In a historic first, Major League Baseball owners voted to share 50% of revenue with the MLB Players Association for any games played this season, according to USA Today. The proposal is meant to help diminish the effects of a projected 40% revenue loss caused by holding games without fans this year.
Players are expected to reject the plan over fears it could lead to a salary cap after the current collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of 2021. MLB is the only major team sport that doesn’t tie salaries to league revenues, although the league does share postseason earnings. Players had already agreed to a prorated salary earlier this year and will receive a full season of service time if no games are played.
The owners’ proposal also outlined a potential schedule for this summer:
- Training camps in June
- Opening Day July 1-4
- Spring Training 2.0 at home facilities or Florida or Arizona complexes
- Games at home ballparks
- Postseason expanded from 10 to 14 teams
- Universal DH with expanded 30-man rosters
While baseball works out its plans, other sports are seeking more concrete decisions about their futures. The Premier League may start as early as June 1 under U.K. reopening guidelines, according to ESPN, while the American Hockey League has canceled the remainder of its season and playoffs.
