Jeff Passan talks about the latest meeting between MLB and the MLBPA and how prepared the players are to forgo their paychecks if the stalemate continues. (2:13)
Spring training games will not begin until at least March 5 according to Major League Baseball.
Without a collective bargaining agreement in place, we must postpone the start of spring training games.
We are committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to both sides. On Monday, members of the owners' bargaining committee will join an in-person meeting with the Players Association and remain every day next week to negotiate and work towards starting the season on time.
After the last collective bargaining agreement expired, owners locked out the players in December, as negotiations for a new agreement haven't proven fruitful so far. Spring camps were supposed to open this week, but all of that is on hold.
The deadline to start the regular season on time looms, and the league and players union should intensify their talks next week.
The league would prefer about four weeks of spring training in order to start the regular season on time.
The sides are far apart on a number of issues including revenue sharing between the clubs, service time for players to enter the arbitration system, the amount of money in a pre-arbitration bonus pool and the thresholds and penalties for the competitive balance tax.
The last time spring and regular season games were not played was during the player's strike in 1994. The 1995 season started on April 25.
Fans who purchased tickets to games that will not be played have the option of getting a full refund.
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