The MLB, and the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that capitulated at the end of November, has meant an ensuing lockout has shrouded the winter break with all sorts of unknowns. The immediate stoppage of any off-season discussions, signings, training, and more seems here to stay.
December has yielded little in the form of negotiations between stakeholders in the MLB. Any sort of talks materializing will only transpire in January – if at all. Thus, the most recent lockout – the first work stoppage since the players’ strike during the 1994 – 1995 season – may well linger on long after we enter the new year.
Will Spring Training be impeded?
There is a lot of talk surrounding the possibility of spring training being delayed to some extent. Three weeks into the current MLB lockout and the chances of Spring Training being affected is fast becoming more of a likelihood. Negotiations are set to start up at some point in January. However, it’s really a question of whether an agreement can be reached before the latest ‘deadline’ of February 1st. If talks do commence early on in the new year, then the soft deadline for the CBA might well be reached. However, there are murmurs that point to the fact that such discussions will only really come to fruition at the end of the month. If this is the case, then there is no way an agreement will be struck at the start of February.
Added to which, a number of people close to the matter believe that Spring Training will indeed be delayed as the lockout continues to loom on. Major League Baseball and the Player’s Association will need to get their houses in order and finalize the CBA as soon as possible – without jeopardizing anyone involved (particularly the players). There may well be a more polarized environment, particularly if the lockdown drags on beyond Spring Training.
If the lockdown does continue into Spring Training, many are concerned that the regular season will also be affected. This will result in a number of games being shaved off of the season. Naturally, this will dent franchises’ revenue while also negatively affecting all the fans across the US.
Disparities in salaries coming to the fore
An interesting facet of the current lockdown has zoned in on the economic side of things; with special attention given to the disparities in compensation between the best and the rest. Now, it would be remiss not to mention that the main element to the latest negotiations – or lack thereof – has to do with the competitive balance tax. But, there is certainly another component at play and discussions are set to include salaries issues and how the compensation structure should change in the future.
At the moment both sides have wholly different ideas as to how core economic issues should be addressed and changed. Interestingly, year-and-year revenue for teams continues to increase. However, players’ find themselves getting the same slice of an ever-increasing pie. What’s more, is that the majority of players earn annual salaries that do not exceed $1 million while the stars of the MLB receive exorbitant salaries that far outstrip what the other 60%-70% of players earn. Now, the Players’ Association and the MLB seem to have differing ideas as to how this can be rectified. It is due to this, and a number of other internal issues, have led to somewhat of a stalemate – so to speak.
We’ll be sure to follow the latest developments in the world of baseball come 2022. Stay in the loop with us and ensure that you are at the forefront of all the latest sports and sports betting news!
