President Clinton said that baseball's antitrust exemption
should be re-examined: "I don't see how we can avoid a serious
examination of it" (Paul Richter, L.A. TIMES, 9/15). But
Congressional action remained in limbo following the block of
Senator Howard Metzenbaum's (D-OH) bill Tuesday. Metzenbaum said
he would reintroduce the bill early next week and indicated that
he "had enough support" to pass the legislation (N.Y. TIMES,
9/15).
HOUSE ACTION: On the House side, House Judiciary Chairman
Rep. Jack Brooks (D-TX) will hold oversight on the antitrust
exemption September 22. Brooks said that the shutdown of the
game "has moved the issue of baseball antitrust exemption to the
congressional-policy radar screen as never before" (Alex Truex,
HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/15). Acting Commissioner Bud Selig plans to
testify at the hearings (USA TODAY, 9/15).
OUTLOOK: MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr: "[MLB] is the only
unregulated monopoly of its size in the country" ("SportsCenter,"
9/14). Dave Anderson writes that by "undermining the public's
trust in a World Series, the 28 major league club owners have
also undermined their antitrust exemption" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/15).
But ESPN'S Peter Gammons warned that action is unlikely: "The
owners have a lot of friends in high places" ("SportsCenter,"
9/14).
