MLB Commissioner Bud Selig credited the current 15-year run of labor peace for the record revenue and attendance the league has recorded in recent years. Speaking after his keynote address at the World Congress of Sports, Selig said that he is hopeful of avoiding a work stoppage in the current round of bargaining, which began with two formal negotiation sessions earlier this month. “Deals have to be equitable,” Selig said. “We’re not in the stage of the negotiations where I can tell you specifics. Hopefully, we can duplicate what we did in 2006: Thoughtfully, carefully and quietly.”
Selig reiterated that he plans to give up his commissioner duties in December ‘12 when his current contract ends. But he was less absolute in his remarks on this subject than he has been in the past. He acknowledged he has not begun to formally consider successor candidates. “That is my goal,” Selig said of retiring next year. “Those are my thoughts today.”
Selig last week declined to specify a potential increase in ‘11 attendance, though he was targeting a strong bump back up after three straight annual declines. But today, the commissioner said the lift could be 5-8%.
