MLB history: Lessons learned during the previous MLB lockout in 1990

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ARLINGTON, TX – JULY 1990: MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent and Texas Rangers managing general partner George W. Bush look on during a July 1990 Texas Rangers game at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by A. Kaye/Getty Images) /

The new CBA was agreed on by MLB owners and the MLBPA in late March

A deal was finally agreed upon on March 19, 1990, meaning that Spring Training was virtually wiped out. The agreement included:

The “Super Two” clause
An increase in the benefit fund to player pensions and insurance to $55 million per season
Minimum wage increased from $68,000 to $100,000
Rosters increases from 24 players to 25 for the start of the 1991 season
Language prohibiting collusion was put in place
Either side can reopen negotiations on a four-year CBA after three years
A six-member committee was established to investigate the best way forward with revenue sharing

As a result of this being agreed upon late in Spring Training, they decided to abbreviate Spring Training. The regular season was slated to start on April 2 so they pushed it back one week to April 9.

However, this would have meant that, still, only 158 games would be able to be played so they added three days on to the season. Vincent was able to work out an agreement with CBS, who was in their first season of televising the playoffs and World Series but had been the radio home for the postseason since 1976, on the postseason to push it back so that all 162 games could be played.

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