Major League Soccer will lock out referees after its union turned down a tentative agreement, putting Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on track to open the season next week with replacement authorities. The Professional Soccer Referees Association stated Saturday that 95.8% voted versus a tentative arrangement with the Professional Referee Organization, which provides match authorities to MLS, the NWSL and some lower-tier leagues. The union stated 97.8% of roughly 260 qualified members voted. A five-year contract had actually been set to end on 15 January, and a set of quick extensions ended Monday. The league stated PRO will lock out the union on Sunday. The PSRA stated in a declaration the tentative arrangement did not have an enough financial plan and quality-of-life enhancements. “The increasing development of MLS has actually considerably increased needs on authorities psychologically and physically, and as such has actually increased needs on both our expert and individual time,” union president Peter Manikowski stated in a declaration. The league stated PRO’s proposition for salaries, advantages and travel was a 25% enhancement from in 2015. Messi and Miami play the MLS opener in your home versus Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. avoid previous newsletter promotionafter newsletter promo MLS utilized replacement authorities for the very first 2 weeks of its 2014 season before reaching an agreement. League executive vice-president Nelson Rodriguez stated the union turned down a no strike-no lockout proposition. He stated in declaration PRO would utilize “knowledgeable expert match referees supported by veteran VAR authorities,” a referral to the video assistant referees.