While reports have surfaced that the '17 World Baseball Classic could be the last fans see of the event, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred yesterday said that "nothing could be further from the truth," according to Jim Armstrong of the AP. Manfred, who is overseas for the first few days of the tournament, said, "The WBC will be broadcast in 182 countries. This will be a $100 million event over this brief less than two-week period. From Day 1, while it was a profitable event from the beginning, it has really grown in terms of its revenue significance and it's popularity around the world" (AP, 3/7). Manfred added the WBC is "vital to the internationalization" of baseball. Manfred: “The WBC has always been profitable, and there’s been absolutely no discussion about the possibility of this being the last WBC.” Manfred stressed that the WBC is "here to stay, and that despite criticism that some of the world’s best players are sitting out the tournament, the teams had never been better." Manfred: "The U.S. position players, their roster is pretty darn strong. You’re never, ever going to have every guy. There’s going to be some guys who are injured, guys who don’t want to play for some reason.” Manfred also said that scheduling was "one of the biggest challenges facing the tournament" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/7).
HERE TO STAY: In San Diego, Jeff Sanders notes the U.S.' "medal drought, a shortage of American stars and a lukewarm reception here to date has done little to tarnish the international tournament’s standing in the commissioner’s office." Manfred: "Let me say this as plainly as possible. I intend to keep the WBC alive and rolling as long as I'm commissioner. The WBC serves two really, really important purposes, I think purposes that are crucial to the future of the game. One is the internationalization of the sport. ... Second, the money that the WBC funnels into federations that they can then use through development is crucial to the grass-roots growth of the game in those countries" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/7).
DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH: The AP's Armstrong notes Manfred "doesn't anticipate" a change to MLB's stance of most likely not competing in the '20 Tokyo Games. Manfred: "I do not believe that our owners would support some sort of break in our season. Continuity is key to our competition" (AP, 3/7).
