MLB: Teams agree to pay to the house of some minor leaguers’
Major League Baseball sides next season will start putting up some of their minor leaguers.
MLB announced in a statement during the week that owners of MLB teams "agreed to start providing housing to players of the specific minor league" as per a report by Associated Press via online casino.
The statement disclosed that the details of the latest policy had yet to be completed and did not state clearly what players would be eligible to benefit from the housing fund.
Other sources informed American broadcaster ESPN that Major League Baseball would need sides to offer housing via paying rent directly, stipends, or better still, arranging the housing on their own.
The latest arrangements are part of a broader restructuring of the minor league structure of the MLB, prompted in part by pressure from groups advocating for players.
After being acquired by a team, players customarily have to work up through the three available minor league tiers to get onto the Major League rosters. Many of them never make it and earn what is termed "poverty wages" while attempting.
The structure has smaller regional leagues also. In all, there are over 209 sides across 19 leagues, as confirmed by the MLB.
At the moment, the level of housing assistance provided to players varies by all clubs. For instance, the Houston Astros started offering furnished apartments to all its players this campaign. But most sides only put players up on road trips, leaving them to find housing near their ballparks for seasons that run for 3-6 months — putting traditional 1-year leases out of reach.
Some helpless players resort to living in their vehicles or roach-infested dives.
For low-income earners in the United State, finding accommodation is as difficult as it has ever been in the country. Home fees have risen incredibly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rise has spilled over into market rental as well. Meanwhile, localities still forbid or limit the development of inexpensive housing, preferring to keep one-family zoning.
In other to cushion the effect, the major leagues did increase the minimum salaries for all players in the league last season, although the pay is still considerably low. Onerous travel requirements were also relieved.
According to the arrangement agreed last year, players playing their trade at the highest minor league level - AAA, must be paid at least $700 weekly of play. Players plying their trade in the lowest tier, Single-A, can be paid as low as $500 weekly of play which is what was agreed on according to best usa online casinos.
Over the course of a 5-month season, that figures out to be only $10,500 for a Single-A player, below the federal poverty line of $12,880.
Last month, Players in the Mets and Phillies organizations wore teal wristbands for the final weekend of the campaign to protest the unfavorable pay structure in the league.
The Advocates for Minor Leaguers organization was heavily involved with the player protest on the last day of the season. and has in the past handed out pamphlets to supporters of the league to draw attention to the challenge faced.