By: Gabe Kamins, Opinions Editor<\/p>\n
When the KBO, the Korean Baseball Organization, started its season without fans on May 5th, plenty of American fans tuned in.\u00a0 Despite the late start times – games begin between 1 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. EST, ESPN struck a deal with the KBO to show six of its games on air.\u00a0 Thus, baseball-deprived fans in America, who are midway through their third month without the MLB, have something to watch as they count down the days to a potential return for their beloved Major League Baseball.\u00a0 So, when will the MLB return?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There have been plenty of rumors about not only the start date of the 2020 MLB season, but what the season will look like as well.\u00a0 Will the league realign to help limit travel as much as possible?\u00a0 Will each game be played in Arizona?\u00a0 Will fans be allowed?\u00a0 The rumors have certainly been circulating.\u00a0 But the most recent piece of news came when Major League Baseball owners announced that they will submit a proposal to the players\u2019 union to start the 2020 season without fans in July.\u00a0 The proposal states that the regular season would begin around the weekend of July 4th, and spring training would start in early-mid June.\u00a0 Rather than the typical 162 game format, teams would now play 82 games.\u00a0 In hopes of limiting travel, teams will only play teams in their own division or teams in their same geographical area.\u00a0 So, for example, you won\u2019t be seeing the Baltimore Orioles taking on the Seattle Mariners this year.\u00a0 Though the plan will start with no fans, it has the intentions of gradually welcoming in a crowd as the season goes on, first in small amounts, eventually working its way up to normal sized crowds.\u00a0 All of this sounds great for MLB fans who are eager for some baseball.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But there\u2019s only one problem.\u00a0 The players and owners are not close to an agreement that would allow the MLB to return anytime soon.\u00a0 Part of the plan would call for players and teams to share game revenues 50-50, which will understandably upset the players, especially considering the fact that many players have already taken pay cuts due to the pandemic.\u00a0 <\/span>The players want the MLB to pay them 1\/162nd of their contract for every game played, which was agreed upon in March, but the owners, who are aware of the huge financial losses the teams will have if fans aren\u2019t allowed to attend games, are backtracking, and want to go 50-50.\u00a0 Additionally, as many players have already said, the overall feel amongst the players is that if they\u2019re going to risk themselves during a pandemic by traveling and playing baseball, then they want to be substantially compensated for it.\u00a0 But unless an agreement is reached, that\u2019s not going to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although an agreement seems far away, it certainly is promising that MLB is still trying to get its regular season started in July.\u00a0 While prioritizing safety, the MLB knows that this country wants its baseball, and its teams and players need their money.\u00a0 The hope remains that the owners and players will reach an agreement soon, and baseball can return in July.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By: Gabe Kamins, Opinions Editor When the KBO, the Korean Baseball Organization, started its season without fans on May 5th, plenty of American fans tuned in.\u00a0 Despite the late start times – games begin between 1 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. EST, ESPN struck a deal with the KBO to show six of its games 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