The week started off with MLB owners considering a shorter regular season, between 50 and 60 games. Although the proposal hasn’t yet been submitted to the players, per NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty, that is, apparently, a possibility.
However, the initial response of Tony Clark, the leader of the MLBPA (MLB Players Association) wasn’t positive. Clark believes there is a reason behind the owners’ desire for a shorter season.
“This is all part of the league’s attempts to negotiate through the media instead of focusing on how to bring baseball back to its fans,†Clark, the MLBPA executive director, said in a prepared statement, per The Athletic.
The owners have been saying for quite a while that they stand to lose too much money if they pay the players what they want, which is the full prorated salaries for an 82-game season. And the reason is because there wouldn’t be fans in the stadiums because of the coronavirus outbreak that has been going on since late 2019.
MLB and the union keep negotiating
The players are upset because it was agreed that they would receive their fully prorated salaries back in March, back when spring training was halted due to the COVID-19.
“We have an agreement on compensation that says clearly how players get paid in the event games are played — pro-rata,†Clark said, per the report. “In fact, the league recently confirmed in writing that ‘we agree with the Association that, under the Agreement, players are not required to accept less than their full prorated salary.’â€
The two sides seem to be very far apart in negotiations. As recently as Sunday, the players offered to play a 114-game season with full prorated salaries, with payment deferrals to 2021 and 2022 and expanded playoffs in those years.
NJ.com reported that, per an MLB PA representative, some players have said that they won’t play a season with anything less than 82 games. MLB owners could make between $700 million and $1 billion in TV deals related to expanded playoffs, per the report.