Arb process explained

Thanks to the exceedingly open/accessible/forthright Paul DePodesta:

1. The Player and the Club submit filing numbers, which are then exchanged a few weeks in advance of a hearing.
2. The player and the Club may continue to negotiate (in fact, they can strike a deal all the way up to and even AFTER the hearing if it's before the decision).
3. If no agreement is reached, the parties will go into a hearing in front of a panel of three arbitrators.
4. Both sides present their case to the panel and follow up with a round of rebuttals and a round of surrebuttals.
5. The panel deliberates for up to 24 hours before rendering a decision.
6. The panel has two choices - the Player's number or the Club's numbers - there is no middle ground.