The 2027 Lockout Preview – Overview

The 2026 season may not have been great for fans of the Toronto Blue Jays, but for baseball in general, it was a stellar year. While the books aren’t entirely opaque, direct revenue raised by the MLB is estimated at over $13B for the season, the highest ever, and continuing a steady trend line since the COVID shortened 2020 season of about 4-7% growth year over year. Three teams changed ownership this year – Tampa Bay, San Diego, and Los Angeles – selling for $1.7B, $3.9B, and $4B respectively, despite all three facing challenges ranging from the need for a new stadium, a small media market, and a complete overhaul after decades of irrelevance. And yet, despite all of this success, owners are expected to lock out the players on the final minute of December 1st, 2026.

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