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USA Today
15-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
MLB's awkward dance with political climate: Immigration, DEI and Atlanta All-Star
ATLANTA — While Major League Baseball likes to frame itself as a pleasant diversion from society's woes, political realities frequently puncture the game's bubble. That point was illustrated in multiple fashions Tuesday during press conferences with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and Players' Association executive director Tony Clark. Perhaps the most immediate day-to-day reality is the Department of Homeland Security's aggressive actions apprehending people of Latin American descent on U.S. soil. MLB's significant bloc of Latino players have been put on alert, Clark said. The message: Carry your papers, always. 'It is a concern,' Clark says of the seemingly chaotic sweeps conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, one of which ended with DHS vans attempting to stage activities in Dodger Stadium parking lots. 'We're trying to put them in the best position possible to navigate the atmosphere that we are in with regards to immigration. 'We told them to carry their documentation wherever they go. We ensure the lines of communication are open so that if they're having an issue or a family member is having an issue, how best can we help support that.' There were 216 players from Latin American countries on opening-day rosters, with 100 from the Dominican Republic and 63 from Venezuela, comprising 27.7% of all major leaguers. Players must secure visas before the start of every season, a process that can sometimes delay arrivals to spring training. As such, the union has immigration counselors and attorneys on staff. 'To provide provide support in a way that we have in the past – but not to the extent we do now, in order to assure guys are in the best position possible to come to the ballpark and do their jobs,' says Clark. 'It is complicated. It is challenging on multiple levels. But we continue to communicate to our guys, whether on the minor league level or major league level, this how best to protect yourself in the nearest term, by having appropriate documentation.' Manfred said the league reached out to the Trump administration and received assurances there would be 'for our players going back and forth, say, between the US and Canada. They told us that would happen and that's happened. Beyond that, it's all speculation.' Given the visa status of MLB players, Manfred says the prospect of disruption 'is speculation at this point. We've seen no evidence of that.' Manfred spoke from a top floor meeting room of a corporate building overlooking Atlanta's Battery and Truist Park. The sprawling complex was supposed to host the 2021 All-Star Game, but Manfred moved the game after the state of Georgia passed voting laws widely viewed as discriminatory. He said then that moving the game was 'the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport. Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box.' Yet in November 2023, he awarded the 2025 game to Atlanta, even as the voting laws the league found distasteful had not changed. With game day at hand, Manfred was asked again: How were 'baseball's values as a sport' in alignment with Georgia in 2025 when they weren't in 2021? 'I think the reason to come back here is self-revealing,' Manfred said, atop a perch that looks down upon Punch Bowl Social, Shake Shack and other options that eventually lead a visitor into Truist Park. 'Walk around here and see the level of interest, the level of excitement, the great facility, the support this market has given to the Atlanta Braves and baseball generally – that's a real good reason to come back here.' While Manfred remains cagey on the calculus that drove this Midsummer Classic back to Atlanta, another action earlier this year – the scrubbing of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts from web pages touting MLB's Diversity Pipeline – reflected a form of political pragmatism. Manfred removed the All-Star Game from Atlanta days after President Joe Biden suggested that was an appropriate punitive measure. The scrubbing of DEI mentions from the league's official web site came after executive orders from the Trump administration seeking to end DEI in public and private sectors. 'Sometimes you have to look at how the world is changing around you and readjust to where you are,' he says. 'There were certain aspects of some of our programs that were very explicitly race- and gender-based. 'We know, because there were public comments to that effect, that people in Washington were aware of them. We felt it was important to recast our programs in a way to make sure we could continue on with our programs, continue to pursue the values we have always adhered to without tripping what could be legal problems that would interfere with that process. 'That's my judgment at the end of the day. I think I made the right one.'
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Draymond Green becomes the latest to pile on C.J. McCollum for NBA's 'second apron'
We've only seen the NBA's second apron tax rules in effect for two offseasons so far, but one thing is quickly and rather very apparent. They are making teams all over the league much more cautious and stringent with how they spend money on their rosters. It's a seemingly massive shift in spending, especially when comparing this year's somewhat more low-key free agency to those of the past. CHAOS AHEAD: The NBA's projected 2026 salary cap sheet is a disaster A popular scapegoat for this second apron problem is veteran shooter and the NBA's Players' Association (NBAPA) president, C.J. McCollum. Never mind that all the relevant players involved voted to ratify the CBA that included the second apron provision. This would mean McCollum isn't solely responsible, even if he may have ultimately led negotiations as the labor union president. I guess it's just easier to blame it on one person for energy and attention purposes, which is something McCollum joked about after he got traded to the Washington Wizards. To no one's surprise, Draymond Green is now jumping into this conversation. On Monday night, the four-time champion and former Defensive Player of the Year wrote a lengthy thread on, er, Threads about how the second apron made 2025 NBA free agency a lot quieter than we've come to expect. Within his extended rant, the Golden State Warriors star mentioned that he "should" have been the NBAPA president, which was clearly an unsubtle swipe at McCollum. Is Green potentially upset that the salary cap-strapped Warriors have yet to make a move in free agency? Or, in the same rant where he started by noting he was talking to his wife in his "man-cave" (which, okay? good to know), is he actually making these criticisms in good faith? Who knows! It's still noteworthy any time you publicly rip another active player for screwing up a league's labor system: To be clear, we probably won't know the full effects of the NBA's second apron until we have a larger sample size over time. Yes, the early returns aren't great, but well ... things can always get worse! Even still, it feels weird to pile on McCollum for an evident mutual mistake that all NBA player leadership made together.
Miami Herald
28-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Why A Collaborative NHL And NHLPA Decided On Four-Year CBA Extension Instead Of Longer
LOS ANGELES – They couldn't say much, but the bigwigs with the NHL and the Players' Association did confirm we have entered an era of almost unheard-of labor peace in hockey. Gathering the morning of the NHL draft in Los Angeles, commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly, NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh and NHLPA assistant executive director Ron Hainsey held a press conference where they confirmed that a new collective bargaining agreement was ready to be ratified by its constituents. Because that ratification hasn't officially happened, they were scant with the details of what said CBA would contain, but what we do know at least is that it will be four years long and begin after next season. So the next five years are taken care of. "We had a very constructive, professional, collaborative collective bargaining process," Bettman said. "We identified the issues that were important to both sides, and Marty and I have established a very good tone and very good basis for our relationship going forward. I am delighted." As Walsh noted, the league and the union have been on a roll lately, and both sides wanted to keep that momentum going. From the 4 Nations Face-Off to the upcoming Olympics and World Cup, there has been a lot to work on together in a positive sense lately, which seems to have bled over to the nitty-gritty of a new CBA. "Compared to other negotiations I've been part of, this was a little different," Walsh said. "We went back-and-forth with very open dialogue. Even the complicated issues that might have come up were given complete thought on both sides, and we were able to get to some good resolutions here. I'm happy with the process, and hopefully, the players will be happy with the outcome." Bettman, who had faced some heated pushback from past NHLPA leaders during his reign as commissioner, couldn't help but add his two cents on his relationship with Walsh so far, addressing the union head sitting next to him on stage. "To say this was a little different – from my standpoint, I assure you this was completely different," Bettman said. "And that's a testament to you and the tone you set." As for why the new CBA will come in at four years, Walsh had a very reasonable take on why he prefers what we could call a 'mid-length' agreement. "I like having contracts that are four or five years at the max so you have an opportunity to see what's right, and if there's a mistake you can fix it down the road," he said. "For longer-term contracts you have players in the league who have never gone through these negotiations. We have some players who came into this league under the last agreement and retired under the last agreement. They never had a chance to really express their collective bargaining opinions or rights. I just feel it's important to capture the thoughts of the players at the time. Generations of players change, so we want to make sure we get them active." Eventually, the NHL could be run by the likes of Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini and Matthew Schaefer. This new CBA – whatever it contains – will give them a chance to play under one agreement while looking ahead to the next one, which they could help shape. And as long as the current relationship between Bettman and Walsh stays strong, that CBA might be fairly frictionless, too. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
France 24
27-06-2025
- Business
- France 24
NHL and players union agree to four-year contract extension
Terms of the deal have been approved upon by league and union leaders but must be ratified in votes by players and NHL officials to finalize the agreement. "We can all look forward to at least five years more of labor peace of the Players' Association and the NHL working together," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. "While we didn't agree on everything, we had a very constructive, professional, collaborative collective bargaining process." Talks began in late March between Bettman, NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh and their top negotiators. "I think we identified the issues that were important to both sides and I think that Marty and I have established a very good tone and a very good basis for our relationship going forward," Bettman said. "I am delighted." The NHL and players have had a 50-50 split of hockey-related re venue since 2013. The new deal reportedly will see the NHL season increase by two games to 84 contests per club with two fewer preseason games to be played. Another reported tweak in the contract will see the maximum player contract length reduced by one year to seven seasons. Players could re-sign with their clubs for seven campaigns or join a new team as a free agent for up to six seasons. The current NHL-NHLPA agreement signed in 2013 and extended in 2020 expires in September 2016 but would be stretched to September 2030 if approved. Walsh said the players would vote on the deal in the next week or so. © 2025 AFP
USA Today
08-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Major League Soccer, players remain far apart in FIFA Club World Cup pay solution
Major League Soccer, players remain far apart in FIFA Club World Cup pay solution Show Caption Hide Caption Why Real Madrid is heavy favorite to win FIFA Club World Cup Safid Deen and Seth Vertelney explain why Real Madrid look like a safe bet to hoist the FIFA Club World Cup trophy when all is said and done. Sports Seriously Major League Soccer and its Players' Association continue to iron out how much money players from Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, the Seattle Sounders, and Los Angeles FC will earn from participating in the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins Saturday. The most recent proposal MLS sent to the players' association includes $1 million from the $9.55 million MLS clubs receive just for participating, including 20% of all performance bonuses, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. MLS sent its most recent proposal to the players' association last Friday. While the Players' Association did not exchange a formal proposal, it floated a counter of $4 million of the $9.55 million participation fee and 35-40% of all performance bonuses, the person said. The $1 million is a figure already promised to players as part of the league's collective bargaining agreement. FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP: Bracket, schedule, groups for 2025 tournament The MLSPA released a statement Sunday, which stated 'the league did not add a single dollar for players' in its proposal, adding the 20 percent in performance compensation offered is 'below the international standard.' 'MLS does not respect or value players' efforts with regard to this tournament. … The players remain united in using their collective voice and demanding a fair share of the rewards earned from their hard work,' the MLSPA statement added. Along with participation fees, Club World Cup teams will earn $1 million for draws or $2 million for wins during the group stage with more money in advancing rounds. Clubs in the round of 16 will earn $7.5 million, quarterfinalists earn $13.125 million and semifinalists earn $21 million. The runner-up will earn $30 million, while the winner will make $40 million. MLS players would split $200,000 for draws or $400,000 for wins during the group stage, $1.5 million for reaching the round of 16, $2.625 million for reaching the quarterfinal, $4.2 million for being a semifinalist, $6 million for being the runner-up and $8 million for winning the tournament, based on the proposal. If Inter Miami, Seattle or LAFC win the Club World Cup, the players would split $23.925 million of the $124,175 million the winner would net based on the recent proposal, in addition to their participation compensation. MLS is unsure whether a final decision could be reached before, during or even after the tournament, the person added. LAFC also received an additional $250,000 bonus in general allocation money for getting into the Club World Cup after beating LIGA MX powerhouse Club America during a play-in match on May 31. LAFC will also receive $750,000 in general allocation money – like Inter Miami and Seattle have already received and spent – from the $9.55 million participation fee. The GAM is intended for the clubs to sign or retain players. TICKETS: Here are the cheapest seats for the FIFA Club World Cup MLS spoke to at least a dozen teams in the tournament field to gather information on how they were paying players for participating and learned some were only paying players if the club reached the quarterfinals or later. They also learned Real Madrid will pay its players $1 million each only if they win the Club World Cup, according to the person. It's been a week since Seattle Sounders players wore t-shirts with the phrases 'Club World Ca$h Grab' and 'Fair Share Now' in protest before a home match last Sunday. The MLSPA also released a statement seeking a fair share of the financial windfall MLS will receive from FIFA for participating in the tournament. Messi and Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener against Egyptian club Al Alhy on June 14 in Miami. Inter Miami will also play FC Porto (Portugal) on June 19 in Atlanta and SE Palmeiras (Brazil) in Miami on June 23 in the group stage. The Sounders will face Botafogo (Brazil) on June 15, Atletico Madrid (Spain) on June 19, then Paris Saint-Germain (France) on June 23 during the group stage, hosting all three matches at home in Lumen Field in Seattle. LAFC will face Chelsea (England) in Atlanta on June 16, Espérance (Tunisia) in Nashville on June 20 and CR Flamengo (Brazil) in Orlando on June 24 during the group stage.
