The next CBA and the future of MLB

[GreenWeenie]

I doubt that many in The Burgh cared all that much when Calvin Griffith owned the Senators and Twins. "That's their problem."



We've had some good owners and some bad owners of the three teams over the decades.

This is our most recent.



It's unfortunate, but the good ones that we've had make the bad ones stand out even more.



This, too, shall pass. Unfortunately, not soon enough for my liking.

[fjk090852-7]

Does anyone besides me think the Players and Owners should get their act together, and settle this lockout ? We are probably about two weeks, before pitchers and catchers report to camp. When and if an agreement is reached, a Rule 5 Draft is needed, many Free Agent players remain unsigned, and players like Brian Reynolds still need to agree to a contract, or go to arbitration if that is still a provision under the new CBA. That is a lot to get done with a short window if ST is going to begin on time.

[GreenWeenie]

3D31306B626B636E69766C5B0 wrote: Does anyone besides me think the Players and Owners should get their act together, and settle this lockout ? We are probably about two weeks, before pitchers and catchers report to camp. When and if an agreement is reached, a Rule 5 Draft is needed, many Free Agent players remain  unsigned, and players like Brian Reynolds still need to agree to a contract, or go to arbitration if that is still a provision under the new CBA. That is a lot to get done with a short window if ST is going to begin on time.


Absolutely yes.  If they had things together, it wouldn't have come to a lockout in the first place.  These are the slightly more wealthier and 2022 versions of the Hatfields and McCoys.  We're the neighbors.



I don't think ST's going to start on time, but yes.  For it to happen, they probably need to come to terms by Tuesday. 

[WildwoodDave2]

152037373C0537373C3B37520 wrote: Does anyone besides me think the Players and Owners should get their act together, and settle this lockout ? We are probably about two weeks, before pitchers and catchers report to camp. When and if an agreement is reached, a Rule 5 Draft is needed, many Free Agent players remain  unsigned, and players like Brian Reynolds still need to agree to a contract, or go to arbitration if that is still a provision under the new CBA. That is a lot to get done with a short window if ST is going to begin on time.


Absolutely yes.  If they had things together, it wouldn't have come to a lockout in the first place.  These are the slightly more wealthier and 2022 versions of the Hatfields and McCoys.  We're the neighbors.



I don't think ST's going to start on time, but yes.  For it to happen, they probably need to come to terms by Tuesday. 


One thing we sometimes forget. The economy of the Spring Training cities is severely affected. Not that the owners care

[GreenWeenie]

When it comes to stuff like that, the owners care as much as the players.  Maybe more, since it's the owners who are responsible for the teams being in those communities in the first place.



BOB has been in Brandenton for years.  The players are there for however long their relationship with the team lasts.

[fjk090852-7]

6E50555D4E56565D7D584F5C0B390 wrote: Does anyone besides me think the Players and Owners should get their act together, and settle this lockout ? We are probably about two weeks, before pitchers and catchers report to camp. When and if an agreement is reached, a Rule 5 Draft is needed, many Free Agent players remain  unsigned, and players like Brian Reynolds still need to agree to a contract, or go to arbitration if that is still a provision under the new CBA. That is a lot to get done with a short window if ST is going to begin on time.


Absolutely yes.  If they had things together, it wouldn't have come to a lockout in the first place.  These are the slightly more wealthier and 2022 versions of the Hatfields and McCoys.  We're the neighbors.



I don't think ST's going to start on time, but yes.  For it to happen, they probably need to come to terms by Tuesday. 


One thing we sometimes forget. The economy of the Spring Training cities is severely affected. Not that the owners care
Very good point. When it is time for ballparks to be upgraded teams go to the spring training city for financial assistance. In my opinion this lockout is BS , and it is time for the parties to get together and settle the matter. I still hope they can agree to something that would begin to even the playing field as well.

[GreenWeenie]

466061766070030 wrote: Nutting is definitely a problem, but I don't begrudge him making money, but I do not like he knows nothing about the game and is only in it for the money.  He's just not a very good business man.  Just think how much he could make if the Pirates were more like the Cardinals.  Same Market size but owners with baseball savvy and good business instincts.  That's what I would like to see. 



But the real problem with baseball is free agency without a salary cap.  The bottom line is I and most average americans can't afford to go to a MLB game.  That is driven by players making $30,000,000 while we make $60,000.  That's the real problem with MLB and until the Union deals with it MLB will not become what it could and should be America's game. Quit catering to the rich and upper classes in our society and return to their roots, the common man.
Yet baseball tickets are cheaper than NFL, NBA and NHL tickets. 


And, the minimum salary of MLB players is less than those three other sports, too.

====================



Reduce the price. That would allow "the upper crust" to buy even more tickets!



If you lower prices for the less fortunate, you're lowering them for the more fortunate, too.

[Bobster21]

754057575C6557575C5B57320 wrote: Nutting is definitely a problem, but I don't begrudge him making money, but I do not like he knows nothing about the game and is only in it for the money.  He's just not a very good business man.  Just think how much he could make if the Pirates were more like the Cardinals.  Same Market size but owners with baseball savvy and good business instincts.  That's what I would like to see. 



But the real problem with baseball is free agency without a salary cap.  The bottom line is I and most average americans can't afford to go to a MLB game.  That is driven by players making $30,000,000 while we make $60,000.  That's the real problem with MLB and until the Union deals with it MLB will not become what it could and should be America's game. Quit catering to the rich and upper classes in our society and return to their roots, the common man.
Yet baseball tickets are cheaper than NFL, NBA and NHL tickets. 


And, the minimum salary of MLB players is less than those three other sports, too.

====================



Reduce the price.  That would allow "the upper crust" to buy even more tickets!



If you lower prices for the less fortunate, you're lowering them for the more fortunate, too.
So what? If the rich could buy more tickets, more power to 'em. Should we price out the lower income folks just so the rich can't buy more tickets?

[GreenWeenie]

1C313C2D2A3B2C6C6F5E0 wrote: Nutting is definitely a problem, but I don't begrudge him making money, but I do not like he knows nothing about the game and is only in it for the money.  He's just not a very good business man.  Just think how much he could make if the Pirates were more like the Cardinals.  Same Market size but owners with baseball savvy and good business instincts.  That's what I would like to see. 



But the real problem with baseball is free agency without a salary cap.  The bottom line is I and most average americans can't afford to go to a MLB game.  That is driven by players making $30,000,000 while we make $60,000.  That's the real problem with MLB and until the Union deals with it MLB will not become what it could and should be America's game. Quit catering to the rich and upper classes in our society and return to their roots, the common man.
Yet baseball tickets are cheaper than NFL, NBA and NHL tickets. 


And, the minimum salary of MLB players is less than those three other sports, too.

====================



Reduce the price.  That would allow "the upper crust" to buy even more tickets!



If you lower prices for the less fortunate, you're lowering them for the more fortunate, too.
So what? If the rich could buy more tickets, more power to 'em. Should we price out the lower income folks just so the rich can't buy more tickets? 


I would say that they should price the tickets how they choose to.  The market can decide whether they want to attend games, as has always been the case.

[Surgnbuck]

People saying tickets are too expensive must be stuck in some time warp. There isn't a team in MLB that doesn't offer some fantastical discount for a game or more during the season. Just a lot of "back in the day" nonsense. If you want to attend a game cheaply do your due diligence. I'd bet that for every million people that complain about ticket prices, 999,000 wouldn't go if there were free tickets for a game. They'd just find some new excuse.



Modifying to add, if you need proof, span the views from every MLB teams games, and you will find that even in the best attended places, there are games with acres of empty seats. Monday-Thursday games in April and May have empty seats galore, and these are the times MLB teams offer exceptional discounts, or wait till August and September when your team is out of it.



I imagine someone is a financial expert and can place some sort of inflationary index on the price of tickets, from say about mid 70's. Stadiums have more to offer these days too. I used to pay $4 dollars for upper deck seats at TRS, but the lower yellow ones, and the ones behind home plate out to first and third base. I know pricing levels have changed even back then. But when my dad came back from Viet Nam in 1970, we went to a September game and sat in the upper deck in the outfield, and tickets were either $2 or $2.50. They also had a speed gun machine, where you would get a free ticket if you guessed your speed on the third throw, and they were $4 seats and this was 1976-77 time frame. The equivalent seats to those would the corner OF 300 level seats in the higher levels, or the deck seating at PNC. Those seats are showing $18 at PNC right now, however if you use Giant Eagle or some other discount providers (military, senior citizens, Giant Eagle, PNC park card holder, etc.) those same tickets are showing $11 for senior citizens, $9 for Giant Eagle advantage card holders.



If $9 is too much to attend a game, so be it. I'm guessing the $9 ticket is pretty near the same as those ticket prices from the 70's. And that's with free agency and all.