MLB Lockout Negotiations Were “Heated”, Talks To Continue With Players Association

The MLB lockout still remains in force with league entering one early in December 2021. Commissioner Rob Manfred had indicated that the Lockout is only a mechanism to get to negotiations faster and to lead to a quicker resolution. This was in early December. And with the lockout still in force it seems as though this ploy has not been as successful as Manfred would have hoped. However, negotiations have resumed and there is finally some news to report.

The MLB Players Association met with the League authorities for a first meeting and have apparently had some progress. The Players association has apparently put forth their first list of commercial demands and the league had some thoughts on it too. While a majority of initial stages in these negotiations is only posturing, there will need to be some progress in the talks. A timely start to the regular season is at risk and that is not something any of the fans will want.

Progress in Negotiations

Several MLB sources have taken to Twitter to express progress with the talks. Indicating that just the conversation too, was a positive sign. Negotiations are expected to draw out over some time still. Reportedly, the players association and the league are still in disagreement on some fundamental issues.

Reportedly, the meeting took place on January 25 and lasted for close on 2 hours. One MLB official described the conversation as ‘spirited’. Most industry insiders took the description to mean that the conversation must’ve been heated. The meeting lasting two hours can only mean that significant ground was covered.

There were also some that indicated that there remain some positives to come out of the conversation. The players apparently made a broad proposal which removed pieces from its past offers showing some movement.

The two have also agreed to convene again immediately, with a meeting date set already.

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The terms of the MLB lockout

The lockout was initiated by the league in early December 2021. The Collective Bargaining agreement that the union had in place with the league was negotiated in 2016 and has recently expired. The terms of the agreement encompass all major terms of the players’ deals. These include minor terms like what kind of per diems players receive, right upto greater economics like free agency and arbitration.

As a measure to hasten negotiations, the league chose to halt all player activity as it relates to their teams. This means effectively that no players can utilize anything that the teams own, more specifically, no use of team facilities. For the fans it means no free-agent signings. The lockout infact means that there can be no contact between any team and player until a new agreement is reached.

While the majority of disagreements in the current agreement stem from economic, fans will be hoping negotiations will be brief. And however, unlikely, isn’t sport about hoping against hope?