The MLB lockout has been going on for almost 100 days, robbing fans of the opportunity to watch and enjoy a normal spring training schedule and cancelling the first two weeks of the regular season.
The reason behind MLB cancelling games is that they haven’t been able to come to terms on a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Players Association yet.
The league has imposed deadlines, and when they aren’t met, they respond by cancelling games.
Since the league itself implemented a lockout on December 2, there can’t be any games, transactions or trades until they lift the measure, which they won’t do without a new CBA.
Senator Durbin Wants MLB To Lift The Lockout And Make Baseball Return
US Senator Dick Durbin, however, firmly thinks they should lift the lockout and play ball, with some additional considerations.
“Enough. After almost 100 days of the MLB lockout, it’s time to reconsider MLB’s special antitrust exemption, which allows them to act as a lawful monopoly. Fans across America deserve better. Message to the owners: unlock the lockout and play ball,” he said via Twitter.
Enough. After almost 100 days of the MLB lockout, it’s time to reconsider MLB’s special antitrust exemption, which allows them to act as a lawful monopoly. Fans across America deserve better.
Message to the owners: unlock the lockout and play ball.
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) March 10, 2022
According to CBS Sports, “MLB received its antitrust exemption, which allows it to serve as a legalized monopoly, in 1922 after it faced opposition from the Federal League. MLB’s antitrust exemption has been allowed to stand since by virtue of being immune to the Sherman Act — a piece of legislature that is supposed to prevent companies from fixing markets and thereby harming customers. MLB’s antitrust exemption was granted on the grounds that the league doesn’t constitute interstate commerce — a confusing claim given the very interstate nature of baseball.”
In any case, and despite negotiations becoming hard to watch at several points of the winter and spring, there appears to be some hope for a deal being finalized soon, as MLB and the union agreed to postspone discussions about an international draft, which was the biggest roadblock in the last few hours.
Will fans have a deal to talk about by the end of the day?
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