Major League Baseball and its players union were unable to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement before a league-imposed 5 P.M. deadline on Tuesday, ESPN reports, a failure that triggered the postponement of Opening Day and the cancellation of the first two series of the season. This will be the first time that MLB has canceled games due to labor issues since 1994, when the season ended in August and the World Series was not played.
There had been hope that a deal would be reached after a marathon negotiating session on Monday, but ultimately the two sides remained far apart on a number of key issues, including player arbitration, tax thresholds, and minimum player salaries. In November, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred downplayed the dispute between the owners and players, saying that "an offseason lockout that moves the process forward is different than a labor dispute that costs games." On Tuesday, Manfred said, "I had hoped against hope I would not have to have this particular press conference in which I am going to have to cancel some regular season games." And then he did just that.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Saint Paul de Vence: a paradise for art loversThe Week Recommends The hilltop gem in the French Riviera where 20th century modernism flourished
-
'People in general want workers to earn a decent living'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
What might a Trump victory mean for the global economy?Today's Big Question A second term in office for the 'America First' administration would send shockwaves far beyond the United States' shores
-
New York wins WNBA title, nearly nabs World SeriesSpeed Read The Yankees with face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the upcoming Fall Classic
-
The worst baseball franchises of the Wild Card eraThe Explainer These teams have consistently failed to find a winning formula
-
MLB adds Negro League stats, raising Josh GibsonSpeed Read The record books have changed as old Negro Leagues stats are finally incorporated
-
The economics of taxpayer-subsidized stadiumsIn Depth Shiny new stadiums can end up costing taxpayers billions
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA DraftSpeed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
-
Is legalized betting hurting sports?Today's Big Question A 'building avalanche of gambling scandals' threatens competition
-
South Carolina ends perfect season with NCAA titleSpeed Read The women's basketball team won a victory over superstar Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad betsIn The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
