Speaking publicly and at length for the first time since MLS paused its 25th season in early March, commissioner Don Garber on Wednesday revealed the league will take a $1 billion revenue hit because of the coronavirus pandemic, forcing “unimaginably difficult” negotiations with the players union that finally resulted in a revised collective bargaining agreement.
As a result of that deal, announced earlier Wednesday, the league’s 26 clubs will convene in Orlando at the end of June to restart the season with a made-for-TV tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Garber said most specifics of the competition were still being finalized, and that there still is no certainty about when or if teams might be able to play in their own stadiums.