A court decision as to whether the U.S. women’s soccer team is operating under a valid collective-bargaining agreement could come in late spring, a few months before the World Cup champions play in the Olympics in Rio.
Attorneys for the U.S. Soccer Federation and the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Players Association have agreed to a court schedule in which Chicago federal Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman would hear final oral arguments May 24. Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for the union, said the schedule could allow the court to make a decision in early June. The Olympics begin Aug. 5, though the women’s soccer competition is scheduled to begin two days earlier.
“The players are very happy with this schedule, which reflects the positions they have been advocating in the case,” Kessler said. “It will provide for an orderly and timely ruling on the disputed issue of whether any CBA is currently in place.”
A spokesman for the U.S. Soccer Federation declined to comment on the litigation.
U.S. Soccer sued the players association Feb. 3, seeking an order finding that the two parties executed a collective-bargaining agreement in March 2013 that contains a no-strike clause and expires Dec. 31, after the Rio Olympics.
The players union, on the other hand, is asking the court to find that there is no valid CBA in place and that it expired on Dec. 31, 2012. The union contends the two sides executed a memorandum of understanding, not a CBA.
If the court rules there is a valid CBA, players would be legally bound to play in the Olympics. If the court finds there is no CBA, the players would be free to strike at any time, which would give them significant leverage in negotiations for a new CBA, with the Olympics just weeks away.
Attorneys for the two sides agreed on the court schedule, but were far apart on court-ordered settlement negotiations. “Although the parties have engaged in settlement discussions, given the differences between the parties’ respective positions, neither US Soccer nor the Players Association believes this case is likely to settle,” attorneys said in the joint brief filed before Coleman.
> WASSERMAN SIGNS NBA COACH, PLAYER: Wasserman has signed Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton for representation in all areas, including contract negotiation and endorsements.
At Wasserman, Walton will be represented by a team of agents. Walton won NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month honors last October and November, when he led the Warriors to a 24-game winning streak as an interim head coach. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was out at the time recovering from back surgery.
Walton, who retired as an NBA player in 2013 after being picked in the second round of the 2003 draft, is the son of NBA hall of famer and broadcaster Bill Walton. He was previously represented on the court by Tandem Sports & Entertainment.
Wasserman has also signed Los Angeles Clippers forward Branden Dawson. Dawson will be represented by B.J. Armstrong. He was formerly represented by Tandem Sports & Entertainment.
> LASCO IMPROVES DRAFT STOCK: Cal running back Daniel Lasco improved his draft status at the NFL combine earlier this month by jumping 11 feet, 3 inches in the broad jump, a record for a running back, as well as posting impressive numbers in the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump, the shuttle and the bench press.
Rob Rang, CBS Sports NFL draft analyst, said impressive play in the East-West Shrine Game has also helped Lasco. “These venues demonstrated Lasco’s undeniable athleticism and were critical to his draft stock given that he struggled through an injury-plagued senior season at California,” Rang said.
Lasco was one of three players represented by Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agents Leigh Steinberg and Chris Cabott who were invited to the NFL combine. The others are Northwestern running back Dan Vitale and Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, who is seen as one of four quarterbacks who could be taken in the first round.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
