Negotiations between MLB and the Players Association for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) continued on Tuesday, without too many positive developments to report.
There is still a chance for a quick deal, though, so fans should keep their hopes up and not abandon the sport they love.
In the meantime, however, the league secured a pretty nice deal with Apple, the tech giant, for broadcasting rights through their Apple TV+ service.
Do you care to guess who will bag most of the income for that deal?
If you guessed owners, you were correct.
MLB back at the negotiating table after Apple announces a streaming deal. pic.twitter.com/panRHrLBxi
— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) March 8, 2022
And do you know who will be the ones on the field, in front of the cameras, while Apple TV+ offers its subscribers a sweet “Friday Night Baseball” doubleheader?
Yes, the players.
MLB Needs To Reassign Some Of That Money To Players In The Form Of A Better CBA Offer
It’s baffling that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred still says owning an MLB team isn’t as profitable as people think, when they can sign deals like this, worth millions.
If anything, the announcement of the deal should take away some of the owners’ leverage, if not in the table, at least in the eyes of fans.
The league as a whole, and the owners, make money through several means, and this is one of them.
It’s imperative that they distribute some of these earnings to the Players Association, in the form of a better CBA.
The deal, per se, is very good for fans: according to Apple, in addition to Friday Night Baseball, “fans in the US will be able to enjoy “MLB Big Inning,” a live show featuring highlights and look-ins airing every weeknight during the regular season. Baseball fans in the US and Canada will also have access to a new 24/7 livestream with MLB game replays, news and analysis, highlights, classic games, and more, as well as a full complement of on-demand programming, including highlights and MLB-themed original content.”
MLB needs to step up and make sure there is a season to broadcast/stream.
Make it happen.
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