The 15 games that were originally scheduled for Opening Day on March 31 have been cancelled. Rob Manfred, MLB Commissioner, stated late Wednesday in a statement that the new Opening Day will be held on April 14.
Manfred stated that team owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) spent hours trying to agree on a new contract. It was futile.
Manfred stated that “Regrettably” after the second late-night negotiation session, “we remain without a deal.” He also said that the MLBPA’s substantial demands were met by team owners who “went to extraordinary lengths” to make a deal.
The MLBPA stated that Wednesday afternoon, leaders from the players’ union sent a series of comprehensive proposals to team owners and they have not heard back.
According to the MLBPA, the league’s decision to cancel Opening Day games was “completely necessary”. These 15 games were in addition to the two previous series of games Manfred abandoned. After Florida’s team owners and players failed to reach an agreement, the two series were cancelled.
In 2017, MLB players signed a five year employment contract with the league. However, the collective bargaining agreement expired on December 2. Players can’t enter the season without a contract because they don’t know what the terms of their work and pay.
Both sides flew last week to New York after leaving Florida. This is where the league’s headquarters are located. Negotiations resumed Tuesday. The league’s proposal for an international player draft is one of the most significant issues in the recent round of negotiations, CBS Sports reported.
A higher number of canceled games results in fewer ticket sales and less revenue from merchandise shops and concession stands. Players may not receive the same annual salary as they did last season. According to the Associated Press , MLB players could lose $20.5 million each day that the 186-day schedule is wiped out, based on their salaries last year which were just over $3.8Billion.
Fans who purchased Opening Day tickets are not sure if they will be refunded or allowed to use the tickets on April 14. CBS MoneyWatch reached out to MLB for clarification regarding prepaid tickets.
MLB spent close to 100 days in an owner-imposed lockout. Owners and players have been fighting over a variety of issues, the most important being pay.
According to Forbes, MLB had a record revenue of $10.7 billion in 2019. However, that number soared to $4 billion in 2020 due to the coronavirus epidemic. According to the Associated Press, the average salary of a MLB player in 2021 was $4.1million. This is almost 5% less than 2019
