The two leading members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary
Committee announced agreement on a bill that would "alter"
MLB's antitrust exemption, according to Murray Chass of the
N.Y. TIMES. U.S. Senator and Committee Chair Orrin Hatch
(R-UT) and U.S. Senator and ranking member Patrick Leahy (D-
VT), said the bill would affect "players' rights in labor
relations." The legislation would give MLB players "the same
rights as players in other professional sports, allowing
them to challenge owners' actions in a labor dispute with an
antitrust lawsuit." The bill does not impact the status of
antitrust law in regard to the minor leagues, franchise
expansion or relocation and the amateur player draft. Chass
notes that for the "first time, owners, players and the
minor leagues support the same legislation." Hatch said
that the bill would probably be approved in September, and
Chass notes that if the bill is passed by year's end, it
would affect the "termination date" of MLB's current labor
deal. If the bill becomes law, the termination date will
remain October 31, 2000, "which the owners prefer." If the
bill does not get passed, it will change to December 31,
2000. The owners "have long wanted the earlier date because
it would affect contract negotiations for the following
season. Players who become free agents, for example, would
not gain that status until after October 31" (N.Y. TIMES,
7/30). In Boston, Gregg Krupa writes that the passage
"would help reduce the possibility of a strike." MLBPA
Chief Legal Counsel Steve Fehr: "If it is enacted to law,
this is a big step forward" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/30).
SOMEBODY STOP HIM!? On his "News Without Brian
Williams" segment last night, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann said
it is in "baseball's interest to make sure that nobody hits
more than 60 home runs this year. Huh? ... Even with the
home run chase, baseball's attendance is virtually flat
compared with last year's. [The owners] are business men
with the marketing skills of Kenneth Starr. ... The owners
will never admit this, but the only real buzz about baseball
this year in the public mind is the pursuit of the Roger
Maris home run record. They have nothing else. They have
to bring it back next year" ("The Big Show," MSNBC, 7/29).
