USA TODAY International Edition
NBA owners set to vote; MLB rejects union plan
Wednesday morning, right around the time the NBA board of governors scheduled a call to rubber- stamp the resumption of the 2019- 20 season, MLB informed its union it would not accept its offer of a regular season that would extend almost into November while paying the players prorated portions of their salary, a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to USA TODAY.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks. The Athletic first reported that owners rejected the union proposal.
Meantime, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and other high- ranking league officials plan to propose a finish to the 2019- 20 season that includes 22 teams, a play- in tournament for the final seeds in each conference and a 16team playoff at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex just outside of Orlando, Florida, a person with knowledge of the details told USA TODAY. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly until owners vote on the proposal. That is expected to happen Thursday at the NBA’s board of governors video conference. It requires three- fourths owners’ approval. The National Basketball Players Association also must ratify any plan to resume play.
The plan is the culmination of discussions, feedback and input that combines the best balance of competing principles while prioritizing player health, the person said.
The 22 teams will include the top nine from the Eastern Conference and the top 13 from the Western Conference. The plan includes an eight- game finish to the regular season, then a play- in tournament for the eighth seeds. While a fluid situation, teams could report to the complex in July for a 21⁄ 2- week training camp before games begin in late July, with a playoff stretch that could extend into October.
The NBA suspended its season March 11 when Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
MLB rejected the MLB Players’ Association’s offer of a 114- game schedule, putting the ball back in the players’ court as the sides aim to salvage some semblance of a 2020 season.
Baseball has a massive carrot dangling: the prospect of returning before the NBA and NHL, not to mention football, with games potentially starting by early July.
Yet it cannot get its financial house in order, with the league and the players retreating to extremes and a de facto deadline around June 10 in order to recall players to a second spring training.
MLB believes it retains the right to implement a 50- game schedule, based on the same March agreement the players cite that guarantees them pro rata salary. The Athletic reported that there will be no further offers from MLB.
With owners saying they’d take on more losses the more games are played without fans, MLB finds itself arguing that a bare- bones schedule is the answer.