Minor leagues are set to cut affiliates to 120 next year, source says
NEW YORK — The minor leagues are prepared to agree to Major League Baseball’s proposal to cut guaranteed affiliations from 160 to 120 next year, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press, a plan that would impact hundreds of prospects and cut player development expenses.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because no announcements were authorized. The development was first reported by Baseball America.
An electronic negotiating session is scheduled for today.
In informal talks, parties have discussed the possibility of a radical overhaul in which MLB would take over all or many of the duties of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the minor league governing body, another person familiar with the negotiations said.
Instead of franchise affiliations, there would be licensing agreements similar to those of hotel chains, that person said. MLB would then sell sponsorship, licensing and media rights, a switch that may lead to decreased overhead and increased revenue.
“There have been no agreements on contraction or any other issues,” the National Association said in a statement Tuesday, adding it “looks forward to continuing the good-faith negotiations with MLB tomorrow.” In talks to replace the Professional Baseball Agreement, that expires after the 2020 season, MLB last year proposed cutting 42 affiliates, including Double-A teams in Binghamton, New York, and Erie, Pennsylvania, along with Chattanooga and Jackson, Tennessee. The plan would eliminate affiliations for the 28 teams from four Class A Short Season and Rookie Advanced leagues that do not play at spring training complexes.
Under MLB’s proposal, each franchise would have four full-season farm teams, a rookie level club at its minor league complex and prospects in the Dominican Summer League. Some franchises would be cutting their U.S.-based affiliates from seven to five. Which teams would lose affiliations is subject to negotiation.
The National Association lobbied Congress as it fought MLB’s plan. But the new coronavirus pandemic changed the dynamic and sapped minor league teams of revenue and willingness to fight. Some teams have trimmed expenses with layoffs and furloughs.
While MLB tries to figure out a way to play this summer, the prospects for anything resembling a normal minor league season are increasingly bleak.
Attendance at minor league games last year was more than 41.5 million, a 2.6% increase over 2018 and the 15th straight year with more than 40 million fans.
Among the most popular teams in the minors is the Durham Bulls. But no club is immune from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The Bulls recently placed more than half of their front-office staff on furlough.
“I’m still holding out hope, but we’re also being realistic that the challenges we face over the next few months are pretty severe just because we are so spread out around the country,” Bulls vice president Mike Birling said.
“And we kind of need a perfect storm in terms all of the cities of where Triple-A teams are located would need to be OK, which that seems pretty unrealistic right now.”
The uncertainty also weighs on players. The loss of a minor league season would be a tough blow for prospects, especially those just starting out in professional baseball. While major league organizations have more training possibilities than ever before, there is no substitute for live game situations.
MLB and its players’ union are aiming to hold as many games as possible, offering a glimmer of possibility to some prospects who could be in the mix to help with a packed schedule.
“Hopefully, they’ll expand rosters or something like that for somebody like myself or whoever,” said Zach Short, an infielder in the Cubs’ organization who reached Triple-A Iowa last summer. “And then just go with it.”