MLB players counter with 70-game schedule
The Major League Baseball Players Association offered a counterproposal Thursday to the league that includes a 70-game regular season and expanded playoffs in 2020 and 2021.
The schedule would run from July 19 through Sept. 30. According to ESPN, the union’s latest offer also calls for US$50 million in playoff bonuses, a 50/50 split of new post-season television revenues in 2021, salary-advance forgiveness, use of a universal designated hitter and a mutual waiver of the right to file a grievance.
“We believe this offer represents the basis for an agreement on resumption of play,” MLBPA union chief Tony Clark said.
The MLBPA proposal comes in response to the 60-game framework that MLB officials reportedly thought both sides had agreed to earlier this week.
Commissioner Rob Manfred had sounded optimistic following faceto-face talks Tuesday with Clark in Phoenix. The groundwork for a deal, which would have made july 19 or July 20 Opening Day following a three-week training camp, was set in Manfred’s opinion.
The union disagreed with Manfred’s
assessment of the negotiations, however, with many players saying a 60-game season is too short.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, several owners were “incensed” by the terms in the 70-game proposal by the MLBPA, which includes forgiving $170 million in upfront money players received before May 24.
Manfred has the authority, if negotiations again break off, to call for a 50-game schedule and traditional playoffs.
The Premier League said on Thursday that there was one positive result from the latest round of COVID-19 tests of players and staff conducted earlier this week.
The league did not reveal the club or the name of the individual who tested positive.
Since players returned to contact training last month, tests have been carried out twice a week and the league has seen a total of 17 positives in nine rounds of testing.
The Premier League returned to action on Wednesday.
Heading drills should be reduced in youth football and neck strengthening exercises introduced to help protect the health of young players, European soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
The recommendations were included in the heading guidelines for young footballers approved by UEFA following studies it commissioned.
There has been increasing concern over the possible long-term affects of heading and the English, Scottish and Northern Irish FAS have already barred heading in training sessions for under-12s.