Submission Date

Spring 5-4-2026

Document Type

Paper

Department

Business & Economics

Adviser

Steven Aukers

Committee Member

Jennifer VanGilder

Committee Member

Lori Daggar

Committee Member

William Shilstone

Department Chair

Jennifer VanGilder

Project Description

This qualitative case study examines the most visible business and economic factors currently impacting Major League Baseball (MLB). Specifically, it analyzes how current labor and collective bargaining issues, the changing media and broadcasting landscape, and the league’s reliance on locally generated revenue are shaping the league’s current and future business environment. Using a multi-method qualitative approach, this case study draws from academic scholarship, contemporary industry reporting, league documents, existing interviews, and six semi-structured interviews with professionals working in or around MLB. The evidence was analyzed through thematic coding and triangulated across sources to identify recurring themes and validate emerging findings. Current labor tension is largely fueled by debate over a potential salary cap and floor, with differing perspectives among owners, players, and the league office. Observed media instability reflects the decline of the regional sports network (RSN) model and MLB’s movement toward centralizing its media assets. Finally, MLB’s reliance on local revenue continues to shape each club’s spending power, with market location, local media deals, ticket sales, and sponsorship opportunities either expanding or constraining a team’s financial flexibility. MLB’s current headwinds are not isolated issues, but connected pressures rooted in the league’s local decentralized revenue model.

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