MLB owners approve plan to start season in July: The season, which was scheduled to start on March 26, has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. MLB owners and league management have agreed on an 82-game regular season, down from 162 regular games, reports said.
Spring training will start from early to mid-June, and matches will resume in early July in fanless ballparks, as long as state law and health officials allow, reports have said.
In order to continue this unprecedented season, all proposed ideas should be approved by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). An MLB spokesperson told CNN on Monday evening that the league plans to make a proposal to the players' association on Tuesday. MLB did not provide any details on the proposal.
The leaders of the league and the team would have met Monday for their weekly meeting to discuss plans to return to the field and the economic and security conditions that would have to be met to do so.
A March agreement defined the main financial terms regarding the number of players who would be paid in a shortened season.
Under the terms of the agreement, MLB players received a salary advance of $ 170 million. In exchange for this advance, the MLBPA agreed not to contest the loss of their 2020 wages if the season was to be canceled and to accept prorated wages if a partial season is played.
An excerpt from the agreement, provided to CNN, indicates that if MLB games cannot be held in team stadiums in front of spectators, the MLB and MLBPA agree to have discussions in good faith on the economic feasibility of play games in the absence of spectators. or on neutral sites.
MLB's position is that these discussions could include asking players to take further pay cuts.
"The players recently signed an agreement with Major League Baseball which defines the economic conditions for the resumption of play, which included major salary adjustments and a number of other compromises," said MLBPA executive director Tony Clark, in a press release.
"This negotiation is over. We are now focusing on how to get back on the field in conditions that favor the health and well-being of the players and their families, coaches, referees, team staff and supporters. "
