Brewers, White Sox owners call for hard salary cap and floor ahead of fraught MLB CBA talks

MLB owners are using the buildup to the World Series to make their case in baseball’s looming labor battle.

During a press conference on the eve of the Fall Classic Thursday, Brewers owner Mark Attanasio threw his support behind the league’s proposed salary cap and floor system, arguing that it would help smaller market teams compete.

“I think the system that’s being proposed in terms of a revenue-sharing system not only will help us compete, but more importantly, all of the teams with lower payrolls, too, which is something also I think the fans want,” Attanasio said.

White Sox minority owner Mat Ishbia expressed similar support for a salary cap and floor in an interview with Front Office Sports.

“I do believe that it’s been proven that having a salary cap does make sense for the business,” Ishbia told the outlet. “… My take is there’s got to be some structure so that all the teams can compete, and there’s got to be some type of formality there.”

The comments from both owners came after Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner voiced his support for the league’s labor proposals earlier this week during an end-of-season press conference.

The league’s proposal includes a hard salary cap of $245.3 million and a floor of $171.2 million beginning in 2027, in addition to a system designed to split baseball revenue evenly between owners and players.

The Major League Baseball Players’ Union has long opposed a salary cap, arguing that it would suppress player salaries and benefit owners’ wallets. 

The current Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1, with a lockout looking increasingly likely for the 2027 season.

A World Series between two low-spending, small-market clubs is adding intrigue to the CBA talks. 

The Brewers and Rays ranked 19th and 27th, respectively, in payroll this season, according to Spotrac.