The 2021 MLB season is on the books, the Atlanta Braves were crowned champions after 26 years of wait. It's been an intense year in which the regular season got back to its 162-game campaign with crowds back in every stadium.
But now it's time to turn the page and get ready for another year of baseball. The offseason is on and the trade news are already stealing all the headlines. And we can expect them to continue doing so for the next few months.
But with the end of the year just around the corner and the 2022 season drawing nearer, it's also a good time to talk about the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that will run for the years to come.
What is the MLB CBA?
The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is the agreement between players and clubs that rules the working relationship between these two parties in the Major League Baseball since 1968. Nowadays, the CBA exists in other sports as well as it's important to protect the players' rights while agreeing on terms with owners, but the MLB was the first professional sports competition to have it.
The CBA takes care of basic things like the ones related to the players' trips during the season and other everyday affairs while it also covers bigger issues such as the players' salaries, roster sizes, and the free agency structure.
When does the 2021 MLB CBA expire?
The collective bargaining agreement that covers the 2021 season is about to expire. Over the last few years, it's been common that the CBA lasts for five years before players and clubs have to reach a new agreement.
The current CBA, which was negotiated in December 2016 and has covered the league from 2017 until this year will expire at 11:59 PM (ET) on December 1, 2021. Therefore, players and clubs have to reach a new collective bargaining agreement that will govern in the next few years.
