We're back! Iconic ex-roommate duo, Danaka and Nic, join me on the pod to go through the history of America's passtime. There's sure as hell a lot of shady business doings here! We'll talk about how labor relations for players have improved (and not!) over pro ball's 100+ year history. My major focus this episode was on Curt FLood, the guy who paved the way for players to be able to ore freely negotiate their contracts, which was NOT a fixture of baseball for a looooong time.

Last season was serious as hell, so it's time to get fucking silly! These first three episodes are all a futile attempt at understanding and communicating about sports. Apparently people know a LOT about it, like Danaka and Nic! But if you're a girlypop like me looking for a solid introduction to the sport, here's your chance. Mwah!

Patreon.com/BustedBizBureau

Sources:

1. Pay Dirt: The Business of Professional Team Sports, James Quirk and Rodney D. Fort, 1992

2. A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood's Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports, Brad Snyder, 2006

3. What is MLB's antitrust exemption? Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley using baseball's century-old golden goose as political cudgel, USAToday, Gabe Lacques, April 2021

4. Happy birthday to baseball’s antitrust exemption, NBC Sports, Craig Calcaterra, May 2019

5. MLB to pay minor leaguers $185 million to settle lawsuit, AP News, Ronald Blum, July 2022

6. Free Agency Facts, MLB

Additional Stuff I didn't use because this episode was an hour and a half:

7. Major League Baseball's human-trafficking problem, Vox News, Dara Lind, 2014

8. Crain's Extra: No baseball games are necessary for owners to collect TV money