract, fine,” Crow said. “But, the way it stands now, we need freedom to be able to search for other ways to make money while we’re not playing.”

--The new bargaining agreement would be binding for four seasons. The owners, too, have asked for this. The players said, however, that should the league obtain revenues from any other sources--such as a television deal--that would push the league average to more than $4 million in gross revenues, the collective bargaining agreement may be reopened.

“Right now, that seems unlikely that it would even take place,” Crow said. “But, if somehow the league comes up with a big deal, we would want a chance to be a part of it. That’s just good business sense.”

Socker President Ron Cady said the league’s owners have decided to read the new offer this weekend before talking again Monday at 9 a.m.

“We’ve decided we don’t want to respond until we’ve had some time to look at it,” Cady said. “We don’t need any reactions, or over-reactions, right now. We want a chance to evaluate it.”