Major League Baseball is getting it dead wrong
February 23, 2022
For a sport that has suffered a series of public relations blunders over the past several decades, this latest one takes the cake for Major League Baseball.
Recently, it became apparent that the 2022 MLB season could be delayed due to the ongoing lockout prompted by the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement.
The players union and owners have been engaged in weeks of tense negotiations, focusing on a range of issues from elevating player bonuses who are not eligible for arbitration and increasing the number of amateur draft picks that would be determined by a lottery.
The continued stalemate has led to the spring training being delayed and no end in sight for the return of baseball.
As a fan, this has left me frustrated to no end.
One of my big pet peeves with MLB has been the stubbornness and refusal to acknowledge that certain elements need to be incorporated into a CBA to incentivize long-term longevity of the sport, such as a salary cap or more support for minor league players.
The stubbornness exhibited by both sides, plus the inept leadership of Commissioner Rob Manfred has put the sport in a precarious spot; after the COVID-plagued 2020 season, declining fan interest and cheap gimmicks that have not resonated with fans, now is not the time for a prolonged strike to occur, jeopardizing the long-term interest of America’s pastime.
For as long as the strike continues, fan apathy will continue to rise and to the rest of the world, both sides will look selfish as they put self-interest before all else.
Football, basketball and other sports succeed in their respective leagues because both players and owners understand what needs to be done in order to maximize the benefits each side receives; the players and owners involved in this round of negotiations could learn something from their counterparts.
If individuals on both sides of the argument could simply put aside personal desires for the greater good of the league and sport as a whole, the long-term benefits would be unimaginable.
MICHAEL GUIDO
