Baseball No Longer The Soundtrack of Summer

When you think about summer time, one of the first thoughts is being at the ballpark. Listening to the roar of the crowd, eating a hotdog, adding a bobblehead to the collection, or watching a firework show after a classic ballgame.

In 2020, these experiences are non-existent. Instead, we are calling on our nostalgia to remind us what it feels like parking your car at the ballpark and entering to see nothing but a beautiful baseball field, not knowing, what is going to happen that night.

Instead, in 2020 we have a front-row seat watching the MLBPA and Major League Baseball go back and forth over millions of dollars in the midst of a global pandemic. It’s the exhausting illustration of billionaires fighting with millionaires. 

Just under 7 months ago, Major League Baseball sent a message to the fans of America's Pastime, and the prospect to grow the game by letting the ‘kids’ play. Well, fast forward to the present day, is that what is happening? 

The scars of the 1994 strike still resonate with any sports fan; they say history repeats itself, but does it have to happen in the middle of a pandemic? While millions have lost jobs, over 100,000 lives have been lost, and thousands of families have been affected forever, it is that tiring conversation of.. billionaires fighting with millionaires. 

The MLBPA and MLB cannot come to an agreement at any cost. Major League Baseball is standing still on a shorter season while trying to save the most amount of money as possible. The players want to play as much baseball as possible, and earn as much money as their already agreed upon salaries. 

On Monday, Karl Ravech of ESPN reported that Major League Baseball has sent in a new proposal: https://twitter.com/karlravechespn/status/1270005587242295310

As the weeks go by it’s the same cycle: “It’s a crucial week for MLB. This is the week!”. 

We are now nearing 3 months since sports were put on pause, and every other major sports league has their proposal on what is next. Baseball? It seems as if they are just striking out in the bottom of the ninth in the World Series. Why the World Series? Because the world is watching.

If we see successful returns of the NBA and NHL this summer, while baseball decides to not play this season, they should strongly consider changing their season calendars. Why should the NHL and NBA battle the NFL, CFB when they can go up against the MLB? 

As a baseball fan, it is getting more difficult as the days and weeks go on to tell people who don’t support it why they should. 

If we do see baseball this summer, I will hear the voice of Vin Scully in my head saying: “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.” I hope we hear it.