CSN Bay Area

Major League Soccer and its players' union agreed in principle to a five-year labor contract, averting a possible strike ahead of Friday's season opener.

The deal, the culmination of talks that began last weekend in Washington, D.C., was announced Wednesday night and would replace the contract that expired Jan. 31.

Under the agreement, players 28 and older could become free agents if they have eight seasons of MLS service and their contracts have expired, a person familiar with the details said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the details had not yet been announced.

The minimum salary would rise to $60,000, the person said. The minimum generally was $48,500 last year, but the prior deal contained a provision in which some players could be paid as low as $36,500.

"This agreement will provide a platform for our players, ownership and management to work together to help build Major League Soccer into one of the great soccer leagues in the world," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement.

MLS's 20th season begins this weekend, with the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy hosting Chicago in the opener. The Fire traveled to California on Wednesday for the match.

"We are pleased to finally turn our fans attention back to our players and the competition on the field as we get started on the 2015 season," Bob Foose, executive director of the MLS Players Union, said in a statement.

The San Jose Earthquakes will open the MLS regular season on the road against Dallas on March 7, followed by another road game at Seattle on March 14. The Quakes play their first game in their new Avaya Stadium on Sunday, March 22 against the Chicago Fire.

MLS was established as a single entity in which the league owns all players' contracts. While stars such as Seattle's Clint Dempsey earn up to nearly $7 million, half the league's players last September had salaries under $100,000, according to the union.

The Associated Press contributed to this report