Jump to content

Post-virus contraction?


hovertical

Recommended Posts

I'm wondering if that's what the ultimate result will end up being after a few seasons of baseball. Is it likely? No, but it's certainly going to be a much stronger possibility than pre-virus days. With the looming strike due to players and owners both coming across looking like greedy pigs - and honestly, i'm leaning towards the owners side here if I was forced to pick one - i'm not sold on teams, like the Marlins, Rays, etc. being able to resume and continue to attract any sort of fan base. There might be a small surge up front because baseball fans are so starved for actual non-KBO baseball but if these negotiations drag into next season as well as some reports have seemed to indicate? Yeah, not so sure the smaller teams are going to live through the downturn without some contraction. Sadly, the Rays, who have worked magic with their small market managing, would probably be a prime candidate just because they lack a modern stadium.

 

Anyway, I guess I'm tired of watching millionaires and billionaires squabbling during a time like this. A LOT of people have had to take paycuts or have been laid off entirely. I really don't feel bad seeing someone still being able to make more than 99% of people here in the US for playing a game? It's just sad seeing this. I just don't. I know personally, I'd be irritated if i was asked to take a pay cut from my current job but I'm not even making 6 figures, let alone 7 figures.

 

There have been so many articles on why baseball is struggling to get it's act together versus the other major sports, but it really just looks like greed no matter which way I've seen it broken down. Some articles seem to lean towards the owners, some the players, and some are neutral - but still comes across as naked greed by millionaires and billionaires.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see contraction as being realistic anymore. All the "lesser" teams have found enough ways to give themselves stability and make enough profit that I don't think there's reason to cut any team anymore.

 

And yes screw the owners on this one. The players are absolutely right here. One pay cut is enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/6/2020 at 8:48 PM, SilverBullet said:

I don't see contraction as being realistic anymore. All the "lesser" teams have found enough ways to give themselves stability and make enough profit that I don't think there's reason to cut any team anymore.

 

And yes screw the owners on this one. The players are absolutely right here. One pay cut is enough.

is it really a pay cut to pay only for games played though? Ignoring the further cut the owners wanted - is the initial idea of being paid a pro-rated salary really a pay cut?  I know I only get paid for the time i actually work (aside from my two weeks of vacation) and i'm 100% certain there are LOTS of people like that out there in the US and beyond. Why should it be any different for baseball players? So the sliding scale for pay reduction based on current earning is the only real reduction here if you're going by games played.  It still looks shitty for both sides and is going to do some serious damage to the sport long-term.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It all comes down to the players and owners not trusting each other at this point. Players conceded way too much for the last couple CBAs, and now they don't want to this time. Owners think they'll be able to get the players to budge. We may end up with two years of no baseball, considering the CBA expires end of next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The bottom line is that the players and owners agreed to something months ago, and then when time came to hammer out the details, the owners said, "wait no, forget what we agreed upon already and let's do this instead" so the players have every right to be mad and to wait out the owners, even though the owners have made sure to shape things in a way that makes the players look like the bad guys if there's no baseball or if the season is delayed any further. It's super strange to call these players who are mostly millionaires "the workers" but they are indeed the workers and the owners are the bosses, and baseball is becoming a macrocosm of many real-life businesses. The workers want what they were promised and what they feel they deserve, the bosses want to give as little as possible so that they can keep and make more, even at the expense of their working class. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was talk of the players striking next summer.

They have both been pissed off at each other for various reasons.  Players should be pissed off, but they also really have nobody to really blame but themselves for being so angry. 

Players dicked over the amateurs.  Players have had no interest in doing anything about minor league players (they arent part of hte union anyway).

Players have been assholes in the restart talks.  They have not negotiated in good faith.  The owners are by no means choir boys, but have at least been willing to kinda talk.  

If we were to take anything from Liberty Media its that the owners arent as 'awash' with cash as players seem to think.  yes owners are rich.  The problem is a lot of that wealth is in non liquid assets. Do owners make money every year or should they?  Yes. Except in rare circumstances there is no reason a team shouldnt have a 150 million dollar payroll and be able to turn a profit in 2019.  2020 we are in a whole new world because well there is no revenue.  

Players have taken the hardline approach they were going to take into 2021 and moved it into 2020.  The only problem is that  people dont really give a flying fuck about your labor issues when the whole goal is to get back on the field and have baseball for the public.  

Break even, make less money and lets call it a day and deal with 2021 when 2021 gets here.  I mean you are looking at a season with litlte to zero fans in the stands, thats significant revenue.  you are looking at prorated ads buys (i assume).  you are looking at higher operating costs due to safety precaustions that have to be taken.  Players meanwhile are basically budging on nothing, give me my full salary or I wont play.  Dont play.

Go get replacement players for all I fucking care at this point.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, hovertical said:

is it really a pay cut to pay only for games played though? Ignoring the further cut the owners wanted - is the initial idea of being paid a pro-rated salary really a pay cut?  I know I only get paid for the time i actually work (aside from my two weeks of vacation) and i'm 100% certain there are LOTS of people like that out there in the US and beyond. Why should it be any different for baseball players? So the sliding scale for pay reduction based on current earning is the only real reduction here if you're going by games played.  It still looks shitty for both sides and is going to do some serious damage to the sport long-term.

I haven't followed it that closely but if I read it right they want to pay them only for the number of games played, which is fine by me, but at a lesser rate, which would ultimately mean a 2nd pay cut. No need for the 2nd pay cut, I don't blame them for not wanting the lesser rate per game. 

I have no problem with them being paid only for the games played. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The stupidest thing the players put forward also was the whole postseason issue.

I mean who in their right fucking mind from an ownership stand point would say, ya thats ok.  We dont need no fucking playoffs. Unless you know there was a legit health realted reason why no playoffs was going to happen, in wihch case out of hte owners hands.

I mean for fucks sake the NBA is having a post season tournament 4 months later to get some of that money.  

I get the pleasure of watching my Spurs crash and burn more (more Derozen yay!) but you know, ya.  

Tony Clark is a moron.

Players should have been all in on a 50/50 revenue split wtih options to make it 60/40 for the players.

And institute fun things like whatever color shoes you want, whatever color sleeves you want, you know hte fun stuff we see 3 days a year in MLB, putting players on the hot mic.  You know stuff to engage fans, focus on negotiating those points and growing the game.

But no.  Its about the dollars for TODAY only.  Idiots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, hovertical said:

is it really a pay cut to pay only for games played though? Ignoring the further cut the owners wanted - is the initial idea of being paid a pro-rated salary really a pay cut?  I know I only get paid for the time i actually work (aside from my two weeks of vacation) and i'm 100% certain there are LOTS of people like that out there in the US and beyond. Why should it be any different for baseball players? So the sliding scale for pay reduction based on current earning is the only real reduction here if you're going by games played.  It still looks shitty for both sides and is going to do some serious damage to the sport long-term.

Most people have at-will employment; baseball players often (typically?) have guaranteed contracts. 

Also, the owners have equity in the business. They take on the risks in order to reap the potential rewards. That means the upswings and the downswings are part of the package for them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...