(SeaPRwire) – By: Christian Brooks
MLB’s decades-long salary cap fight just got a high-profile wildcard. No one expected the U.S. president to insert himself into these private bargaining talks. The last time this fight blew up, the World Series was canceled for the first time in 90 years. Fans deserted the sport for years after that 1994 strike, and it took decades to win them back.
Trump made his comments Friday aboard Air Force One. He said a salary cap is necessary for the sport to function, and should have been implemented long ago. MLB owners proposed a $245 million hard cap paired with a salary floor in their opening offer. The players union has already vehemently rejected the proposal. The current collective bargaining agreement expires December 1. If no deal is reached by then, owners will likely lock out players, per ESPN reports. A prolonged work stoppage would put the upcoming season at immediate risk.
Owners know aligning with Trump will win them public support with conservative fan bases. Players have no reason to give up the uncapped pay structure no other major U.S. pro league offers. Both sides are digging in, and a work stoppage is now far more likely than a last-minute compromise.
Author bio: Christian Brooks, a prominent financial and business lead commentator covering North American pro sports commercial and labor dynamics for over a decade.
