MLB Commissioner Skeptical About Los Angeles Olympic Participation: “The Problem is Schedule”
“Los Angeles Olympic schedule overlaps with regular season and All-Star Game”
Plan to expand to 32 teams, decision may be made before January 2029
Rob Manfred, commissioner of the Major League Baseball (MLB),
expressed skepticism about the possibility of big leaguers participating in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Commissioner Manfred was asked a question about big leaguers’ participation in the Los Angeles Olympics at a press conference after the team owners’ meeting held in Orlando, Florida, USA on the 9th (Korean time).
Commissioner Manfred did not hide his expectations, saying, “This is an opportunity for MLB to receive great attention.”
However, he emphasized, “The problem is the schedule.” 토토사이트 추천
He said, “It is difficult for players to participate in the Olympics due to the nature of MLB,
which is held every day,” and added, “The Olympic schedule also overlaps with the All-Star Game.”
Baseball became an official sport at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and maintained its status until the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which Korea won.
However, it lost its status as an official sport at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics,
but returned at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was dropped again at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Baseball will return as an official sport at the 2028 Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles, its ‘home’.
It is unclear whether big leaguers will participate.
The Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee made a presentation at the team owners’ meeting on the 8th requesting the participation of big leaguers,
but Commissioner Manfred responded skeptically, citing scheduling issues.
The Los Angeles Olympics will be held from July 14 to 30, 2028,
and the MLB regular season will be held during this period.
MLB has never permitted big leaguers to participate in the Olympics due to scheduling issues.
The U.S. national team also participated in the Olympics with a team made up of minor leaguers.
However, the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee is known to be persuading MLB by suggesting measures to minimize the baseball schedule.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Manfred responded to various pending issues that day.
Commissioner Manfred said, “Tickets sold to the 18-35 age group have increased by 10 percentage points over the past four years, and since 2019,
the average age of ticket purchase has decreased from 51 to 45 years old.”
MLB recently introduced various systems to shorten game time as the number of young fans decreased, and it appears to have had some effect.
Commissioner Manfred also revealed MLB’s plan to expand to 32 teams.
“A decision (related to league expansion) can be made within my term (January 2029),
but the new teams will be able to play after the 2029 season,” he said.
“The important thing is to strengthen the local media presence.”
“It is difficult to answer in detail because there are so many,” he said.
MLB is considering a plan to increase the existing 30-team system to 32-team system.