Major League Soccer officials and its players have averted a strike by signing a five-year labour deal on Saturday.
MLS union chief Bob Foose said players would get guaranteed contracts for the first time and increased player rights.
Management was against free agency for the players saying they always had the option of signing with clubs overseas. The MLS has negotiated all contracts as a single entity on behalf of its teams since the league started 14 years ago.
The new deal, which came after two days of negotiations, includes a re-entry draft for players whose contracts end or who hit a certain age.
The average median income for the league's 323 players is 88,000 dollars.
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
