The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted yesterday "to
strip" MLB owners of their antitrust exemption "as it
relates to labor negotiations," according to Thomas Heath of
the WASHINGTON POST. Both MLB's Exec Council and the MLBPA
had "agreed to support such a move as part of the agreement
that settled" the '94-'95 strike. The legislation, which
passed 11-6, "allows baseball to maintain its antitrust
exemption in all other areas, including franchise
relocation, the minor leagues and broadcasting." Heath:
"Opponents of the legislation argued that the exemption for
the minor leagues was not strong enough." Judiciary
Committee Chair Orrin Hatch (R-UT) said that "he thought the
legislation clearly protected the minors but agreed to
consider making further changes to the bill." Hatch
"expects the full Senate to pass the bill and send it to the
House." Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) will
decide when to bring up the measure (WASHINGTON POST, 8/1).
NOTES: In Tampa, arguments were heard in the Yankees/
adidas suit against MLB regarding whether the case should be
heard in New York. Attorneys expect U.S. District Court
Judge Henry Lee Adams to issue a ruling by the end of August
(TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/1)....In Cooperstown, NY, the Baseball
Hall of Fame has seen "its attendance fall drastically"
since the MLB strike, "with no turnaround in sight." USA
TODAY's Richard Willing: "The 33% decline, which has cost
the self-supporting Hall over $1 million already, has
affected programs and poses a serious threat to the 58-year
old facility's future, Hall of Fame officials say" (USA
TODAY, 8/1).
