Major League Baseball says it wants to share revenues with players “50-50.”The union says that’s “misleading propaganda” and “deception.” The really big question at the heart of this: 50-50 … of what? How MLB wants to define revenue: www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...

In battle over MLB salary cap, players and owners spar over the meaning of ‘50/50’ (Gift Article)

The revenue split is a key point of contention in cap leagues like the NBA and NHL. MLB is just now grappling with the particulars.

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When José Iglesias got the call asking him to join the cast of Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway, he thought they had the wrong number. “I lost some sleep, I’m not gonna lie" www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...

From role player to starring role: Former Met José Iglesias heads to Broadway

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New pod: @theathletic.com's @evandrellich.bsky.social on an era of good feelings around baseball in the face of a coming labor war. open.spotify.com/episode/1jUn...

Can MLB Surpass the NBA?

The Varsity · Episode

open.spotify.com

MLB wants to make the LA Olympics in 2028 mandatory for chosen players. Skip out without an approved excuse, and you're on the restricted list without pay and service time for as many as 25 days through Aug. 3 that year — well after the second half begins July 21. www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...

Fearing participation issues, MLB proposing stiff penalties for players who skip Olympics

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"Our game is in a great place. ... I have watched over the last few years the owners, the commissioner’s office, try to convince fans, the consumers of their product, that their product is broken. "I think it’s perverse." — Bruce Meyer of the MLBPA in opening remarks this morning to press

Details of what the MLBPA proposed today, including: the trade deadline would fall between July 21-27 (currently has to be between July 28-Aug. 3) — and, wrinkle, outrighted players could be traded after the deadline www.nytimes.com/athletic/741...

MLB players union proposes earlier trade deadline and more limits on player demotions

In Wednesday's bargaining session, the league and union talked about issues beyond the salary cap, with the union seeking changes.

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Forget eliminating Shohei Ohtani-esque, $700 million contracts in free agency. If the owners have their way in baseball’s labor negotiations, Alex Rodriguez’s $252-million signing from a quarter century ago wouldn’t be allowed in the future either. www.nytimes.com/athletic/739...

MLB looks to limit free-agent contract length, dollars in latest labor proposal (Gift Article)

The league would also raise the minimum salary, end deferred-money contracts, and shorten some players' time to free agency.

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How experts in labor negotiations look at the early stages of MLB bargaining… and with good timing! Because the sides are back at the negotiating table today, with MLB set to make its first proposals on some key economic issues. www.nytimes.com/athletic/739...

Experts weigh in on early stage of MLB labor talks: ‘Don’t over-read it’ (Gift Article)

With bargaining resuming Thursday, will the league continue to hold back its most eye-catching proposals?

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News: the Home Run Derby is ditching the clock. MLB is using a "swings" system in this year's derby. 1st round: 20 swings 2nd and 3rd: 15 hacks. On your last pitch each round, swing til you don't go deep. (Deleted original post which called it an "outs" system.) www.nytimes.com/athletic/737...

MLB Home Run Derby to ditch clock, revive swing-based system: Sources

The annual event will be broadcast on Netflix for the first time next month, with the Derby taking place at Citizens Bank Park.

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President Trump said Friday that Major League Baseball should have added a salary cap "a long time ago." "Don't they sort of have one?" The president has picked a side in baseball's labor talks: the owners'. www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

MLB is positioning a salary cap as a way to end local TV blackouts. What's the catch? A few things. www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

MLB labor talks raise possibility of ending reviled out-of-market broadcast blackouts

Even if the blackouts disappear, fans will still need multiple services to watch all of their favorite team's games.

nytimes.com

Rob Manfred said in October 2024 that MLB had a "darn good" record on competitive balance. Back in 2018, he said the correlation between winning and spending was "extraordinarily weak." Now, he says MLB's luxury-tax system has failed: www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

Commissioner Rob Manfred, who once touted MLB’s parity, says luxury-tax system has failed

Manfred questioned MLB's parity Wednesday, while acknowledging fears that a salary cap fight could rival the ugliness of the 1994-95 strike.

nytimes.com

One of the finer points of the MLBPA's proposal last week: the union asked MLB to publicly release some financial information, including how much each team gets in local revenue sharing. On "opening the books" www.nytimes.com/athletic/732...

The what-if mailbag: Paul Skenes as a Yankee? MLB owners actually opening their books?

Most of these are hypotheticals — but we made some calls, and owners opening their books isn't a total fantasy due to ongoing labor talks.

nytimes.com

Sacramento group launches bid for Major League Baseball’s expansion efforts. First task: pull in a lead owner “It’s true that Sacramento will be perceived as an underdog" www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...

Sacramento group launches bid for Major League Baseball’s expansion efforts

That Sacramento is in the conversation reflects how much the area has grown over time. However, there are significant hurdles it must clear.

nytimes.com

In an assertive opening move to this round of labor negotiations, the Major League Baseball Players Association on Wednesday tried to head off what they know is coming: the owners’ push for a salary cap. The updated story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...

MLB players make first labor proposal: plan doubles minimum player salary, adds soft payroll floor

nytimes.com

As MLB labor negotiations continue today and tomorrow — and a cap proposal arrives — one issue might decide the sport's fate. MLB franchise values trail the NBA and NFL. Why that's become so important: “To get change, I think you do what you have to do” www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...

MLB owners want what NBA, NFL owners have: soaring franchise values, and a salary cap

A lot of new money has come into baseball, including from private equity firms. For owners hoping to sell, a cap could boost team value.

nytimes.com

News: It has begun. Major League Baseball and the Players Association are holding their first collective bargaining meeting in New York today, making opening presentations ahead of what's expected to be a lengthy fight over a salary cap. www.nytimes.com/athletic/727...

MLB, union begin negotiations over new labor deal

Negotiations begin today between MLB and its players' union, the first step in a lengthy process expected to drag into early 2027.

nytimes.com

Welcome to leverage theater. MLB labor negotiations are about to begin. Here's your guide to the process and what to expect: www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...

MLB labor talks will begin in the next couple weeks. What’s the process, and what’s at stake?

What's the timetable? Who will be at the negotiating table? And why, if talks are starting soon, is Spring 2027 likely when it gets settled?

nytimes.com

In new book, Lew Wolff says ‘despicable’ San Francisco Giants to blame for Athletics relocation www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

In new book, A’s Lew Wolff says ‘despicable’ Giants to blame for Athletics relocation

Lew Wolff, the most visible member of A's ownership from 2005-2015, is publishing a new book offering his views on events in that period.

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Two years ago, Harry Marino helped orchestrate a player mutiny challenging the MLBPA's leadership. In his first interview about the events, Marino says they should be remembered not as "coup," but as the start of "an overdue reckoning." www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

Ex-union official who orchestrated mutiny at MLBPA breaks silence on players association turmoil

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Former MLB commissioner Peter Ueberroth's daughter has gone to court to fight for control of her family's trust amidst her parents' cognitive decline. She alleges that the trustee — who is also the chairman of Tiger Woods' foundation — has misused millions www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Former MLB commissioner Peter Ueberroth's daughter tells court trustee misused millions

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MLB players and owners alike have stockpiled cash ahead of the expected lockout later this year www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

Ahead of likely lockout, MLBPA amasses war chest of more than $500 million

The union’s financial disclosure was the first it has filed since the ouster of Tony Clark as executive director in February.

nytimes.com

Has MLB overtaken the NBA as America’s No. 2 league? From @stephenjnesbitt.bsky.social @evandrellich.bsky.social and me Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

Has MLB overtaken the NBA as America’s No. 2 league? (Gift Article)

The NFL is king. But baseball's gains of late have changed the terms of its rivalry with the NBA over who is No. 2.

nytimes.com

News: As Opening Day arrives, MLB first- and third-base coaches fear for their safety from line drives because of MLB's rule change to keep them in their designated boxes. Aaron Boone: “They’re in harm’s way, bottom line.” With @ken-rosenthal.bsky.social and more www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

MLB base coaches say new rule to curb pitch tipping has put them in harm’s way

MLB is standing by its enforcement though one coach told The Athletic, "we’ve all been talking about how you’re constantly in danger."

nytimes.com

Coming off a stellar World Baseball Classic, baseball has never been more popular across the globe. Pierre Ducrey, sports director for the International Olympic Committee, on anticipation for 2028, and whether baseball could become permanent again: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

Baseball is riding an international boom, but will it ever stick in the Olympics?

We'll see Olympic baseball in L.A. But with MLB's schedule and future Olympic Games taking place elsewhere, will that continue beyond 2028?

nytimes.com

Miami has been so loud as the host of the World Baseball Classic, the games so well attended that some tournament officials think it should be the de facto host of the WBC going forward: “I think Miami is always going to be in the rotation in some way" www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

Reveling in WBC success, Miami pushes to be tourney's permanent home

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Half the remaining teams in the World Baseball Classic are playing for a spot in the 2028 Olympics. How MLB, the MLBPA and the WBSC determined the Olympic qualifying set-up, and why the union pushed for two teams to come out of the WBC rather than one: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

They came to win the WBC. Olympic qualification was a surprising part of the deal

For teams from the Americas, the World Baseball Classic is a double-jeopardy tournament. Lose too soon and you're out of the Olympics, too.

nytimes.com

The A’s used to let their star players walk. A move to Vegas is changing things www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

The A's used to let their star players walk. A move to Vegas is changing things

nytimes.com

The most important (and convoluted) aspect of the World Baseball Classic that nobody is talking about: www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...

For Venezuela, the Dominican and others, WBC is their only shot at Olympic qualification

The WBC will be the only chance for the Americas teams to qualify for the six-team Olympic field at Dodger Stadium in 2028.

nytimes.com

What Tony Clark’s exit means for the MLBPA and an expected lockout www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

With Tony Clark gone, how will change at baseball's union impact MLB ahead of looming lockout?

nytimes.com