Labor negotiations between the owners of the 30 Major League Baseball teams and the league's players association are moving slowly, and the league is headed toward a lockout that — if not resolved quickly — could impact the upcoming spring training season.
MLB’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1, and if a deal isn’t done by then, league commissioner Rob Manfred said he will institute a lockout.
It is unclear how long the lockout could last. Manfred is reported saying that he hopes a lockout would keep the players from striking and games being lost as they were during the 1994 season. Sports Illustrated reported that a deal is expected to be wrapped up in February. Still, players and the owners appear to be far off from agreeing to a contract.
Since the strike that ended in April 1995, MLB has not had a work stoppage. But if negotiations continue to move slowly, there could be an impact on this upcoming Cactus League spring training season.
“It would be devastating if there was a work stoppage that affected spring training. It would be devastating for everyone,” Bridget Binsbacher, the executive director of the Cactus League, told the Business Journal. “After two years of Covid-disrupted spring training, our stakeholders are counting on a strong 2022 spring training season.”
