Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

CONGRESS TO OWNERS: CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED

     Yesterday's hearing on baseball's antitrust exemption before
the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Economic and
Commercial Law "represented the unofficial start of what's widely
expected to be an off-season of bickering."  While House
Judiciary Chair Jack Brooks (D-TX) doubted that any action could
be taken this year, baseball "may not be off the hook, especially
if the labor dispute lingers" (Rick Alm, DALLAS MORNING NEWS,
9/23).  Brooks prefaced the hearing by releasing a statement
indicating his support for repealing the exemption.  He had
previously reserved judgment on this issue (THE DAILY).
     OWNER-BASHING:  "If major league baseball owners have
friends in Congress, they weren't in room 2141 of the Rayburn
Building yesterday" (Thom Lovero, WASHINGTON TIMES, 9/23).
Brooks "wanted the owners in attendance to know he means
business" (Brad Snyder, Baltimore SUN, 9/23).  "The players'
fervor paled in comparison to what they found to already exist on
Capitol Hill:  a blanket indictment of the exemption by many
legislators angered by baseball's incessant labor wars" (Claire
Smith, N.Y. TIMES, 9/23).  "The owners couldn't give a single
reason why they deserve this break" (George Vecsey, N.Y. TIMES,
9/23).  NBC's Bob Costas:  "The mood of lawmakers has changed to
one of general disgust with the state of the game and an apparent
willingness to take away at least part of the curious anti-trust
exemption" ("Nightly News," 9/22).
     FROM CONGRESS:  Rep. Mike Synar (D-OK): "The owners really
did not make a strong case, I believe, in why they deserve this
special status. ... I am convinced that if there is a chance to
vote on the floors of the Senate or the House that this
legislation would pass overwhelmingly on the simple basis of
fairness" ("Business Insiders," CNBC, 9/22). More from Synar:
"The Senate really holds the key.  If [Sen. Howard] Metzenbaum is
able to push something through, we can get something done this
year" (Mark Maske, WASHINGTON POST, 9/23).  Metzenbaum, whose
Senate bill was blocked by a procedural motion last week, will
try to attach it to another bill as an amendment.  Metzenbaum:
"If I get a chance, you can bet your sweet life I'll try it"
(Helyar & Calmes, WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/23).  Brooks said if a
Senate bill were to pass, "I would be very open to allowing it to
proceed directly to the President" (THE DAILY).
     FROM THE OWNERS:  Acting MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
"downplayed the significance" of Brook's opposition:  "I really
believe this will not be settled in the halls of Congress.  I
truly believe the only way to settle this is at the bargaining
table" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/23).  Rockies Owner Jerry McMorris:
"I hate to see the old system tampered with while we're in the
middle of labor negotiations" ("Business Insiders," CNBC, 9/22).
Red Sox Owner John Harrington:  "The solution is at the
bargaining table" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/22).  Selig, on the
choice between a strike and litigation:  "That's like asking
whether you want to have a problem with your pancreas or a
problem with your liver" (Colin Miner, N.Y. POST, 9/23).
     FROM THE PLAYERS:  The Dodgers' Orel Hershiser: "If this
bill is passed, it will bring baseball back.  It is a promise, we
will return to the field.  Right now, without this bill, we only
have two options:  We can surrender or we can strike.  This bill
will give us a third option.  It will allow us to play baseball,
and let our attorneys fight it out in court" (mult., 9/23).
Agent Tom Reich:  "We had salary caps once before from the owners
in '85.  It was called collusion. ... [The owners] were found
guilty of the biggest conspiracy in the history of sports three
times. They don't deserve to have an exemption A -- and, B, it
isn't fair" ("Business Insiders," CNBC, 9/22).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1994/09/23/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/CONGRESS-TO-OWNERS-CONSIDER-YOURSELF-WARNED.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1994/09/23/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/CONGRESS-TO-OWNERS-CONSIDER-YOURSELF-WARNED.aspx

CLOSE