Spain's CSD, National Handball Bodies Nearing New Collective Bargaining Agreement

Spain's Superior Sports Council (CSD) "hopes that on Feb. 9, a green light will be given to the new collective bargaining agreement" for the the Spanish Handball League (ASOBAL), the Spanish Handball Federation (RFEBM) and the Players' Association, and "that the agreement will be for three years," according to Enrique Ojeda of AS. The CSD is "hoping the agreement will serve as a model for other elite competitions." The "new agreement's proposed measures for the relaunch of handball include imposing taxes that each club has to pay, fewer foreign players and a requirement that spending be based upon revenue." For six months, "the CSD has held meetings with each of the parties and audited ASOBAL and its 16 clubs, reaching an agreement that the clubs' debts are manageable." A commission will "decide in the upcoming months on a maximum amount that each club is able to spend on its players for the '13-14 season." This season, Barcelona produced the most revenue of any team, with €1.2M ($1.6M) (AS, 1/28).