Major League Baseball received a major blow yesterday when the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and ownership announced that they have not come to a consensus on a new collective bargain agreement and the first week of the regular season was cancelled.

This is a complex and deep issue with faults to be found on both sides of this argument, a lot more on ownerships side certainly, but neither side of the argument, and especially Major League Baseball as a whole, got a big black eye late Tuesday night.

For those that are old enough to remember the last MLB labor strike of 1994, they will remember that the immediate fallout of the strike was a steep drop in popularity. Many swore off the game for life, and many others stayed away from the game until the excitement of the steroid era, which was completely looked the other way upon by the league, brought them back into the fold.

That was 1994, this is 2022. In 1994 we didn't get minute by minute updates of what was going on. The public was solely reliant on media to form their positions and no matter how transparent the media was, the speed of communication and ability for players and agents to speak directly to millions through social media means that people are more cynical than ever. There's also the fact that people have hundreds of more entertainment options at their fingertips today then they did 30 years ago.

If you've had enough of Major League Baseball bickering with each other then maybe it's time to turn your baseball energy away from the Cubs, White Sox, or Brewers this year and focus locally on minor league baseball.

Fortunately, we have such an organization right here in Rockford with the Rockford Rivets.

Rivets games are a blast and every time I go to one I think to myself "I should do this a little more often."

That's officially my plan this year when the Rivets begin play on May 30th this year. Bring the kids, it's affordable and very kid friendly. Bring friends. Bring family. Just get out and enjoy baseball without taking out a mortgage in the process.

Minor league baseball has always been about creating the best fan experience and the Rivets are no exception.

Order some tickets now and plan some trips to Rivets Stadium again. Who knows you might remember why you actually like baseball.

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