Baseball had the first opportunity of all the sports to return from the Covid-19 pandemic; however, negotiations between the Players Union and team owners have disabled the league from starting up again and taking form. The New York Yankees are no exception to this reality.
The sport has been dying for years, and missing nearly an entire season could be significant toward it’s progressing downward trend. The MLBPA and team owners have been unable to strike a deal, but the latest reports have indicated a revised proposal has been discussed, which would cut the regular season schedule down to 50 games that would start in July.
While a 50 game season would be the last resort, the owners would give the players a full pro-rated salary.
According to an ESPN report:
“Based on that feedback received from the Players Association,” the agreement reads, “the Office of the Commissioner will construct and provide to the Players Association, as promptly as possible, a proposed 2020 championship season and postseason schedule (or multiple schedule options) using best efforts to play as many games as possible, while taking into account player safety and health, rescheduling needs, competitive considerations, stadium availability, and the economic feasibility of various alternatives.”
The previous proposal included a 114-game schedule that would over 70.3% of their original salaries while a 50-game season would pay out 30.8%. The major roadblock has been the team owners’ inability to provide an income number to allow the MLBPA to negotiate 50% pro-rate contracts properly. Without real numbers, it’s virtually impossible to strike a deal worth utilizing.
With a potential second-wave of the coronavirus striking in the future, starting a shortened season would make the most sense. The lack of fans in the stands will undoubtedly hurt the league’s income, and a fully pro-rated salary would put the owners at a disadvantage, given their conservative tactics.