What the New CBA Tells Us About USL Premier
After a drawn out, public labor dispute, USL and the USL Players Association have tentatively agreed on a new CBA that contains impressive gains for the players. A surprising aspect of the joint announcement to many was that the CBA covers both the USL Championship and the forthcoming USL Premier. USL League One has a separate CBA.
CBA details emerged from an ESPN article, including 12-month contracts (up from 10), guaranteed health insurance, the elimination of unilateral in-season buyouts, NIL compensation structures and protections if clubs fold. The aim of these changes will be to stabilize the player experience and make the league more credible professionally.
There of course are also important salary increases raising the minimum USL Championship salary to $42,000 for established players and $34,000 for entry-level players. USL Premier will be established with a $67,000 salary floor for established players and $50,000 for entry-level players.
While these minimums for USL Premier may pale in comparison to the established men’s pro Division I, MLS, it is important to note that MLS will have a 32-year head start over USL Premier by the time it launches, and enjoyed generous subsidies from USSF throughout much of its existence. Still, USL Premier will not be operating at the same level as MLS out of the gate, as any reasonable observer would expect, and it will likely take quite a while to build up to that level.
Another nuance in the agreement is that there will be 6 entry-level players allowed on a USL Premier roster, versus 4 entry-level contracts in the USL Championship. It is possible that USL Premier teams may want to devote a percentage of payroll to a marquee player two, and these extra entry-level slots would help balance that expense out.
When USL Premier launches in 2028, it is expected to have at least 12 teams, including roughly 8-9 moving up from the USL Championship with several expansion teams joining the ranks. Its launch will see the implementation of promotion and relegation between USL Premier and the USL Championship, and the USL Championship and USL League One. The planned structure once expansion fills out is for USL Premier to have 20 teams, the USL Championship to have another 20 and the USL League One eventually breaking into regional conferences to be able to support more even teams.
The new CBA represents an important step in making this vision a reality, and in improving the USL’s credibility as a professional sports league for both players and potential investors.
