Like all other top soccer leagues around the world that have been affected by the Coronavirus and are now looking at possible next steps to resume play, Major League Soccer is also now weighing options in hope of the MLS season returning to play soon.

“The league is focused on getting as many games as possible,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber.  But even with the determination Garber and others in the MLS have shown interest to still have a full MLS 2020 season, they also understand that some adjustments, if not compromises, should be made, even if Major League Soccer will return to play soon in light of the pandemic.

In an interview to ESPN, Don Garber confirmed that the MLS, which has been suspended until May 10^th for now, is contemplating different options and formats to resume play whilst protecting the safety of players, staff and fans.

The MLS now suspended training for its players until April 24^th, but Garber already confirmed that he expects this break in training to continue and be extended further for a few weeks at least.

The commissioner said that for now, Major League Soccer in the US is following very closely what European leagues are doing.  Mainly mentioning the English Premier League and German Bundesliga and the MLS looking closely at what these world soccer leagues are doing in terms of testing and training procedures.

Photo: Corbis via Getty Images

Case in point: European soccer governing body UEFA released earlier this month a letter to the European top leagues with a plan to resume soccer around July or August.  And UEFA also told leagues not to cancel season competitions yet.

Like many other sports events suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Soccer is now considering playing in empty stadiums without fans.  Garber said that this is how soccer will probably resume for the near future, in a format he named as “MLS Studio Games.”

Major League Soccer has already said it is reducing the salaries of three of its top executives by 25% and also cutting back on staff and management pay across the board.  Garber is included within the trio which took the 25% pay cut.

Garber also reflected on MLS Western Conference club Real Salt Lake cutting employee salaries and furloughing some of its staff.  The commissioner said he expects to see more MLS teams making difficult decisions on pay of non-playing employees.

As far as the MLS players taking a paycut, “nothing formal has been discussed” Garber said.  This is a delicate topic that has yet to be touched, given MLS players are still paid considerably less compared to other top-flight soccer leagues in the world, and other major-league sports in the US.

Bob Foose, Executive Director for the MLS Player Association told ESPN las week that the league has not approached the union about player salary cuts.