MLS gets its referees back

NEW YORK (AP):

MAJOR LEAGUE Soccer (MLS) and its referees announced a seven-year labour contract yesterday, ending a 37-day lockout that led to the use of replacement officials.

Match officials will average a 28.36 per cent increase this year, followed by hikes of 3 per cent in 2025, 6 per cent in 2026, 3 per cent each in 2027 and 2029, and 4 per cent apiece in 2029 and 2030, according to Peter Manikowski, president of the Professional Soccer Referees Association. He said a top-scale referee will earn a minimum US$200,000 starting in 2028.

The Professional Referee Organization, which supplies match officials to MLS, the NWSL and some lower-tier leagues, locked out officials on February 18, three days ahead of the MLS opener, after the union rejected a tentative five-year deal to replace the expired deal.

PRO and the union, which has about 260 members, said it had ratified an agreement reached last week that runs until January 31, 2031.

Replacement officials were used in the first 69 games over the opening five weeks of this season, drawing some criticism.

“Human beings make individual mistakes, but it’s the avoidance of mistakes and it’s the situational awareness that makes our officials the most experienced and the best ones in North America, in some cases in the world,” Manikowski said. “It’s not what happens on an individual call, but what leads up to that which is, I think a big change that folks will see on the field of play this coming weekend.”

PRO did not have any comment beyond a prepared statement.

MLS also used replacement officials for the first two weeks of its 2014 season before reaching a five-year contract after the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service entered talks.