Major League Baseball has proposed reducing its regular season from 162 to 154 games starting in 2029, alongside structural changes to the postseason, as part of a broader push to secure a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The league’s CBA expires on December 1, following the conclusion of the 2024 World Series. The proposal was outlined in a statement from MLB spokesman Glen Caplin, who framed the changes as beneficial for player health, fan engagement, and broadcast revenue.
The league also seeks to extend the Division Series from best-of-five to best-of-seven games and introduce a new national broadcast window on Mondays, where one or two games would be exclusively televised. Teams playing on Mondays would receive a corresponding off day on Thursdays, while all other teams would have an off day that day. Additionally, the proposal includes a playoff format adjustment allowing the highest-seeded teams in both the Wild Card and Division Series rounds to choose their lower-seeded opponents, a move intended to intensify rivalries and create compelling matchups.
MLB has historically lacked a salary cap, making it the only major American sports league without one. The league has unsuccessfully pursued this reform in previous CBA negotiations, and the current proposal appears designed to incentivize the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) to accept financial constraints in exchange for structural adjustments. The 154-game schedule was last used between 1904 and 1960, with exceptions during World War I (1918–1919). The standard 162-game season has been in place for 66 years, though some seasons have been shortened due to external factors.
Key Details of the Proposal
- Regular Season: Reduced from 162 to 154 games, beginning in 2029.
- Postseason Adjustments:
- Division Series expanded from best-of-five to best-of-seven.
- Top seeds in Wild Card and Division Series rounds may select their opponents.
- Broadcast Changes:
- Monday designated as a national broadcast window, with one or two games exclusively televised.
- Teams playing on Mondays receive a Thursday off day; all other teams have a Monday off.
- Rationale: MLB argues the changes will improve player health, enhance fan experience, and create new revenue opportunities through exclusive broadcast windows.
The MLBPA has not yet publicly responded to the proposal, though the league’s CBA negotiations are ongoing. The next collective bargaining agreement must be finalized before the December 1 deadline to avoid a potential lockout, which would mark the second such disruption in the past decade. The proposal reflects MLB’s strategy to balance competitive integrity with financial reform, though the path to consensus remains uncertain.