The Major League Baseball Players Association is taking a big step toward seismic changes in the economics of baseball.

The MLBPA sent out authorization cards to minor league players to begin the process of unionizing them. 

A 30% signing rate would trigger a vote to unionize. From there, a majority of minor league players would need to vote to join the MLBPA, allowing the union to collectively bargain on their behalf.

MLB would have to recognize the union under National Labor Relations Board rules.

• More than 5,000 players are currently in MLB’s minor leagues across four levels.
• Players typically make $5,000 to $14,000 annually, following a wage increase in 2021.
• MLB began providing housing for players this year.

“This generation of minor league players has demonstrated an unprecedented ability to address workplace issues with a collective voice,” said Harry Marino, director of Advocates for Minor Leaguers, which is working with the MLBPA on the campaign.

Unsettled Business

In July, MLB agreed to pay $185 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought in 2014 by minor leaguers seeking pay for spring training, extended spring training, and instructional league play. MLB has argued that these periods have nonmonetary value as training periods.

MLB contracted the minors from 162 to 120 teams in 2020, eventually spurring a congressional inquiry into MLB’s antitrust exemption. MLB has sought the power to further reduce the number of minor league paid positions.

LIV Golf has joined a group of its players — including Phil Mickelson — in an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, according to an amended complaint obtained by Front Office Sports.

Backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the upstart series is further escalating a bitter struggle for the hearts, minds, and wallets of golf fans.

In August, 11 LIV players sued the PGA Tour, alleging their Tour suspensions are part of a “carefully orchestrated plan to defeat” the controversial new league.

• The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
• LIV is seeking punitive damages against the PGA Tour. 
• LIV Golf believes PGA players are “independent contractors but are denied independence.”
• A trial date has been scheduled for Jan. 8, 2024.

Earlier this month, three-time PGA Tour winner and current LIV Golf pro Pat Perez told Sports Illustrated that he intends to withdraw as one of the plaintiffs, citing “no ill feelings toward the PGA Tour or any of the players.” Perez originally joined the suit in solidarity with LIV Golf.

Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, and Jason Kokrak have also dropped out of the antitrust suit.

Here to Compete

The PGA Tour is set to make changes to compete with LIV Golf and prevent more talent from defecting from golf’s original pro tour.

PGA commissioner Jay Monahan announced changes including the elevation of four events within the FedEx Cup, which will now have an average purse of $20 million.

Disney Star is expanding its cricket portfolio once again.

The pay-TV network has acquired Indian TV and digital rights to global events conducted by the International Cricket Council from 2024 through 2027.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but the ICC claimed it “yielded a significant uplift to the rights fee from the previous cycle.” 

• Star won the last cycle of rights for $2.1 billion over eight years, but that included worldwide rights. 
• At the time of the deal, Star was owned by Fox.

The new deal includes both men’s and women’s events including the 2024 men’s and women’s T20 World Cups. The 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup was the most engaged-with women’s event in the sport’s history with 1.64 billion total views across the ICCs channels.

“Disney Star presented impressive plans for the promotion of women’s cricket, and they clearly share our vision,” ICC chair Greg Barclay said.

Viacom, Zee, and Sony also reportedly bid for the rights.

Star-Studded Sport

In July, Disney Star acquired media rights for Cricket Australia as part of a seven-year, $250 million deal. It extended its domestic TV rights deal with the Indian Premier League in June for $3 billion but wasn’t able to hold on to global streaming rights for the IPL after Viacom18 struck a $2.6 billion deal.

Disney Star also has media rights to the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket South Africa.

Cricket is estimated to have more than 2.5 billion fans globally.