[ESPN] MLB suspends spring training, delays Opening Day at least two weeks

If MLB can't get back to playing ball simply because they can't agree how to share the money, they are going to need more than a roided up Bonds/Sosa/McGwire HR chase to recover

 

The math seems pretty straightforward here. The players want 50% of their salaries if they play 50% of their games. But the teams are not going to get 50% of their revenues because there will be no fans for many of those games (and less for others). If players really expect their normal per-game salaries in a league with lower-than-normal per-game revenues, it seems like this won't work.

 

This is where they have to prove that fan attendance is that critical to overall revenues.

In the other leagues, its important... but TV money drives those franchises. Thus why some teams with poor attendance will continue to be profitable... which has also been debated in baseball for years, as teams like the Marlins/Rays claim they’re losing money... but when you factor in TV deals and revenue sharing based on other team’s TV deals, they become profitable.

Granted, TV money may be pro-rated or significantly decreased as they won’t be playing a full slate of games... even though networks (albeit the mega-ones) have been able to maintain ad rates as people are tuning in to watch old games with higher than normal ratings.

 

There's absolutely no way attendance isn't a massive driving factor of revenue in baseball. Even if they do get most of thier media revenue at least 1/3 of thier income is being shaved right off the top, probably more for most franchises.

 

And that’s exactly what they’re being accused of embellishing, some teams claiming 51%... including teams that never historically drew well.

I think it’s entirely predictable that 48% sharing is an insult to the players... and most baseball people are agreeing that this is a unified attempt by the owners to go for as much profit as possible. The players are also taking a decent amount of risk, health wise, and feel at the very least they should get what they agreed to back in March.

I still think they’ll figure something out, but it will not be this version of the plan.

 

Of course, the owners are trying to make money/avoid losing money. I will say the MLB attorneys are brilliant. I thought the trade of ~200 million if no season is played for the right not to be sued if a season isn't played was a bad deal. Though, by requiring the three conditions to be met for a season to be played, the owners got the right not to pay the players a prorated portion of the $4 billion in salaries if a season could be played without fans. Without the ability to sue for wages due to the March Agreement, the players can choose the health route and keep the $200 million (or whatever money it was) or they can come back to the negotiating table.

The 48% is only a slap in the face because the veteran players, McHugh and Doolittle notable exceptions, care about money as much as the owners. Owners paying minor leaguers like serfs is evil. Owners trying to suppress the salaries of millionaires is just business. MLBPA should be more concerned with getting full salaries for club controlled players than whining about owners trying to save a buck on the salaries of millionaires, IMO.

 

The MLBPA is accusing the owners of inflating losses in order to get what they’ve always truly wanted.

the actual percentage/money matters less than the concept of a glorified cap. I’m guessing they negotiate down further a pro-rated salary percentage, plus additional incentives or percentages on gate if fans come back... but a flat revenue shared salary allotment is likely a non-starter.

 

And there is always a dumb ass like Ianetta making statements like "if we are going to risk our lives we deserve fair compensation"

As if it makes sense to "risk my life" for 8 million, but for 6 million that makes no sense lol

Which ever side you support in things like this, everyone "should" understand it's not smart to make statements like that when 30 million have recently applied for unemployment

 

Yes, with 81 home games (in a normal season) it doesn't take much math ability to figure out there is a huge amount of revenue that will be missed

 

... so they had a first day meeting, and didn't bring up the money issue?

Is this a secret netflix series that we weren't aware of? They're saving the cliffhanger for the last episodes? Dragging things out Red Sox investigation style?

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29174318/rays-ace-blake-snell-says-refuses-play-reduced-salary

Not a great omen given this is a club-controlled player who doesn't fit the category of either the top 1% who've already had their big contract, or the youngest players who will do whatever the union tells them to do.

Its the middle-class of MLB that really would be able to sway things if the current proposal is the only one the owners are willing to go for.

Of course, Snell doesn't look great in some of these quotes... and I expect a huge public backlash which may sway other middle-class members from speaking out like this.

In the end, the main sentiment from a lot of players thus far is that the owners don't increase salaries when they make more money... so why should they expect a decrease when they're primed to make less? Like I said earlier, they likely settle back at the pro-rated agreement with the possibility of incentives should fans be allowed back (which is looking less and less likely given the current trends after "re-opening").

ETA: I guess Snell signed one of those arbitration buyout contracts... so he's not just middle-class... more upper-middle class. He's got financial security for the next 3 years at a locked in rate.

 

Financial security for the next 3 years? Lol, i'm 53 and have worked since I was 15 and i'm still well short of 2 million in lifetime earnings. I have a nice house, a top of the line pickup truck, wife has a nice suv, we take great vacations every year.....and i'm well short in lifetime earnings of what he would would make THIS YEAR even with his 25% quote

Now trust me I understand he has a physical talent that I do not have, he is one of the best 50 in the world at throwing a baseball. I am not one who "sides" with owners against players in situations like that, both sides are FILTHY rich....I just absolutely hate it when guys in his situation mouth off like this about being fairly compensated

It also sounds like he doesn't even want to play for the pro-rated amount that was agreed to back in March. He wants his whole 7 million.

And also, and let me clarify before I say this that personally I think this entire situation has been overblown by the media and both sides of the government...but, IF he is being serious about thinking his life is so at risk if he plays, what is a life worth? He is basically saying "I have no problem risking my life for 7 million dollars, but no way in hell i'm risking it for 3.5 million"....dude is a fool, a fool with a nice fastball and slider, but a fool

I think for guys like him he should just sit out the season, mlb should give him the option of delaying his contract until he feels the world is safe enough to pitch in, or just letting the contract play out (without getting paid obviously) and pick it up wherever it is when he decides the world is safe enough to pitch in. I put it that way because the it's extremely likely this never truly goes away. Everyone is waiting on a vaccine when reality is, for viruses, you rarely ever get a true vaccine.

I think an agreement is reached to play this year even if it is without a few players, but I have almost no confidence they reach a new CBA without another work stoppage. Baseball owners and players are not the brightest in the world

 

He made it clear he wasn't thrilled about playing for the pro-rated share, but they'd already agreed upon that. He's saying he will not play for the additional cut of the pro-rated share, which he's estimating to be closer to 25% of the original contract.

I don't think there will be some players who agree and some don't... they'll be unified in whatever the front is, or risk being ostracized by the union.

Most other industries have workers facing a similar dilemma... however in most of those cases, its not a choice as they'll just find a replacement for you if you refuse. Not so much the case in baseball if the entire union sticks with it.

Again, I think they'll work it out... but not with the current framework.

 

Baseball is really playing with fire if this season doesn't happen, or barely happens and then they miss 2022 due to labor issues.

The demographics already show they are having a lot of trouble connecting with young fans when compared to the NBA and NFL. Maybe it's just my circle, but aside from full bandwagon mode during the playoffs there is no baseball talk among my friends and coworkers...ever, I honestly don't know one person under 40 that watches regularly. The NBA and NFL (and their video games) are routinely the topic of some discussion.

The sport is too deeply ingrained to go away, but with attendance shrinking and cable TV on life support they are playing a dangerous game.

 

I also think they will agree to play this year but doubtful in 2022

Baseball has always been the dumbest when it comes to these things

 

I can tell you that high school kids, other than those on the baseball team itself, very rarely talk about baseball. NBA is talked about more than football, but baseball talk is on the same level as soccer talk honestly

Me and my friends talk more baseball than anything, but we are all late 40s early 50s

I fully agree with your post, dangerous road they are attempting to travel on

 

Man, those Snell comments sound so tone-deaf* in light of the struggles of the every-day-man. Millionaires complaining about money hardly ever looks good.

 

Next time he comes to MMP i'm gonna boo him like the rest of the nation is gonna boo us

 

I thought he made one good point. He said if he gets the virus, it could cause permanent damage to his body. That permanent damage could impact his baseball career, and his life after baseball.

I have heard doctors say that some people who get the virus do indeed sustain permanent damage to their lungs.

So, I can understand why some professional athletes may just want to skip a season rather than risk(no matter how small) getting the virus.

 

There’s so much wrong in this post I don’t even know where to start. I’ve seen you posting multiple times your dangerous and wrong opinion. I should’ve quit reading when I saw you judging your income/net worth by what kind of car you drive. Talk about representing what’s wrong with the world.

There will be a vaccine. It might take 2 years, but there will be an effective vaccine. The full force of human intelligence and financial resources is focused on it. Of course you obviously have bought in to the ridiculous “fake news” narrative so it’s a waste of time even discussing it.

Bringing it back to baseball, this situation is really not much different than a normal CBA negotiation. It’s hard to sympathize with either side, and the fans are usually the ones who come out losers. I agree with you that players should be given a choice if they want to sit out the season without pay, and not be punished otherwise.