Will The MLB Suspend The 2020 season

[Kimmi]

I can explain cricket so you’ll understand.

 

A team consists of several very well dressed players headlined by one called a “bowler”.

 

The bowler is like a pitcher

 

Before he bowls/pitches, quickly change the channel and watch baseball. Or any sport not played by people wearing sweaters...

 

Sweaters and tea time? Sounds like kind of a snooty sport to me. LOL

[oldtimer]

I'm at the point where I'm fed up with all the nonsense.

 

I could careless about the 2020 MLB season.

 

I have felt that way for some time and it looks like a combination of continuing virus impacts and the difficulty in negotiations may well eliminate the season altogether. It may also be true of other sports as well. Owners will lose money, I assume players will not be paid, the economic impact of the shutdown of many if not all large scale sports on the communities they serve, hotels and airlines they use. Once shutdown for a year I would imagine it will be difficult to return the sports at the same levels as the past. Lots of bad blood, etc.The corona virus will not be licked until a vaccine is developed and put into common use.

 

Maybe sports will need to reinvent themselves and become more fan friendly. It's difficult for me to relate to a person who gets paid $1000 for each game pitch he throws. I imagine others feel similar sentiments.

[jad]

I have felt that way for some time and it looks like a combination of continuing virus impacts and the difficulty in negotiations may well eliminate the season altogether. It may also be true of other sports as well. Owners will lose money, I assume players will not be paid, the economic impact of the shutdown of many if not all large scale sports on the communities they serve, hotels and airlines they use. Once shutdown for a year I would imagine it will be difficult to return the sports at the same levels as the past. Lots of bad blood, etc.The corona virus will not be licked until a vaccine is developed and put into common use.

 

Maybe sports will need to reinvent themselves and become more fan friendly. It's difficult for me to relate to a person who gets paid $1000 for each game pitch he throws. I imagine others feel similar sentiments.

 

I agree. But sports would argue they are completely fan friendly. The reason for the high tic prices is because people will pay them. Same with movies (although no one complains about movie-stars' salaries). Same with rock concerts. Same, even with classical concerts! You won't have a more 'fan-friendly' league if you cut players' salaries by, say, 90%. You'll have richer owners.

 

Right now, the owners are just in the last stages of what they've been doing all year: (1) getting rid of minor leagues (that fans love!). (2) screwing over minor leaguers (putting them out of work; refusing to pay those they have) in hopes of off-loading minor-leagues onto tax-supported universities (the football model). (3) screwing over the players (asking employees to take salary cuts or furloughs in order to protect owner's bottom line).

[cp176]

I have felt that way for some time and it looks like a combination of continuing virus impacts and the difficulty in negotiations may well eliminate the season altogether. It may also be true of other sports as well. Owners will lose money, I assume players will not be paid, the economic impact of the shutdown of many if not all large scale sports on the communities they serve, hotels and airlines they use. Once shutdown for a year I would imagine it will be difficult to return the sports at the same levels as the past. Lots of bad blood, etc.The corona virus will not be licked until a vaccine is developed and put into common use.

 

Maybe sports will need to reinvent themselves and become more fan friendly. It's difficult for me to relate to a person who gets paid $1000 for each game pitch he throws. I imagine others feel similar sentiments.

 

I'm getting along quite well without professional sports of any kind. Somewhere along the line, they morphed into something never meant to be - all about the money. The entertainment industry in general has gotten a free pass from society for quite some tome. Recent circumstances, I think, have caused many people to really consider what are the most important things in life. Paying bloated salaries to people providing entertainment including the owners here, may becoming something that people will be taking a closer look at going forward.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'm getting along quite well without professional sports of any kind. Somewhere along the line, they morphed into something never meant to be - all about the money. The entertainment industry in general has gotten a free pass from society for quite some tome. Recent circumstances, I think, have caused many people to really consider what are the most important things in life. Paying bloated salaries to people providing entertainment including the owners here, may becoming something that people will be taking a closer look at going forward.

 

I agree, but spectator entertainment isn't going anywhere, because people will always look and listen. Movies, TV, radio, and all their evolved tech mediums will survive to an extent (and that includes books on tape and newspapers online). But spectator sports will also be in the mix, as they have since probably before Colosseum gladiators competed for attention with actors in plays.

 

After all, beside sports, what other diversion exists where even adults can cheer, swear, jump up and down, hug and high five, and throw things in anger and/or jubiliation?

[jacksonianmarch]

I'm at the point where I'm fed up with all the nonsense.

 

I could careless about the 2020 MLB season.

 

Even though the Yanks were the prohibitive favorite and losing a full year without tolling contracts would be devastating for us, I’m there now too. I’ve got bigger fish to fry than to worry about how Cole pitches or Judge hits

[Kimmi]

Even though the Yanks were the prohibitive favorite and losing a full year without tolling contracts would be devastating for us, I’m there now too. I’ve got bigger fish to fry than to worry about how Cole pitches or Judge hits

 

I am still hoping for the return of baseball and other sports. It's not that I don't have other things to enjoy, but baseball is my absolute first passion as far as entertainment goes. Safety first, of course, but I hope it returns this year, even if for only 50 games.

 

That said, I am fed up with the negotiations. As we can see from even most of the people here, they are turning most people off.

[jad]

I'm getting along quite well without professional sports of any kind. Somewhere along the line, they morphed into something never meant to be - all about the money. The entertainment industry in general has gotten a free pass from society for quite some tome. Recent circumstances, I think, have caused many people to really consider what are the most important things in life. Paying bloated salaries to people providing entertainment including the owners here, may becoming something that people will be taking a closer look at going forward.

 

Step 1 to bringing ticket prices down would be to eliminate the "entertainment tax write-off" that enables corporate American to gobble up expensive seats at minimal cost. [step 2 is to sharpen up one's pitchforks and guillotines ... but that may be a different discussion]

[Bellhorn04]

Step 1 to bringing ticket prices down would be to eliminate the "entertainment tax write-off" that enables corporate American to gobble up expensive seats at minimal cost.

 

Can you elaborate a bit on that? What is the % tax benefit under current law?

[jad]

Can you elaborate a bit on that? What is the % tax benefit under current law?

 

Well you're right, that's true. I'm living in the past! (2018!). So I guess we'll just have to move on to step 2.

[Bellhorn04]

Well you're right, that's true. I'm living in the past! (2018!). So I guess we'll just have to move on to step 2.

 

I think the real Step 2 is a big increase in empty seats.

[dgalehouse]

I am as big a sports fan as anyone . I would like to see at least some semblance of a baseball season this year . But let's keep it real . The owners are living the good life, with or without baseball . The better players are making big money as well . And we are paying for all of it . Professional athletes are part of the overall entertainment industry. Their purpose is to provide us with diversion, amusement and entertainment. Just like the actors , singers and dancers . For this , not only do these performers , these entertainers become wealthy , but we also put them on a pedestal, idolize and worship them . Their egos become more bloated every day . It gets to where they tell us how to act , how to think and how to vote . And we listen to them . I think we all need a little reality check here . It's our money . We don't have to spend it on athletes , singers or actresses . The owners and the players can all go to hell . We are in charge . ( Or at least we are supposed to be . )

[a700hitter]

I am as big a sports fan as anyone . I would like to see at least some semblance of a baseball season this year . But let's keep it real . The owners are living the good life, with or without baseball . The better players are making big money as well . And we are paying for all of it . Professional athletes are part of the overall entertainment industry. Their purpose is to provide us with diversion, amusement and entertainment. Just like the actors , singers and dancers . For this , not only do these performers , these entertainers become wealthy , but we also put them on a pedestal, idolize and worship them . Their egos become more bloated every day . It gets to where they tell us how to act , how to think and how to vote . And we listen to them . I think we all need a little reality check here . It's our money . We don't have to spend it on athletes , singers or actresses . The owners and the players can all go to hell . We are in charge . ( Or at least we are supposed to be . )

You are posting lots of wisdom.

[Bellhorn04]

I am as big a sports fan as anyone . I would like to see at least some semblance of a baseball season this year . But let's keep it real . The owners are living the good life, with or without baseball . The better players are making big money as well . And we are paying for all of it . Professional athletes are part of the overall entertainment industry. Their purpose is to provide us with diversion, amusement and entertainment. Just like the actors , singers and dancers . For this , not only do these performers , these entertainers become wealthy , but we also put them on a pedestal, idolize and worship them . Their egos become more bloated every day . It gets to where they tell us how to act , how to think and how to vote . And we listen to them . I think we all need a little reality check here . It's our money . We don't have to spend it on athletes , singers or actresses .

 

No, we don't have to spend our money that way. But it might also be realistic to accept that arts and sport and entertainment are things that enhance our lives, or that give us gratification at least.

[dgalehouse]

You are posting lots of wisdom.

 

Thanks .

[notin]

No, we don't have to spend our money that way. But it might also be realistic to accept that arts and sport and entertainment are things that enhance our lives, or that give us gratification at least.

 

Outside of maybe agriculture and medicine, doesn’t that apply to everything? The human race survived for a couple million years before they figured out how to take advantage of the fact that round things roll. Let’s not pretend arts and athletics are the only luxuries we have...

[dgalehouse]

No, we don't have to spend our money that way. But it might also be realistic to accept that arts and sport and entertainment are things that enhance our lives, or that give us gratification at least.

 

Yes . That is their purpose. But sometimes it gets a little out of hand .

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Outside of maybe agriculture and medicine, doesn’t that apply to everything? The human race survived for a couple million years before they figured out how to take advantage of the fact that round things roll. Let’s not pretend arts and athletics are the only luxuries we have...

 

... fossil fuels, plumbing, pornhub etc.

[Bellhorn04]

Outside of maybe agriculture and medicine, doesn’t that apply to everything? The human race survived for a couple million years before they figured out how to take advantage of the fact that round things roll. Let’s not pretend arts and athletics are the only luxuries we have...

 

I'm not pretending that. But arts and entertainment by their nature have no utilitarian value. Wheels do.

[Bellhorn04]

Yes . That is their purpose. But sometimes it gets a little out of hand .

 

No argument on that.

[Thunder]

You are posting lots of wisdom.

 

I agree, other than the extra space he puts between periods and commas

[jad]

I think the real Step 2 is a big increase in empty seats.

 

You're right about that. The owners' short-sightedness continues to astound me. Who would want to invest in a business (whether an advertiser, a season-ticket holder, or a potential buyer of a franchise) that has one lost season in the past and a year or more of labor strife in the future? What exactly is their thinking in all this?

 

Of course, I could just fall back onto the universal maxim: Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence.

[cp176]

I am as big a sports fan as anyone . I would like to see at least some semblance of a baseball season this year . But let's keep it real . The owners are living the good life, with or without baseball . The better players are making big money as well . And we are paying for all of it . Professional athletes are part of the overall entertainment industry. Their purpose is to provide us with diversion, amusement and entertainment. Just like the actors , singers and dancers . For this , not only do these performers , these entertainers become wealthy , but we also put them on a pedestal, idolize and worship them . Their egos become more bloated every day . It gets to where they tell us how to act , how to think and how to vote . And we listen to them . I think we all need a little reality check here . It's our money . We don't have to spend it on athletes , singers or actresses . The owners and the players can all go to hell . We are in charge . ( Or at least we are supposed to be . )

 

Whole heartedly agree. For some time now Americans have been idolizing people paid to entertain. Many are wealthy, spoiled, and certainly not as bright as they think that they are. I do not need to have them spewing their warped sense of values constantly in my ear. It is my choice certainly to listen to them or not. That is what I continue to love about this country. My freedoms allow me to make choices. And going along with this train of thought, I certainly am no fan of big government. I do not like all of my decisions being made for me by many people who have lived very sheltered and protected lives. Obviously we can all work together to make things better, but with all the turmoil around us today, I am still very proud to be an American. This country has been pretty good to me and my family.

[jad]

https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/22/mlb-players-staff-test-positive-coronavirus-sense-urgency-negotiations

 

Now what? (Given the number of people involved, that's probably not unexpected; certainly no worse than what was found at CLemson or U Houston. But at some point, we're going to realize that the strategy 'We're tired of this, let's move on' may not be very effective.)

Edited June 22, 2020 by jad

[cp176]

No, we don't have to spend our money that way. But it might also be realistic to accept that arts and sport and entertainment are things that enhance our lives, or that give us gratification at least.

 

I wonder what the sculptors of the world these days are thinking?

[Kimmi]

Forty players and MLB staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus last week. If this trend continues, then sadly, it won't matter whether the owners and players can come to an agreement.

[a700hitter]

The owners will pull the plug on the season and blame COVID.

[notin]

The owners will pull the plug on the season and blame COVID.

 

 

Even if a season starts, how likely is it to end?

[a700hitter]

Even if a season starts, how likely is it to end?

It will not start unless they can guarantee that it will finish.

[notin]

It will not start unless they can guarantee that it will finish.

 

 

There is no way they can guarantee that. An outbreak within a single clubhouse could easily end the season prematurely...