I would start by building an ownership oversight board that is the central governing body of the MLB. It should be built to be representative of the interests of fans first and would be empowered to place conditions on owners.
I would place the following conditions immediately:
1. Profits of all types associated with the team you have invested in must be sunk back into both the MLB and MiLB associates proportionate to performance. I'm other words, you want money out, you better have done your damndest to win.
2. The board, whose membership will resemble the US house in terms of population representation, shall be the exclusive body to determine where MLB teams play. Existing teams shall not be moved except under circumstances where the representatives of their region have agreed to such a move. The intention here is to eliminate the threat of an owner leaving to another city with that city's team.
3. Owners shall pay an annual fee to the league as a percentage of revenue which will be used by the league for maintaining and building stadiums and for programs that engage with the communities where baseball currently lives to promote the game. No public funds shall be used for building or maintaining stadiums.
4. All merchandise and related sales shall be apportioned to the associated team. If someone buys a Cal Raleigh jersey, the M's should see that profit. This revenue now directly benefits the team and therefore encourages them to market players and invest in big names. This revenue is exempt from the annual fee calculation, but includes in the performance calculation positively. Basically, the idea is, if you put popular players on the field, even if they don't perform as well for whatever reason, you've still put in the effort to field a good team.
5. Fan attendance shall be used as a factor for calculating the profit extraction calculation. This is intended to incent owners to charge less for tickets. More butts in seats means perhaps the same revenue, but the owner can extract more value annually.
The harshest thing I can say about Pete regards the lying. He was caught, own up to it. He was one of my baseball heroes growing up and the ban was shattering. Baseball owns no moral highground when it comes to gambling.
Great post. As someone who started following the Phillies in the late 1970s, I was a big fan of Rose growing up. In more recent years, my opinion of his had lowered for various reasons. But the current embracing of gambling (which I loathe for various reasons) makes me think less of MLB (though the 1994 strike and subsequent home run farce forever changed how I feel - I've never recaptured my previous love of the game).
he was one of the best to play but not a very good human….flawed and troubled sure but he didn’t evolve or grow or learn from his mistakes and he unfortunately was a misogynistic dick.
Wasn’t debating Pete Rose the person, I have read every book about him and I wouldn’t argue any of those points you made, with that said this post about the MLB.
One can't help but mention MLB made the Ohtani issue disappear overnight. Though that's somewhat understandable after visit Japan, where you see he has demigod status.
Rose was not a sacrifice on the altar of baseball integrity. Baseball‘s integrity had to be honored by shutting the Hall of Fame doors to Pete Rose. Consequences are not sacrifices. They are consequences.
The prevalence of legal gambling in baseball and in all sports is unfortunate but the contract between fans and the players is essential. Fans love the game and players must respect the game, period. No matter how wobbly baseball gets about eventually letting Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame and no matter how many gambling ads you see on Major League baseball broadcasts, the integrity of the game begins and ends with what fans will tolerate.
If too many fans believe that players are not making their best effort to win on the field, then the game is finished. Baseball was lucky to survive the scandals it has had. Beyond the lust for making money, the game must stand for something approaching basic integrity, the one thing that money cannot buy.
For those who are interested, go to providencegrays.com. This is the website from my 19th century vintage baseball team. We are the Providence Grays, named for the first world champions of Major League baseball from 1884. We are in our 29th year of playing 19th century baseball for the entertainment and education of today’s fans.
https://rlincolnharris.substack.com/p/going-to-bat-for-pete-rose?utm_source=publication-search
It’s part of the fabric now, and dispiriting for sure. MLB, NFL, NBA et al. Yes, bring back the old days.
I would start by building an ownership oversight board that is the central governing body of the MLB. It should be built to be representative of the interests of fans first and would be empowered to place conditions on owners.
I would place the following conditions immediately:
1. Profits of all types associated with the team you have invested in must be sunk back into both the MLB and MiLB associates proportionate to performance. I'm other words, you want money out, you better have done your damndest to win.
2. The board, whose membership will resemble the US house in terms of population representation, shall be the exclusive body to determine where MLB teams play. Existing teams shall not be moved except under circumstances where the representatives of their region have agreed to such a move. The intention here is to eliminate the threat of an owner leaving to another city with that city's team.
3. Owners shall pay an annual fee to the league as a percentage of revenue which will be used by the league for maintaining and building stadiums and for programs that engage with the communities where baseball currently lives to promote the game. No public funds shall be used for building or maintaining stadiums.
4. All merchandise and related sales shall be apportioned to the associated team. If someone buys a Cal Raleigh jersey, the M's should see that profit. This revenue now directly benefits the team and therefore encourages them to market players and invest in big names. This revenue is exempt from the annual fee calculation, but includes in the performance calculation positively. Basically, the idea is, if you put popular players on the field, even if they don't perform as well for whatever reason, you've still put in the effort to field a good team.
5. Fan attendance shall be used as a factor for calculating the profit extraction calculation. This is intended to incent owners to charge less for tickets. More butts in seats means perhaps the same revenue, but the owner can extract more value annually.
Anything else that should be part of this?
Pay floors across all levels?
Pete Rose was an exceptional player - Pete had his human flaws, as we all do
Judging his past with the present doesn’t make any sense whatsoever
I don’t understand your comment as it relates to this post.
…sorry
The harshest thing I can say about Pete regards the lying. He was caught, own up to it. He was one of my baseball heroes growing up and the ban was shattering. Baseball owns no moral highground when it comes to gambling.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42319571/mlb-baseball-pete-rose-died-hall-fame-betting-gambling
Great post. As someone who started following the Phillies in the late 1970s, I was a big fan of Rose growing up. In more recent years, my opinion of his had lowered for various reasons. But the current embracing of gambling (which I loathe for various reasons) makes me think less of MLB (though the 1994 strike and subsequent home run farce forever changed how I feel - I've never recaptured my previous love of the game).
MLB on betting...Do as I say, not as I do.
he was one of the best to play but not a very good human….flawed and troubled sure but he didn’t evolve or grow or learn from his mistakes and he unfortunately was a misogynistic dick.
Wasn’t debating Pete Rose the person, I have read every book about him and I wouldn’t argue any of those points you made, with that said this post about the MLB.
sorry i wasn’t trying to strike a chord. i’ve heard jeff pearlman go off about the hypocrisy of mlb and totally agree with him and this post!!!
One can't help but mention MLB made the Ohtani issue disappear overnight. Though that's somewhat understandable after visit Japan, where you see he has demigod status.
Rose was not a sacrifice on the altar of baseball integrity. Baseball‘s integrity had to be honored by shutting the Hall of Fame doors to Pete Rose. Consequences are not sacrifices. They are consequences.
The prevalence of legal gambling in baseball and in all sports is unfortunate but the contract between fans and the players is essential. Fans love the game and players must respect the game, period. No matter how wobbly baseball gets about eventually letting Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame and no matter how many gambling ads you see on Major League baseball broadcasts, the integrity of the game begins and ends with what fans will tolerate.
If too many fans believe that players are not making their best effort to win on the field, then the game is finished. Baseball was lucky to survive the scandals it has had. Beyond the lust for making money, the game must stand for something approaching basic integrity, the one thing that money cannot buy.
For those who are interested, go to providencegrays.com. This is the website from my 19th century vintage baseball team. We are the Providence Grays, named for the first world champions of Major League baseball from 1884. We are in our 29th year of playing 19th century baseball for the entertainment and education of today’s fans.
Excellent points
As Seger sang “Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then”