Support Your Favorite Minor League Baseball Team!

By Jim Juliano, Member 

If you love baseball, support your favorite minor league baseball team any way you can. As it has done to many other industries, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated Minor League Baseball (“MiLB”).

On June 30, the MiLB governing organization, the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (“NAPBL”), announced that MiLB cancelled the entire 2020 season.  Although this announcement is not a surprise, the 160 MiLB teams have been creating ways to generate revenue without baseball.  Many teams have been conducting very creative promotions and opportunities, such as rental of the ballpark, carryout concession food, movie nights, and fireworks.  Teams have also been promoting the on-line sale of unique and creative clothing and other merchandise bearing their logos or team names. Our firm supports these efforts, and we encourage you to do so as well.

Meanwhile, MiLB is in the process of negotiating an extension of the Professional Baseball Agreement (“PBA”) with Major League Baseball (“MLB”).  The current PBA expires at the end of September this year.  The reorganization of the structure of MiLB and the reduction of the number of MiLB teams that are used to develop players for MLB teams are negotiating issues raised by MLB.

MLB has taken the position that as many as 40 of the 160 teams should be eliminated from the MiLB system. MiLB draws approximately 40 million fans per season.  Elimination of 25% of the MiLB teams will deeply affect the cultural fabric and economic well-being of many communities.

Stay tuned to the story of the negotiations between MLB and MiLB.  In the meantime, please support your favorite minor league team in any way you can!