Major League Baseball Does Not Own Its Stats: Or How To Make The National Pastime As Inconsequential As Cricket*

The Robber Barons that run Major League Baseball (a name they have turned into an oxymoron) think that they own the statistics (stats), and that only they have the power to license these stats. These guys must really be hard up. Maybe they ought to sell Major League Baseball to the NFL and let those guys run things.

First, I am not going to spend a lot of time doing the research, but it seems to me that stats are historical fact. Moreover, who "owns" the stat (meaning here who set what record) is part of the history. (ie. That some one hit 714 homeruns is not as important as Babe Ruth hit 714 homeruns. That he hit most of them for the NY Yankees and that he mostly played Rightfield and that he wore number 3 and hit lefty are also facts.) This history is not, in my opinion, "copyrightable."

Baseball's millionaires want to sell the rights to the stats and personalities to fantasy baseball leagues. If you don't buy them you can't use them and are in vioation of their copyright. (Are you listening Blondie.)I guess they figure "Why should someone else get rich off our monopoly."

With these guys at the helm, it will be no time before the game is completly trivialized. I mean come on! With all the steroid garbage, the stats barely mean anything anymore anyway. A game on TV is about a interesting to kids today as watching grass grow. The adults are killing the love of the sport on the Little League level, and the behavior of many of the star players doesn't give a kid much to look up to. Take away the fantasy leagues and what's left?

What really kills me is that these Bozo's made the same argument that the fantasy leagues are making in a case some years ago in a case in California...AND WON!!! What hypocrites.

There are two money quotes from the article:

"I think they quite rightly perceive that it is not a particularly popular position they're taking. A lot of people play fantasy baseball."

and:

"It sure sounds like a short-sighted move by MLB," Eilbott said. "These fantasy leagues, if anything, are great for baseball."

What understatments. What buffoons. What a shame.

*...is in America today. Don't write to me just because you love cricket. I like the little insects too but a whole day watching them try to hit a ball and chirp... COME ON