By: Yzora Lopez
For the first time in 27 years, the Major League Baseball League has entered what’s called a Lockout; canceling training camps and season starting opening games.
A lockout is different from a strike because in a lockout, the ownership group is responsible for refusing to permit the league from operating without reaching a new collective bargaining agreement, which is the CBA; governing document between the owners and the players.
Last Tuesday, MLB commissioner; Rob Manfred stated “We worked hard to avoid an outcome that’s bad for our fans, bad for our players, and bad for our clubs. Our failure to reach an agreement was not due to a lack of effort by either party.”
As of right now, trades are not permitted and players aren’t being paid regular payment unless they have a previously scheduled signing bonus or deferred salary due.
The MLBPA; MLB Players Association, executive Tony Clark stated: “A lockout is the ultimate economic weapon. In a $10 billion dollar industry, the owners have decided to use this weapon against the greatest asset they have: the players.”
As a result of this hold on the season without an agreement, is loss of broadcasting revenue and fans attending games, making owners miss out on millions.
The lockout has occurred because the press reported and showed that the average player salaries declined over the last four years because of the luxury tax (balance cap), taking a drop from $4.45M to $4.17M. The MLB owners have then proposed an idea to increase this luxury tax to $220M and maintain that until 2024. However, the MLBPA proposed that it increases to $238M and take an increase to $250M in 2024.
As an addition to that, the MLBPA argues that the tax discourages the competition and incentivizes a reliance on younger, low-paid players.
As of right now, the league has not come to an agreement and the future of this decision is still unclear to everyone, making it difficult to get back to the game.
beniciapaw.com 