Buster Olney and other sources reported that some owners are willing to cancel the 2020 season to save money.
This is again another example of the greed coming from the owners. They seem to forget that they will make back the lost revenue from the 2020 season rather quickly. Cancelation of the 2020 season could come if players and owners don’t get on the same page about pay cuts.
The players agreed to take prorated salaries back in March, but owners now want more significant pay cuts for players. Some players could see 80% pay cuts in the recent MLB proposal.
The players union reportedly submitted a new proposal to the MLB that includes a longer season, but still with prorated salaries. If this reaction from the owners is coming after seeing the players union proposal, then a season seems less likely.
Many teams have committed to paying minor leaguers for at least a few more months, while the Reds and Royals have committed to pay them all season. However, the Athletics chose the opposite and will no longer pay their farmhands in 2020.
A canceled 2020 MLB season could have lasting effects on the league. Baseball could lose viewership, and the current CBA expires after 2021. That means its entirely possible we see a lockout beginning in 2022, and that could also help kill baseball.
The greediness of the owners has put baseball in a bad position during the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic could have lasting effects on the MLB and baseball, and that hurts baseball even more due to its declining popularity. Hopefully, all sides can figure this out, and we can see baseball in 2020.