While I don't necessarily disagree, and my thoughts since first hearing about the suit have been along the same lines, my mind has come up with a few possible arguments to the other side. I'm sure others have more knowledge than I, but here they are? Do MLB organizations profit from minor league teams and games? My assumption is no, not directly. Obviously, these minor league teams are their farm systems from which they hope to garner major league talent, but do they make any profit from these players while they are in the minors? I assume any profits gained go to those minor league organizations, so shouldn’t they be at least as responsible for their players’ compensation? Why would an organization that profits nothing be expected to pay higher wages to players who will never benefit them at all. And don’t forget, if they believe that player may, possibly, have a chance to benefit them in the future they receive signing bonuses. Looking solely at the issue from the perspective that this is a business, increased pay from MLB teams may not make a lot of sense. Should they all get bonuses when they first sign? Perhaps, but continuing pay (or an increase in the current pay)? If the games were better attended, if ticket prices were increased, if the minor league organizations made more profits, perhaps players should be paid from them. But if minor leagues make very little money, shouldn’t the players? Granted, I don’t know what the minor league organizations take in, but if the margins are slim, then is that reason the players pay is so low? And, if the margins aren’t slim, then perhaps those organizations need to compensate those players one way or another.
