Could labor unrest threaten the 2010 MLS season? Reps from the players union and MLS are talking, but so far they've come short of agreeing on the broad terms of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. And time is short: the deadline for reaching a new deal is Friday.

The stakes are high for both sides. On the MLS side, the league is certainly gaining momentum after the successful introduction of the Seattle franchise last season, while many are eagerly awaiting Philadelphia in 2010 and Portland in 2011. Excitement helps the league market itself to sponsors, and with other potential lucrative markets waiting to enter MLS (such as Montreal), the MLS game plan is close to fruition.

For the players, the attitude is simple: now that the league is taking off, it's time to share the bounty. It's one thing for everyone involved to share the pain when MLS was struggling, but now that there's clear signs of success, the players want better pay and work conditions. 

So both sides have a lot to gain. There were no negotiations yesterday after a long Monday session. Now, the Friday deadline isn't absolute: the two sides could pronounce that they've made substantial progress toward an agreement and will continue negotiations while the season starts. It takes a little power away from both sides.

MLS certainly has more to lose if there's a work stoppage: nothing like labor unrest to suck the life from a league. If players strike -- or are locked out -- it's highly unlikely the league would operate with replacement players. Fans would certainly notice the dropoff in quality.

So both sides have a lot to gain -- and a lot to lose -- the next several days. With so much at stake, both sides will likely find a solution that will allow all involved to declare victory -- even though it's more likely to end up the equivalent of a scoreless draw.