USL & Players Reach Agreement Prior to Season Start

In anticipation of the league's return-to-play on July 11, the USL league office and the USL Players Association reached a tentative agreement for the start of the season, reported ESPN.

Locomotive FC has begun small group training sessions and the club anticipates having phases of more players join their practices as the weeks continue.

The formal announcement, which both sides hope to formalize, is expected to come by the end of the week. The Locomotive FC, along with the rest of the league, plans to return to the pitch on July 11. Both sides have endured negotiations since the suspension of the season took place on March 12. The final topics to resolve involved heath and safety protocols and economic relief for the USL. The league and the Players' Association is also planning to finalize the first Collective Bargaining Agreement in league history once the return-to-play guidelines are finalized.

There still hasn't been a formal announcement on whether fans can attend games or not. Having fans at the games might rely solely on local and state guidelines that have been set. Unlike a bubble setting—like the NBA is set to create—the USL plans to be the first league in the country to play matches at home venues.