Stories in Sports – The week so far.

Here are some major points of interest to look out for as we get our week started in the world of sports.

• MLB discussing plans to reopen the sport (and save their finances) as early as July.
• The AHL cancels their season while the NHL owners meet to discuss ways to finish the season.
• The first of the major football (soccer) leagues to reopen this weekend, the German Bundesliga.
• In Formula 1, Ferrari and 4-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel break off contract talks with both parties looking at a new direction.

Major League Baseball owners and players gearing up for fight over 2020 season.

It looks like another knockdown, drag out labor dispute is brewing between MLB owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down every major sports competition (barring the UFC and WWE for some “unknown” and totally not corrupt reason) around the world. This has caused utter chaos for the leagues, as their television contracts (in some cases worth BILLIONS) require them to play to get paid. Every league is doing everything in their power to figure out how to reopen, even without the fans present, to fulfill the contracts with the TV providers (who are in turn, freaking out over THEIR obligations to advertisers).

This has led to the owners giving the “OK” to a wide ranging proposal. Highlights include an 82 game season, 14 team playoffs and 50/50 revenue split between players and owners. The MLBPA, already saddled with prorated salaries in this proposal due to the half-season, have rejected the proposal due to that 50/50 revenue split.

I’d go into more details about the proposals and feelings on both sides, but you can go to ESPN for that information. As a fan, I’m here to say, I don’t really care who makes more money or who’s getting over on who. As a general rule, I side with the players because, well, billionaires have won enough. Like in pro-athlete versus regular dude making average wages, I’m rooting for Joe Schmoe every time.

If you’d asked me a month ago, I’d have probably told you “just get them back, I NEED something to pay attention to” but as we’ve gone through this period of life for a few months now, I just want everyone to be as safe as possible. If MLB can guarantee the safety of players and personnel for the teams in any re-opening situation, I am all for it. However, if they’re risking the athletes and team staff, then screw their contracts and their billions. I could not care less about the mega rich losing millions out of billions.

I’m also gonna take a quick second here to bring up something that’s bothered me since I heard about it when the NBA ended their season. Why is it that the players need to take a pay cut and the stadium workers need to worry about their income, but billionaire owners cry and whine whenever they lose a penny? The players shouldn’t be the ones that are giving up millions to support the stadium staff, IT SHOULD BE THE CRAZY RICH BILLIONAIRE OWNERS!!!! /endrant

AHL Cancels season. NHL to jump into playoffs or restart in October?

The 2019-2020 AHL season is over, no champion will be awarded the Calder Cup. Will Lord Stanley’s trophy get lifted this year? As an Avalanche fan who was REALLY excited about this year’s version, I hope so.

The NHL has been the league that I’ve been most impressed with. They are showing responsibility, and their inclusion of “what’s best for the fans” in all of their thought processes around finishing the season have really grabbed my interest. They’ve covered all bases; from just starting the playoffs in one city, playing multiple games without fans in each day and broadcasting the whole thing to starting the season in September/October when it may be safer for fans to attend arenas again. Maybe this is because there’s more than 1 Canadian owner in the NHL (as opposed to MLB). Canadians are so nice.

My stance is pretty similar to my stance for MLB owners. If the NHL can resume and keep players plus staff safe, let’s get it. If you’re trying to sacrifice human lives for profits, screw you, no.

Bundesliga is back! Will it stay back?

Saturday (May 16th) is shaping up to be pretty exciting, as the German football (soccer) league is about to resume play. Personally I’ll be watching, but not without reservations. One team in the second division, Dynamo Dresden, has already had to postpone their first match due to two players contracting the virus. This doesn’t look like a good omen for the league. I hope we don’t hear about the virus ripping through the players and staff in the league in a month because the DFB jumped the gun in restarting.

If you do decide to watch (and again, I will be), the race for spots in European competitions are really tight, with traditional front-runners Bayern Munich sitting in front by 4 points, but there’s only 8 points between the top 5 teams. This should lead to fierce competition for the four Champions League positions and a very exciting finish to the schedule, if we can get there.

4-Time World Champion Sebastian Vettel is leaving traditional Formula 1 powerhouse Ferrari with no titles. What’s next for both driver and team?

After winning 4 consecutive titles with Red Bull, German F1 driver Sebastian Vettel jumped to Ferrari in hopes of bringing titles back to the Tifosi. However, 5 years later and following his worst season, it looks like Vettel will end his Ferrari career with only disappointment. After finishing 2nd to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in both 2017 & 2018 in the World Driver’s Championship and 5th, behind his own young teammate, Charles LeClerc, in 2019. It’s still unknown why the parties broke off talks, but it’s rumored to be related to length of contract.

I think Vettel is a talented driver and enjoyed rooting for him in Scuderia livery every race, but I think this may be the best move for all involved. I hope Vettel finds an ascending team or heads back to Red Bull and thrives. However, I greatly hope that Ferrari finds the right #2 to budding superstar LeClerc and return to the top of the podium. The years of Mercedes dominance have worn on me, and many other Formula 1 fans. Forza Ferrari.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s major stories in the world of sports. Have any that you think I missed? Let me know in the comments! Check back tomorrow for more sports content and make sure to bookmark http://www.pjsportslife.com, subscribe to the e-mail list and follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!

Stay Safe!

• Patrick