How New MLB CBA Proposals Are Already Fueling Lockout Fears
How New MLB CBA Proposals Are Already Fueling Lockout Fears
The league made another proposal on Thursday and the MLBPA quickly rejected it as a potential lockout looms.Patrick McAvoy|
Things are quite bleak across Major League Baseball right now with an eye towards the future.
It's important to note that the league and Major League Baseball Players Association are both negotiating for what they believe is in their side's best interest. The current collective bargaining agreement doesn't expire until December. The 2026 season is going to be just fine. There is no threat to this season. But beyond it, everything is up in the air and the biggest threat either side could make is games lost.
If the 2027 season isn't played as scheduled, it's going to be extremely damaging to the long-term health of the game and both sides know this. Both sides will use the potential loss of games as a way to negotiate with the other side, so there is going to be a lot of doom and gloom chatter over the next few months. On Thursday, the two sides went back to the negotiating table and the league made another proposal. In this proposal, the league said that if the players accepted a salary cap/floor, they would increase the minimum salary, eliminate qualifying offers, and eliminate deferred salary for future contracts. But the league also proposed limits to the length and size of contracts based on a certain percentage of the salary cap and league service time.
Unsurprisingly, the MLBPA responded and simply shut it down with strong words and said that the owners are just: "suppressing player salaries and maximizing club profits."
Things Aren't Going Well
The nerve-wracking part of the day was union chief Bruce Meyer making it clear that he believes a lockout is coming on Dec. 1, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
"Union chief Bruce Meyer continues to believes there will be an MLB lockout Dec. 1," Nightengale wrote on X.
It's only June 25. If the two sides are operating in this way already that they believe some sort of lockout is coming, how are they supposed to bridge the gaps? Again, it's important to note that it's a negotiation tool. If you scare the other side into thinking games will be lost, theoretically, it could help to get concessions and close the gap in talks. But these two sides have not seemed to be anywhere near the same ballpark.
Right now, it's June 25. There is a little more than five months to go until the CBA expires. The clock is ticking. When you break down the crux of the argument, the league is clearly trying to lower payroll across in the league in general with the salary cap and limits on salaries. It's not crazy in the grand scheme of other professional sports leagues. But the MLBPA represents the players and is looking for there not to be limits on wages. In any job, you don't want that. That's going to be the issue at the heart of this and at the end of the day, neither side is going to get exactly what they want. This public back-and-forth isn't doing anything to help either of their cases.
The fans have been cited throughout this process. It's certainly true fans likely want a more competitive game, however that happens. But what's most important is the game actually being played. The squabbles of millionaires and billionaires aren't more important than the teams these fans have grown up watching. The actual games are what are important for fans. That's what they're watching, not board meetings on Zoom. Hopefully, these two sides start to try to find areas that could be common ground because again, neither side is going to get exactly what they want. At the end of the day, both sides will have to give in on points for the greater good. Rather than waiting until there's a disaster in December, or January, or February, hopefully they can start to make progress on the sooner side.
Published 21 hours ago
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PATRICK MCAVOYPatrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also received an MBA at Brandeis University. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Fastball On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: [email protected]
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
