Baseball Isn’t Boring
Presser: MLBPA Chief Tony Clark Has Pointed Remarks About Gambling Issues, Potential Lockout
25 Oct 2025
Chapter 1: What are the ongoing issues with gambling in MLB?
This is always the cycle, and you guys know, we get a year out of bargaining. In this instance, or at that time, it was almost two years out of bargaining. You start having dialogue and having conversations with players in preparation for the expected negotiation.
The commentary that had been started at the beginning of the year was exactly as you were referencing, what it was that the league was otherwise interested in doing. For us, it's always about engaging the players, educating the players and talking about the issues and ensuring that we understand where they are. So to the extent that we did that, we did.
to the extent that our board meeting this year will be focused in on the heels of those conversations it will be and then we'll be in a position as we always are to negotiate in good faith with the league once we're formally sitting at the table consider sitting in on those meetings rob had like could you guys have sent someone from staff The opportunity to sit in on those meetings is available.
Our players, to the extent that they would have an interest in us sitting in, could make that request. But as I just highlighted a little while ago, we engage and educate our players to the extent that They have those meetings. They're more than willing to ask questions, get answers to those questions. To the extent that any dialogue needs to happen thereafter, it could and it did.
But in regards to whether or not the commissioner's office is interested in having us sit in on those meetings, you can ask him as to whether or not he's interested.
I'm assuming no change, like you're still 100% against a cap or anything. Yeah, no change.
Resembly a cap. No change. Rob keeps saying they haven't decided yet, but you're still under the impression that they're going to try to introduce a cap.
As a ballplayer before every game, I had read the scouting report, and then I appreciated what my history was against that particular pitcher that night. And I prepared accordingly. Rob's been in the game and the commissioner has been in the game for a long time. I've been in the game for a long time.
We're preparing accordingly and we'll sit down as we always do with an eye on trying to find common ground. A fair and equitable deal is always the goal that will continue.
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Chapter 2: How is the MLBPA preparing for negotiations with the league?
This player group made the determination to retain all of their group licensing and there has been no distribution of late. The players themselves decide that. As a result of decisions we've made as an organization, we are in a position and more importantly the players are in a position against the backdrop of those retained dollars to be financially positioned in a way they never have before.
change the free agent market this winter, Tony, as far as teams maybe not spending as much because of the CBA coming up?
Well, we'll have to see. We know going into every market, every market can be a little bit different, but we do recognize that for every team that is looking to improve itself, there's going to be an opportunity to do so this offseason.
We simply hope that it's all 30 teams that are interested in trying to be the last team standing with the wherewithal that all 30 teams have going into this offseason rather than a few.
The national TV package that Rob's trying to do, you'll have to be involved, I would imagine. Do you think they have to collectively bargain that?
Not the negotiation itself with whatever partners they're looking to engage with. How those negotiations go with respect to the construct of those deals and how they may otherwise affect the system that we have, that would be the discussion that we participate in.
When a couple of years ago when baseball kind of embraced gambling, you kind of fear like things could happen. You saw what happened obviously with the NBA. More fears now or more concern because it's pretty widespread.
We've had the concern since day one. The safety and well-being of our players has always been paramount. And that's what you heard me say as soon as Passport was repealed and gambling became legal. That hasn't changed. Since that time, we obviously have a security director ourselves. We work closely with the league to ensure the safety and well-being of our players.
So that remains front and center here. That along with the educating of our players, making sure that they understand what they can and can't do is consistent and constant. But rest assured, every time there's a situation that arises related to gambling, the concern doesn't lessen, it gets greater.
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Chapter 3: What financial preparations are being made ahead of the CBA negotiations?
Class A investigation is on one of these pitch prop bets. Would you like to see those go away?
We're in support of removing any types of... bets, props or otherwise, that can create issues for our guys on the field as you just highlighted. We've heard a lot about prop bets and it was one of the things we were concerned about from day one as well.
Is the concern for players' safety greater now than ever? It seems like we're hearing more and more about death threats.
Yes. Yes. Yes. And even from day one, I'll share a story. At the point in time Haspel was repealed and gambling became legalized in the states that it did, we had players within 24 hours reach out and suggest they were suddenly being followed by gambling sites and other entities. It's just a different world. And so... Every time, again, something happens, yeah, our concerns become greater.
And everyone, on some level, recognized that the world was going to be different. But the health and safety, put the revenue aside that may be a part of the equation. Our health and safety is first and foremost.
And that's why, again, we hired the security director that we did and why we work as diligently as we do to make sure that our players and their families are as protected as they can be amid the new environment we're in.
If the Dodgers were to win again, does that materially change any of the bargaining, or is that just chatter? No, it's a lot of chatter. It's a lot of chatter. What's your understanding of the situation right now with Class A and Luis Ortiz and not being allowed to play winter ball?
I don't know about winter ball. I know in general it's an ongoing issue, and so there's not much more I can offer on that. But I saw the same report that you did.
I think when we talk about the gambling stuff, people look at the unions and all the sports, I think all the sports, also receive money from gambling companies just like the leagues do. And I think it can be hard for people to reconcile, well, it can appear to people as both sides of the mouth, right? Like their concerns, but also it enriches players. How do you reconcile those two things?
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Chapter 4: How might the free agent market change this winter?
We balance the two. At the point in time that player safety... is a concern across the board such that we're not able to protect our players.
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The conversation I would anticipate having with our own guys is what do we want to do about that and what does that mean in the grand scheme of things. We haven't reached that point yet. The players have obviously, at the point in time that, again, Passport was repealed, engaged us about trying to find opportunities. And so you're right, we're balancing the two of those things.
But at the point in time health and safety is jeopardized, that's where that line gets drawn.
Excuse me.
Is there any update you can give on the Eastern District proceeding? Is it still ongoing to your knowledge? We have cooperated fully and we'll continue to. Have you made any progress on addressing some of the facility issues in Sacramento for next year?
Not yet. Once the dust settles from the series, we'll orient around what 2026 needs to look like, including any dialogue around what's going to happen with the Rays as well as what's going on there in Sacramento. So, no, we haven't had those conversations yet.
I know you tried to throw your business a little bit in Japan just with the merchandise. I know this might not be a moneymaker. Like, are there any other areas of the business you're trying to grow knowing that 26, you know, there's concern about, you know, lockout, work stoppage, you've got to make money for your players right now and they're saving.
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Chapter 5: What are the players' concerns regarding gambling's impact on their safety?
And so whether that's abroad, whether that's here domestically, that work never stops. And you're right, generally speaking, it's all against the backdrop of providing support to players at the bargaining table and beyond. But it never stops.
You said the Dodgers, it's just chatter. How would you explain to fans why they should view it as just chatter? Why isn't the Dodgers potentially repeating or, you know, some of the same stuff you talked about in spring training, but why aren't the Dodgers of concern, I guess?
In the late 90s, there were repeat champions. I was actually a player at that time. The sky was falling as the Yankees repeated. Here we are nearly 30 years later, and the industry has grown exponentially. The idea that there is excellence among the clubs, you tip your hat to those clubs. There's opportunities for all 30 teams to be excellent. Some are investing in that excellence, some aren't.
To the extent that those that have the wherewithal, and all 30 clubs do, decide that they want to invest in that excellence, they're gonna have an opportunity to be the last team standing as well.
What would you make of Dave Roberts' comment saying that the naysayers are saying the Dodgers are ruining baseball and they'll happily ruin it?
Yeah, I would beg, the question for me would be who is working to create the narrative that is challenging the excellence that we're seeing.
Do you think it's possible that smaller market teams are making more than the large market teams?
All 30 teams have the wherewithal to put a very good team on the field. As you know, we are provided information that is confidential information. We're not allowed to share that information. So when I suggest to you that all 30 teams have the wherewithal to invest in their clubs and improve their club on the field, we believe that they do.
Unlike a team like the Marlins, are they doing that?
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