U.S. News
MLB Eyes Major Change Unsettles Baseball Fans
Clear Facts
- MLB commissioner Rob Manfred revealed the league is considering an in-season tournament and a split-season schedule.
- Manfred stated on WFAN that implementing these changes would be challenging because of baseball’s longstanding traditions.
- European soccer in-season tournaments succeed by featuring teams from different leagues, unlike U.S. leagues.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that the league is discussing big scheduling changes, including an in-season tournament and a split-season format. On WFAN radio, Manfred acknowledged that altering baseball’s traditional 162-game schedule would be difficult due to its significance in the sport.
“We’ve talked about split seasons. We’ve talked about in-season tournaments,” said Manfred.
He pointed out that changes could mean fewer regular season games, which might not sit well with those who value baseball’s long-standing records and traditions.
“It is a much more complicated thing in our sport than it is in other sports. Because of all of our season-long records, you’re playing around with something that people care a lot about,” Manfred added.
Unlike European soccer, where in-season tournaments bring clubs from different leagues together, American leagues like MLB cannot offer the same novelty or meaningful matchups. Fans in the U.S. often see repeat games with little added excitement, weakening the case for such tournaments.
Some worry that changing the format could impact the traditional business of the baseball season, including revenue opportunities for fans and businesses alike.
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