Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has raised the ire of the director of the players’ association of his circuit by raising the possibility of imposing a limit on the duration of contracts.
“Reform regarding the maximum length of agreements has been of interest to our owners for a number of years,” Manfred revealed during his address Tuesday at Sports Business Journal’s World Conference.
“Obviously the players love it, because it gives them financial security for a very long time.”
In several North American professional sports leagues, there is a limit on the number of years of a contract. In the National Hockey League, for example, a formation cannot offer an agreement of more than seven years to a free agent. This is obviously not the case in the major leagues and this is a problem, according to Manfred.
“These long-term contracts are signed by star players and end when the player’s star has faded,” said the commissioner. At some point, it’s inevitable. This is a big issue for us because it creates inflexibility which affects the quality of the product we deliver in the field.”
An attack on freedom
Tony Clark, who represents the interests of major league baseball players, obviously did not appreciate the commissioner’s exit.
“Rob Manfred’s public assertion of owners’ desire to impose a year limit on contracts is simply another round of attacks on fundamental aspects of the free market in baseball and on the freedom of clubs and players to structure deals in the best interests of all parties,” the union director said in an interview with The Athletic website.
“The ability of clubs to act in their own interest to determine how best to bring an exciting product to the field for their supporters should not be restricted. Anyone who thinks players would ever approve of a league attack on guaranteed contracts is seriously mistaken.
This is the second clash between Manfred and the Players Association in a short time. Last week, the commissioner had raised the possibility of introducing a payroll in his circuit, which had really not pleased Clark.
One thing is certain, and that is that these thorny issues will not be the subject of negotiations for a few years. Indeed, Major League Baseball and the Players Association have a valid collective agreement until the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Longest Major League Baseball Deals
Fernando Tatis Jr. – San Diego Padres
14 years (2021-2034), $340 million
Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies
13 years (2019-2031), $330 million
Giancarlo Stanton – Miami Marlins
13 years (2015-2027), $325 million
Mookie Betts – Los Angeles Dodgers
12 years (2021-2032), $365 million
Francisco Lindor – New York Mets
10 years (2022-2031), $341 million
Corey Seager—Texas Rangers
10 years (2022-2031), $325 million
Manny Machado – San Diego Padres
10 years (2019-2028), $300 million
Aaron Judge – New York Yankees
Nine years (2023-2031), $360 million
Gerrit Cole – New York Yankees
Nine years (2020-2028), $324 million