Players, MLS split on money
SuperLiga prize not as advertised
FOXBOROUGH - Everything around the SuperLiga would lead you to believe that the eight teams are competing for a prize of $1 million.
But in this instance, maybe that $1 million should include an asterisk, or a fast-talker reading the fine print. SuperLiga, in its second year, pits four top Mexican teams against the top four MLS teams from 2007, which include the Revolution.
If an MLS team should win the tournament, it will receive $150,000, instead of the $1 million advertised. While it was believed Mexican clubs would receive the full $1 million, the New York Post reported Wednesday that MLS commissioner Don Garber said last year's SuperLiga champion, Pachuca, divvied up $300,000.
Tonight, the Revolution face Chivas USA in Fullerton, Calif., in their final Group B match. A win or tie would guarantee the Revolution a top seed for the semifinals, which will be July 29 and July 30.
While teams have been involved in group matches, talk of the prize disbursement has been simmering among players and the league. On July 12, the MLS Players Association released a statement about the money distribution claiming the league "has unilaterally set its own bonus structure for players, who will receive only a small fraction of the $1 million. On top of that, the league has gone even further by prohibiting its teams from providing their own bonus pool for their players, despite the fact that this right is protected under the league's [collective bargaining agreement]."
Players from D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo, who are also in the tournament, reportedly attempted to set up a different payment plan, but the MLS blocked the process. The Dynamo then filed a grievance and an arbitrator will take on the issue.
The discrepancy lies in an arrangement in the CBA, which considers "bonuses" for a tournament like SuperLiga as "purely voluntary," the MLS said in a statement.
The league maintains it is at "financial risk" by participating in the tournament, flying teams across the country and setting up sites. Also, should an MLS team win, the money awarded would be in line with what is given for the CONCACAF Champions Cup ($77,000), US Open Cup ($100,000), and MLS Cup ($165,000).
At Claudio Reyna's retirement announcement Wednesday, Garber addressed the issue further, according to the New York Post, saying, "We negotiated in our agreement the league had no [responsibility] to pay bonuses, and we voluntarily determined we will pay bonuses and we agreed with our union. So, we're frustrated that after that agreement the union is disappointed by the numbers. That was an issue that should've been handled a couple of years ago."
Before Garber's statements, Revolution union representative Jay Heaps said players are left with more questions than answers about the payouts. If a MLS team should win SuperLiga, players could end up with about $5,300 each.
"It's just a little disappointing that this is being billed as a $1 million tournament, and that's not really the case," Heaps said. "The thing that frustrates us is the tournament would be such a huge positive we look forward to all year, and we were basically told the pay structure three or four days before it was going to be played. It's just one of those situations where you have to deal with it, but you just hope that the MLS would put us on the same playing field as the Mexican federation puts their players on in their league."
No matter how it breaks down, Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis said all teams competing should feel like they are playing for the same prize.
"They're definitely trying hard, but we're trying just as hard, and we're not going to get as much, and as players we were a little bit disappointed in that," Reis said.
Frank Dell'Apa of the Globe staff contributed to this report; Monique Walker can be reached at mwalker@globe.com.
