Los Angeles (AFP)
The players' union (MLBPA), in conflict for several weeks on the salary field with the North American Baseball League (MLB), refused a new proposal from the body, making the conduct of the season all the more uncertain, ESPN reports on Thursday.
The optimism displayed Wednesday the day after a first meeting in Phoenix where the two parties laid the foundations of an agreement together, according to MLB boss Rob Manfred, has again disappeared.
The union has indeed corrected the trend, saying "that talking about an agreement was wrong" since it refused the principle of an unfolding with a schedule reduced to 60 regular season games. Which is too short in the eyes of the players.
According to the latter plan, the MLB wanted the season to start on July 19 or 20, after three weeks of preparation. After which, would have chained play-offs to 16 teams. All in camera.
The players would have received a full prorated salary, totaling $ 1.5 billion, or about 37% of the revenue for a full season. To which must be added 25 million dollars in funding during the play-offs.
The championship, which could not start on March 26 because of the coronavirus, is therefore again at a standstill.
If no agreement is found, the league, which represents the franchises, could impose to start it on the basis of the initial agreement concluded on March 27, that is to say fifty matches of regular season paid by a prorated salary. But players could grieve to block the process.
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