The Irony Of MLB Wanting To Be In The Gambling Business

“Make. It. Rain.” So says the Draft Kings spokesmodel ad nauseum every time I watch a baseball game.

Seems like these days all MLB telecasts have some gambling app advertising their wares.  What was once ‘taboo’ in the game of baseball, seems more like the norm now. Gambling is legal, so I get it. Gambling brings in money, so again I get it. What I have a hard time understanding is the complete change of philosophy by baseball. The sport has been littered with scandals related to gambling, including Pete Rose being banned for life from baseball. 

So now that some teams, most notably, the Chicago Cubs, are lobbying to have sports books built inside of their stadium. The oldest ballpark in the National League would build a two-story facility just outside the stadium at the busy corner of Sheffield and Addison Streets in Chicago. In a statement the Cubs said, “While the game of baseball has largely been the same for the last 150 years, the fans have changed. The way they consume baseball is different through emerging technology and content platforms,” the Cubs said in their statement. “Sports wagering is becoming a big part of that change and this sportsbook will allow us to connect fans to the game in new ways.”

Wow times have changed. So, tell me, when is the press conference to reinstate Rose? When is the press conference to reinstate the members of the 1919 “Black” Sox? I know, before you blow a gasket, these are different times and one doesn’t necessarily beget the other. The transgressions I speak of, were committed during a period where gambling wasn’t legal in most places. That makes it more of a “sin” I guess. 

We are coming up on the 32^nd anniversary of Rose accepting his permanent ban from the game he loved. By Rose voluntarily joining the list, MLB agreed to not release the findings of its gambling investigation. Baseball rules state that Rose could apply for reinstatement to the sport, but then commissioner Bart Giamatti said, “There is absolutely no deal for reinstatement. That is exactly what we did not agree to in terms of a fixed number of years.” 

The Black Sox scandal was a completely different animal all together. Those that participated did so because that was really their only way of getting paid. Salaries quite obviously were paltry compared to the game even 40 years after the event. The yearly salaries of the 1919 players were probably less than the highest paid guys of today, pay in taxes every year. There were no player bonuses for making, or winning the World Series. So, there was a monetary carrot dangled in front of the 1919 Black Sox. 

That won’t be an issue this time around. But there are still some folks worried about the Cubs and other teams letting gambling take place in the buildings they play. 

In May of 2018, when the Supreme Court legalized sports betting in many states the prevailing thought was concern. Umpire Joe West said to USA Today 3 years ago, “It scares me to death. I’m not worried about any of my guys doing anything (illegal), but I am worried about their security. People won’t have just a rooting interest in games, but now they’re gambling on them. So, if they lose their money, and they’re mad enough, anything’s liable to happen.”

Gambling hadn’t been a part of the game for a very long time, so why now?

You guessed it, money.

“Sports betting happens,’’ Commissioner Rob Manfred told Yahoo Finance in 2018. “Whether it’s legalized here or not, it’s happening out there. So, I think the question for sports is really, ‘Are we better off in a world where we have a nice, strong, uniform, federal regulation of gambling that protects the integrity of sports, provides sports with the tools to ensure that there is integrity in the competition…or are we better off closing our eyes to that and letting it go on as illegal gambling?’ “And that’s a debatable point.’’ Said Manfred. 

It’s quite a far cry from Manfred’s predecessor Bud Selig, who back in 2013 testified under oath that gambling was an “evil, which creates doubt and destroys your sport.” Selig stated back then that Las Vegas would never have a baseball team, and responded to New Jersey’s ongoing fight to legalize sports betting by saying, “This is corruption, in my opinion.”

This is 2021 and there is money to be made. Audiences are viewing games differently and some sports are trending older, including baseball, which makes the powers that be, well, nervous.

For the first time in a very long time, baseball is thinking way outside the box. It’s being reported by a few media outlets, including The New York Post, that Major League Baseball and Barstool Sports have had significant negotiations about airing national games on the site’s platforms. According to the Post, the discussions are what Barstool founder Dave Portnoy referred to a few weeks ago when he mentioned his company has had talks with “major leagues.”

MLB and Barstool potentially could team up to create a new type of broadcast with a focus on in-game gambling. The Post reported that the talks have only recently started and while they’ve picked up some steam, an agreement is not a certainty. 

What does that actually mean? Well, there is a hole to fill in baseball’s midweek broadcast schedule. Under new agreements with television partners, there are no longer exclusive Monday or Wednesday broadcasts. It’s uncertain if baseball would turn to YouTube, which has aired MLB games before, or if Peacock which just did games in July are really contenders. 

This is where Barstool could come in. It would really be a win-win for both the league and Barstool. The site would serve up a younger audience to MLB. The league has been trying to create ways to target millennials for a long time. Barstool has that built in already and would be able to create an “event” every time they air an MLB game. They would likely deliver games on the Barstool website and also its Instagram and Twitter accounts as well. The site’s many correspondents across the country are terrific at promoting their product and this would be no different. 

As the Post, points out, if a deal is reached and it’s “non-exclusive”, the games would likely still be broadcast on RSNs, making Barstool’s stream an alternative broadcast. That would allow for those that want a traditional broadcast to get that and those that want a different approach, will get what they want. 

The “different” approach would likely not feature a play-by-play and color analyst like you are used to seeing. This would be more like a host, and a bunch of other people, sitting around watching a game, talking about it. They’d also be discussing the gambling aspects, like money lines. It would be a little baseball and a lot of gambling. Just the way some people want it. 

As I write, I’m thinking about how I feel about all of this. Not just as a broadcaster but as a lifelong fan of the sport of baseball. I come to the conclusion that as much as the new stats we use in baseball took some getting used to, so will gambling. 

I don’t think we’ll notice much difference in the way a normal game is covered. Yes, I’ve already seen “tickers” at the bottom of the screen give me different information. During a broadcast I can get the latest in money lines and spreads. I’m sure that broadcasters will have to read promos for the various outlets their teams may have a partnership with. That’s not anything unusual these days, with most every element sponsored. As a play-by-play announcer, I think the audience understands YOU, yourself aren’t endorsing a product. I don’t really think any credibility issues will arise.

I mean, Al Michaels has been alluding to gambling during football games for years. Like, “this game is now OVER”, not meaning the game is finished, meaning the total has gone over the number. All good, because Michaels is one of the best to ever turn on a microphone. 

I have to admit, I never thought I’d see the day where baseball welcomed and partnered with gambling establishments, like apps and casinos. At the end of the day as a fan, I’m not a big gambler, but why would I be against what a lot of people really enjoy?

Oh yeah, and it’s legal. The thing that is strange is how quickly and comfortably baseball has been willing to partner with what was once so forbidden.

Here’s a fact. Whether you want to believe it or not, there are fans, sitting in your favorite ballpark today that are wagering on games. Baseball and other sports are just trying to get in on the action and tap into this very lucrative market. Hard to really blame them. 

The only thing I hope is that baseball seriously does its homework. How will it separate the teams from the wagering? If bets are being placed in the actual ballpark they are playing in, the criticism they’ll hear from the fans will be a little different, I’m sure. “Hey you just cost me money with that strikeout!” Can you imagine? 

The probability of players or umpires or officials to willingly participate in a conspiracy are low, but you have to consider the future. What haven’t they thought of? What are some of the loopholes? How could baseball be opened up to its next gambling scandal? 

I’d be willing to bet there is a lot of scrambling going on at baseball’s headquarters in New York. 

Andy Masur

Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.