MLB Owners Propose Shorter Season, Playoff Format Changes; Fans React Negatively

Major League Baseball team owners have submitted a proposal to the players union that includes reducing the regular season from 162 to 154 games and significantly reformatting the playoffs. The proposal, shared on social media, comes amid ongoing negotiations for a new labor deal, with the current collective-bargaining agreement set to expire on December 1.

Owners are advocating for the 154-game season to begin in 2029, aligning with the next national media deal. They argue this shorter schedule would allow for an additional off day each week for players. This change would also provide flexibility to expand the Division Series from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven format, a change owners also aim to implement in 2029.

For the upcoming season, owners are seeking to allow higher-seeded playoff teams the ability to select their opponents in the Wild Card and Divisional Series. This aspect of the proposal has been met with strong backlash from fans on social media. Comments included criticisms such as "The dumbest thing I have ever heard" and "Opponents shouldn't get to choose opponents."

Currently, MLB's 12-team playoff system utilizes a fixed-seeding format, unlike the NFL which reseeds teams after the Wild Card round.

In contrast, the idea of a 154-game regular season appears to have more fan acceptance. This format was last used by the American League in 1960 and the National League in 1961. Some fans expressed support for this change, with one joking that it was the "first MLB proposal Cubs fans fully support" due to fewer games for struggling teams to play before missing the postseason. However, practical concerns were raised regarding how a shorter season might affect historical records, with questions about whether records from 162-game seasons would need an asterisk.

Discussions regarding the length of the MLB season and its playoff format are considered secondary by owners, who have long pushed for a salary cap. President Donald Trump has previously expressed support for a salary cap, stating in June that "If you don't have a salary cap, you don't have a sport." He has also indicated openness to mediating labor talks between owners and players.

The last significant labor dispute, the 1994-1995 player strike, also centered on the issue of a salary cap. The strike led to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series, and while a new labor deal was eventually reached for the 1995 season, it did not include a salary cap. Since then, MLB and the players' union have successfully negotiated five collective bargaining agreements, with the most recent one in 2022.

MLBPA spokespeople have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the latest proposal.