[Mr KLC]

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez, among four groups of bidders for a possible purchase of the New York Mets, called for baseball players to accept the type of revenue-sharing system that is tied to a salary cap and sparked quick opposition from the union.

Preparing for the start of his third season as an analyst on ESPN’s Sunday night telecasts, Rodriguez said baseball players’ leverage had changed since they fought off the owners’ salary-cap proposal with a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95. He said the rise of the NFL and NBA had changed the equation along with digital media, and said the players’ association should work collaboratively with MLB to raise the sport’s market share.

“The only way it’s going to happen is if they get to the table and say the No. 1 goal, let’s get from $10 to $15 billion and then we’ll split the economics evenly,” he said Thursday during a conference call. “But that’s the type of conversation instead of fighting and fighting against each other because there’s too much competition out there right now.”

Rodriguez made about $448 million in his big league career. He debuted with Texas in July 1994 and was sent back to Triple-A 10 days before the strike started on Aug. 12. He maintains an “understanding that the leverage of the players in 1994 was wholly different than today.”

“Then we had a stranglehold on professional sports. Baseball was 1,” he said. “Today the NBA has become an international conglomerate, NFL’s a juggernaut. Back then there was no Netflix, there was no Snapchat, there was no Disney+, ESPN+ and everything they’re doing to attract their attention. So today we have to really work collaborative, with the players and the owners, to say how do we compete together to become No. 1?”

Baseball players have resisted the types of salary cap and revenue sharing used by the NFL, NBA and NHL.

“Alex benefited as much as anybody from the battles this union fought against owners’ repeated attempts to get a salary cap,” union head Tony Clark said in a statement. “Now that he is attempting to become an owner himself his perspective appears to be different. And that perspective does not reflect the best interests of the players.”

[Mr KLC]

This is what happens when you graduate from the millionaires' club to the billionaires' club.

[shooterman]

It's so easy to hate Alex.

[MinnesotaFats]

He's right thou

The next CBA might be a total disaster for MLB players if revenues from this year are factored in going forward as a in total situation. Coupled with attendance projections being ridiculously low and you've got a lot of momentum for owners.

Followed by incredibly lackluster free agency the last few years (the days of the $300mm deal are finished) and moneyball game gaining steam....IDK...I don't see a bright future for MLB players union. Gonna be ugly without a simple revenue sharing agreement.

[Mr KLC]

We finally have a society paying attention to race, discrimination and injustice. And now that there’s a chance to sell the Mets to bidders of color, MLB wants to give instead to Steve Cohen — a billionaire with a long track record of shady dealings?

- Bradley Beal

[DOM-Ganador]

MLB is heading to a cliff. Adapt or perish. 4+ hours games where basically 97.5% of the time their is no action.
When I was in my teens me and my buddies could hop a bus, then a train to Fenway, pay $3.50 and watch a game from the bleachers.

I went to a Portland Seadogs game last summer with a few friends. Unreal seats overlooking 3rd base, $11. Time clock on pitches, inning shifts, etc.
GOOD beer, big ole cup, $7 I think. Found a free parking spot a couple blocks away. Game over under 2 hours. Awesome time.

I wish I was there for the Celtics Red Claw D-league games.

[jjgold]

MLB has a great chance to go bankrupt

I HOPE SO

[clockwise1965]

It's so easy to hate Alex.

He makes it easy.

[jjgold]

He is not buying mets

Not even remotely rich enough even with Lopez

[2daBank]

It's so easy to hate Alex.

No shit., guy got like biggest contract in history and win rings playing for a team who bought them cause no cap and now he wants to own a team and Implement a cap. What’s next, he doesn’t think players should juice either? Fukkin hypocrite. Get ready for a strike next year, mlb Union is strong, they ain’t going for no cap!

[Chi_archie]

This league is in very serious trouble and it won't be surprising if it folds sometime in the next 10 years.

Needs to be burned down and reinvented from the ground up

[2daBank]

This league is in very serious trouble and it won't be surprising if it folds sometime in the next 10 years.

Needs to be burned down and reinvented from the ground up

Not a chance. They still making all kinds of money.

[MinnesotaFats]

MLB losing all its ability to connect w average fans

Major issues next generation

[cankid]

We will see more players become owners at many levels throughout major sports in the coming years

[MinnesotaFats]

We will see more players become owners at many levels throughout major sports in the coming years

LOL

There's what, 1 black manager and that's only because of a scandal

NFL has to force teams to speak to black coaches

Hockey doesn't make any money

NBA too expensive

I don't see ANY former players getting into the owners circle going forward.

Magic was your best bet

Garnett in MN till Flip died.

Jeter a failure, Gretsky failed

Players lack the ancillary business that communities cover when considering to build new venues

[pazim]

This league is in very serious trouble and it won't be surprising if it folds sometime in the next 10 years.

Needs to be burned down and reinvented from the ground up

As long as you can bet on it, its there to stay. Lot of people wouldn't watch sports, if they weren't given the idea that they could win money.

[Mr KLC]

The New York Mets were criticized for allowing their deal with Steve Cohen to fall apart earlier this year, but that may have resulted in them creating a bidding war between the hedge fund manager and other billionaires.

Mets owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon received their first round of bids for the franchise last week, and Charles Gasparino of FOX Business Network reports that the belief is that Cohen and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment are the finalists.

In addition to the Mets, Cohen also wants to buy SNY, which is the network the team owns. The Mets have said for the time being that the network is not for sale, but that could change.

Gasparino also reported that Cohen is concerned MLB owners may block his attempt to buy the team because of a past association he had with insider trading, but executives around baseball do not believe that will be an issue.

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment is run by billionaires David Blitzer and Josh Harris. The group also owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding sports leagues due to the coronavirus and their previous botched deal with Cohen, the Mets appear to be in a position of strength. Multiple billionaires are bidding for the team, with a casino mogul recently getting involved as well. Another group led by Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez also wants to buy the team, though there are questions about whether or not they can raise enough cash.

[jjgold]

AROD not even a dot on the map with real wealth

MLB a multi billionaire ball game, he is poor for baseball ownership standards

[lakerboy]

AROD not even a dot on the map with real wealth

MLB a multi billionaire ball game, he is poor for baseball ownership standards

He is married to jlo

[Mr KLC]

[jjgold]

He is married to jlo

not a dot on the map son

[CanuckG]

A Rod may not be a dot on the map but he is connected to people who are.

[jjgold]

Attention seekers both of them that is all

Their lives only exist if they get attention

MLB owners are massively wealthy with huge income streams coming in unlike AROD

A fun story..he could be a 25% type with JLO but they would be risking everything not worth it now

[stake1]

Cannot make up how huge a hypocrite rodriguez is. Wilpon cant sell to him, just cant. Would be the worse thing to happen to the Mets