Right move for MLB?

Was anyone else at least a bit surprised to see that baseball’s owners likely will ask Bud Selig to stay on two more years as commissioner?

That question isn’t meant to disrespect Selig. He just completed a collective bargaining agreement that assures the game at least five more seasons without a labor stoppage.

And unlike the NBA’S David Stern and the NFL’S Roger Goodell, Selig didn’t need to drag his sport through a lockout to accomplish it.

But Selig is 77, and Major League Baseball’s long-term financial health might depend on how well it competes with the NFL and NBA for the younger demographic. Baseball attendance has been solid this century, but TV ratings have slumped.

Last fall’s World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers drew 19% more viewers than 2010’s Series between the San Francisco Giants and Rangers, which had tied for the lowest-rated Fall Classic ever.

Selig’s deal also is expected to be for about $25 million a year. That’s more than double what Goodell makes.

We asked USA TODAY readers if Selig should keep his job:

Yes, he’s kept the game on an even keel. ............................. 17%

No, the game needs younger leadership. ............................. 55

Let’s see a list of replacements first. ................................. 28 Votes: 325 at gameon.usatoday .com

— Tom Weir