MLB owners this month "have combined to lay off hundreds of people across different club departments, portending an offseason that will forever change the sport," according to Evan Drellich of THE ATHLETIC. Execs said that some positions "will never return in the same numbers, particularly in traditional scouting, because they expect operations can survive, and even thrive, with a reduction." Ticketing and sales workers are "being hit hard too, after a year when there were no tickets to sell." Some owners "were already plowing toward new cost-efficiency goals prior to COVID-19, and now others are likely to follow suit." A's Managing Partner John Fisher is "preparing to layoff a large portion of 150 people who were previously furloughed." The Ricketts family "just laid off more than 100 employees" from the Cubs. The Orioles "let go of about 50 people," the same as the Giants. The Red Sox "laid off about 40 people" last month. The number of people "being let go now is drastic, and could imminently rise." Employee contracts in baseball "often expire at the end of October, particularly for those who work on the baseball side, contributing to the clustered timing." A few teams "have already moved toward different models in areas like pro scouting," and now other teams are "more likely to follow suit." Teams that have done so "believe they’re not just saving money, but also becoming more effective because of ever-growing technological capabilities" (THEATHLETIC.com, 10/26).
