MLB season delayed after labour dispute talks collapse

To optimise for archiving, the original image and related documents associated with this article have been removed.

Major League Baseball will lose regular season games for the first time in 27 years due to a lockout after talks between players and team owners collapsed.

The new season was scheduled to begin on 31st March but after 9 days of negotiations between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) ended with no resolution commissioner Rob Manfred said there was no other choice but to cancel the opening round of matches.

Manfred said “We worked hard to avoid an outcome that is bad for our fans, our players and our club. We're not going to be able to play the first two series of the regular season and those games are officially cancelled. Our failure to reach an agreement was not due to a lack of effort by either party. The players came here for nine days, they worked hard to try and make a deal and I appreciate their effort.”

The dispute relates to players pay as salaries have decreased by 4% since 2015 so players want agreed minimum salaries, but the parties could not come to an agreement on this amongst other issues such as the revenue percentage split between owners and players. It is estimated that players would lose out on $20.5million for each day that the season is cancelled.

The 2020 season was cut from 162 games down to 60 because of the Covid-19 pandemic but this season will see the first regular season games lost due to a lockout since the 1994-1995 lockout which resulted in 948 games being cancelled.

You may also like

View All

Triple gold medallist heptathlete Nafi Thiam in dispute with Belgian Athletics

Just days before the World Athletics Championships Tokyo25 heptathlon, triple gold medallist Nafi Thiam has entered into a public dispute with Belgian Athletics, accusing the federation of blocking her from joining its official pre-camp and failing to accredit her physiotherapist

Read More

Sport Resolutions to continue supporting World Athletics at Tokyo 25 Championships

Sport Resolutions will support World Athletics during World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 by coordinating an independent ad hoc Disciplinary Tribunal panel to consider any expedited matters arising from the event

Read More

Referee to wear body camera in Serie A match

The referee for the Serie A match between Juventus and Inter Milan will wear a body camera for the first time in the Italian league

Read More