Tony Clark Reiterates Opposition to Salary Cap in MLB
MLB Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark expressed his strong rejection of the implementation of a salary cap in baseball, calling it “institutionalized collusion.” His statements come after increased requests from owners and Commissioner Rob Manfred to modify the sport’s economic system to improve competitive balance, following the expiration of the labor agreement after the 2026 season.Clark argued that the salary cap does not benefit the game or the players, but is focused on the interests of the franchises. In addition, he noted that the association has presented proposals to improve the current system and will continue to do so, believing that it is the best way. Both Clark and Manfred spoke with members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, addressing various topics related to the game. The economic structure of the sport has been a central theme since the ratification of the current labor agreement in 2022. While the union believes that Manfred is pushing for a salary cap, the commissioner denies it, explaining that his goal is to identify problems in the business and find joint solutions, especially with regard to competitive balance. Manfred mentioned the loss of revenue from local media rights as a reason for MLB, the only major North American sports league without a salary cap, to review its economic system.A cap isn’t about any association. It’s not about growing the game. What a cap is about is the values and the profits of the franchises.
Tony Clark
Requests for structural change from owners have increased, especially by teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets, who have ignored tax penalties due to their aggressive spending. The Dodgers project to spend approximately $563 million on payroll and luxury taxes this season. The Mets, $409 million; the New York Yankees, $359 million; and the Philadelphia Phillies, $332 million. In contrast, ten clubs project to spend less than $150 million, with the Chicago White Sox ($90.9 million) and the Miami Marlins ($84.7 million) at the bottom. Clark reiterated that the problem can be addressed without the need for a salary cap.My only goal is to convince them all to come to the table with an open mind to try to address a problem driven by the fans, leading to a better collective bargaining process and a better outcome.
Rob Manfred
Clark concluded by stating that they will wait to see the concrete proposals that are presented in the negotiations.A salary cap, historically, has limited the associated contractual guarantees. It literally pits one player against another, and that’s what we often share with the players as the ultimate non-competitive system. It doesn’t reward excellence. It undermines it from an organizational point of view. That’s why this isn’t about competitive balance. It’s not about fair versus unfair. This is institutionalized collusion.
Tony Clark
