For the first time in more than 25 years (2020’s pandemic shutdown excluded) there is no baseball. I know it’s the off season, but if the impasse between the players union and the owners continues there may be no baseball in April. The disagreement is largely about how younger players and superstars are paid. But the problems stem from big structural changes in the economy that impact every industry. And while the baseball lock-out will eventually be resolved, the economy-wide issues that unions are ill-equipped to address will remain.
The U.S. economy has undergone some big changes in the last few decades that impact every industry, even the classic American game. Better data and data analytics make it easier to spot talent and how much an individual worker or player contributes. There are also bigger rewards to being a superstar both individually and as a team.
