MLB owners approve plan to start coronavirus-delayed 2020 season

[TheComputerGroup]

Major League Baseball owners reportedly approved a plan that could start the coronavirus-delayed season around the Fourth of July in ballparks without fans.

Spring training could start in early-to-mid June and the National League would use a designated hitter during the 2020 season, according to multiple reports.

Each team would play an 82-game regular season with most teams playing games in their own divisions and interleague not going past regional matchups such as AL East vs. NL East, AL Central vs. NL Central and AL West vs. NL West.

The postseason would expand to 14 teams by doubling the number of wild cards in each league to four.

According to Fox Business’ Charlie Gasparino, teams will have a choice of spring training in their own stadiums or in their usual venue in Florida or Arizona.

According to the Associated Press, teams would prefer to play at the regular-season ballparks but would not be opposed to switching to spring training sites or neutral stadiums if medical and government approvals cannot be granted for home parks.

The Toronto Blue Jays may have to play games at their spring training ballpark in Dunedin, Fla, while the 2020 MLB All-Star Game, set for Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, could be nixed.

While the traveling and testing of players weren’t immediately outlined, Fox Business reported that travel protocol is expected to be "intense.”

Teams will propose that players receive a percentage of the 2020 salaries based on revenues MLB receives during the season. It is likely to be one of the most contentious aspects of the proposal during negotiations.

The Players’ Union will now have to agree to the reported proposal and it will also need clearance from the White House. A decision from the MLBPA is likely later this week or next week, according to Fox Business.

Fox Business’ Charlie Gasparino and the Associated Press contributed to this report.



https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mlb-owners-approve-plan-coronavirus-delayed-2020-season-report

 

[cybersharp]

Sounds good. Now accelerate the timetable by 2-3 weeks and we have a winner.

I mean, Spring Training was well under way when this nonsense started. Why not another
2 weeks of practice and a June 1 start? You could get 108 games in; that's 2/3 of a season.

w-thumbs!^

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Sounds good. Now accelerate the timetable by 2-3 weeks and we have a winner.

I mean, Spring Training was well under way when this nonsense started. Why not another
2 weeks of practice and a June 1 start? You could get 108 games in; that's 2/3 of a season.

w-thumbs!^

I wish, but they're playing this very safely.......& If they rushed it back, the MSM would go crazy.

 

[BostonBettor]

I've heard on WFAN that the owners may want further salary concessions from the players. This could be a potential stumbling block to the season. Are the games going to be played without fans in the stands? If no fans, the owners stand to lose money and they want the players to take a further reduction in salaries. I guess we'll soon find out

 

[jaws2357]

I heard a 50/50 Revenue Split.

 

[skoda]

Pitchers will ruin their arms. Cancel year. Everybody wins. It will be messy. If there is a season God Bless all

 

[Willie99]

I'm getting excited

 

[michael777]

They will NEVER play this year,players already saying they will turn it down

 

[TheComputerGroup]

They will NEVER play this year,players already saying they will turn it down

Stop being a pessimist........

 

[CADILLACJACK]

Already reading many players don't like the proposal......unsafe work conditions and unfair compensation. This isn't looking too good. Owners are already going to be losing their ass with no fan base...the players need to take pay cut

 

[CADILLACJACK]

It's easier said than done to just say oh play without fans let the seasons begin, but any sport without any fan base the owners are losing out on a shit ton of revenue from ticket sales etc....that does play into the players salaries. It all ties together. Everyone will have to take pay cuts somewhere. I would think this would be an issue for the NFL as well with no fans. That money is needed! I sure hope something can work out but this is a complete mess when you look at it from the dollars and cents view on top of all the new restrictions that will be required

 

[Knightrofins]

I heard a 50/50 Revenue Split.

This could be the ONLY reason why we may not have a season. MONEY!!!

That would be horrible if they didnt play b/c of this reason

 

[unusualsusp11]

a ten million dollar player understands and accepts that he should only get 5 million for half a season. the owners only want to pay him 3.5 million. they won't take it. not worth their time and trouble.

 

[REDEYE]

Greed will rule the day again..Sports leagues need to understand that we have bigger issues in this country right now than games , and how much everyone involved needs to put in their pocket. Let's just put it all in perspective.. Sports is part of my life too. But I can do without the financial tug of war during these times

 

[Doug]

Triple asterisks to any records, no fans !
An abortion of a semi -season.

 

[CADILLACJACK]

So what’s the latest? Any news today? Thought today the players were going to say yay or nay

 

[TheComputerGroup]

MLB should bring in scabs like the NFL does during a strike..........let's get baseball going.

 

[CADILLACJACK]

Minor leaguers will be ready to go I’m sure

 

[skoda]

Pitchers will ruin their arms. Cancel year. Everybody wins. It will be messy. If there is a season God Bless all

An add on I see when/if games start I think Baseball network brodcasting games... pay to see....

 

[TheComputerGroup]

MLB doesn’t make economic proposal in lengthy union meeting

MLB did not make a formal economic proposal as part of its presentation Tuesday to the Players Association on how it sees restarting the season.

The sides met for 90 minutes, broke, then continued for another hour, with MLB focusing heavily on the protocols for how it believes it could keep the players and support staff safe and healthy should they return to a second spring training in about a month.

The union had anticipated MLB would include its proposal for a 50-50 revenue share with players this season rather than the prorated salaries the Players Association is expecting its membership to receive. MLB did make a presentation about its perception of economics in the game this year, however there was no proposal on salary reduction or revenue sharing as had been expected.

The sides did not make a set day to pick up talks, but MLB was expected to provide even more information to the union as early as Wednesday about health and safety issues, with the coronavirus pandemic still causing substantial illness and death in the country. Both sides recognize there cannot be a season without confidence that safety and health risks are minimal, that there is a plan in place for how to move forward if someone involved in the sport tests positive for the virus and that MLB is not draining tests, equipment or personnel needed for more essential services.

The tradition when these entities meet on major issues is that MLB presents ideas and/or proposals. The union asks questions, but is mainly in listening mode. Then the union takes some time to either offer more questions and/or counteroffers.

In addition, the history is that the sides try to gain momentum by tackling the easiest issues first. Perhaps that explains why the economic matter might be shelved for a bit, considering the rhetoric was already getting heated before the sides even met Tuesday.

But following the standard negotiating playbook is trickier now, in part because this is an attempt to return from an unprecedented event. Also because of a ticking clock that will make it difficult even to spend too much time gaining momentum with the low-hanging-fruit items.

There is a lot of doubt that MLB could meet its most aggressive plans for spring training 2.0 in mid-June and a season beginning in the July 1-4 window. But if the goal is to try to have a deal in place to make that bold proposal happen, the sides have roughly 2-3 weeks to negotiate because teams believe they will need that time to put all new protocols into place and logistically regather for spring training either in spring sites or home stadiums.

MLB discussed scheduling with the union in the virtual meeting Tuesday. The MLB plan calls for an 82-game season, a schedule in which teams only play within their division and the corresponding division in the other league to cut down on travel and playoffs that would expand from 10 to 14 teams. The use of a DH would become universal, rosters would expand to 30 active, with taxi squads up to 20 for in-season depth without minor league games being played, and the sport would at least begin with no fans in attendance.

All of those changes will necessitate negotiating and give and take. But the large hurdles are going to involve the safety and health pieces, as players worry not just about themselves and those involved in putting on a game, but returning home to family members.

The other major problem to solve involves finances. The union has stated its March 26 agreement with MLB guaranteed players a prorated portion of their 2020 salaries based on games played. MLB said the document says a reconsideration of salaries must be undertaken if there are no revenues from attendance.

The union is loath to accept the 50-50 revenue sharing for a variety of reasons, including its belief any revenue sharing mechanism could be a slippery slope to a salary cap. Plus, the union believes the players do not benefit directly in compensation in years in which MLB’s revenues climb so why should it take a hit in the inverse situation, plus the players will be the ones taking the risk to return without a vaccine.

The owners say that paying the players in full for whatever games are played would just add to what they portray as already staggering monetary losses. They say the league derives 40 percent of its revenue from ticket sales and its subsidiary items such as concessions and parking. MLB has indicated the revenue sharing in this case has nothing to do with a salary cap and would be a one-off to deal with this emergency.

For now, both sides are portraying inflexibility on this issue. Whether that is rhetoric or entrenched positions that can’t be overcome will be revealed in the coming weeks. But after a wait with no idea when the games may begin again, the clock suddenly is ticking.

https://nypost.com/2020/05/12/mlb-d...utm_medium=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=SocialFlow