I grew up in the Midwest, where a kid lives for spring and summer to play baseball and follow a favorite major league baseball team. I wasn’t even remotely close to New York City, but the New York Yankees was my favorite team. I knew all the players, because they were on the roster year after year just like players on the other teams. That all changed in 1976, when free agency was formerly established in major league baseball. Yes, it was freedom for the players who could decide for themselves where they could play baseball when their contract expired. Sometimes holding the owners in suspense until weeks before the season started. However, this created a panic for putting a team together. Many players asked for more money than an owner had in the budget. It created a non-competitive start if you were a small market team.
Unfortunately, this is where major league baseball stands today. It is the old saying, “He who has the most toys wins.” You can buy your way into the playoffs at the end of the season. The Los Angeles Dodgers players budget is $414 million. The Kansas City Royals players budget is $148 million. On December 1, there may be a baseball lockout which is a work stoppage if a deal is not reached. This will be initiated by major league baseball owners when the collective bargaining agreement with the players association expires. I doubt the richest franchises will agree to the same salary cap for all the teams. And the players association doesn’t want any salary cap. Take for example the Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. His salary in 2026 is $16 million dollars. There are 162 games in a season. That’s an average of $98,765 per game. And if Marte is injured which happened this year, he still gets paid his salary. Would your boss pay you a full salary if you couldn’t work? We know the answer.
Unfortunately, the baseball owners and players association seldom take their fans into consideration when negotiating. As I look back when I was a kid, I remember my dad and I would spend time together at a major league baseball game. It was affordable. This is no longer the case. Because of high salaries, the average ticket price is up to $77. For a family of four that’s $308 which doesn’t include stadium parking and food. To all the baseball owners and players, think of the fans first when you negotiate. It is finally time to do a baseball reboot so everyone regardless of income can get back in the stands.