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Rob Manfred announced Thursday he will step down as MLB Commissioner when his current term ends in January 2029.
The league’s owners approved his contract extension last July. Manfred, who will be 70 years old when his contract expires, has held the job since January 2015.
Manfred’s tenure has been full of ups and downs, nicely summed up by his latest season: Innovations like the pitch clock led to surging attendance while capping off the season with the least-watched World Series. The last four World Series are the least viewed on record.
Under Manfred’s direction, the league’s annual revenue has grown to almost $11 billion. Media rights have seen a massive upheaval during his tenure, from streaming to rising price tags to the breakdown of regional sports networks. In 2021 and 2022, he oversaw a lockout for the first time in nearly three decades. He’s also dealt with ownership and stadium issues across the league in places like Oakland, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore.
Of course, there have been some scandals along the way. The Houston Astros sign stealing, drug suspensions impacting players like Fernando Tatis, Jr., and even eighteen state attorneys general asking the Supreme Court to hear an antitrust case against the league. Manfred has gotten into trouble with his words at points, like when he called the World Series trophy a “piece of metal” and later apologized and encouraged teams to refrain from putting special logos on player apparel during Pride Nights.
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