MLB commish Manfred: Time to look at gambling
Rob Manfred says he’s ready to approach legalized gambling in a different way than his predecessors. (USATSI)
New commissioner Rob Manfred says he would be open to Major League Baseball considering a new approach to legalized gambling. Echoing statements that NBA commissioner Adam Silver made recently, Manfred told ESPN’s Outside the Lines on Thursday that, “It’s important for baseball to give fresh consideration to the issue.”
Considering MLB’s sordid history with gambling — from the Black Sox scandal nearly 100 years ago to the status of Pete Rose today — this signals a significant policy change. Manfred acknowledged that the very creation of his office, starting with the reign of Kenesaw Mountain Landis in 1920, happened because of the sport’s association with gamblers. But times change, and legalized gambling in various forms has become prevalent in North America. Why resist the inevitable, Manfred is apparently wondering.
Nobody’s talking about a situation where anyone, any way involved with the play of the game on the field would be subject to rules different than they are today. The ban on that type of involvement would stay in place.
Having said that, gambling in terms of our society has changed its presence. The legalization. And I think it’s important for there to be a conversation between me and the owners about what our institutional position will be.
Here’s audio of the entire Manfred interview.
Manfred added that he needs to speak with the owners before developing a full policy, much less announcing one, but it probably would include support — or at least a lack of opposition — to any federal legislation that would allow sports books beyond Nevada.
What’s in it for MLB? As Silver suggested in his New York Times op/ed, pro sports leagues getting involved at this stage could help control whatever comes of government regulations. Such support also presumably would include a cut of the action. It’s a pragmatic stance for MLB, considering that it would take a substantial amount of money to “fix” a major-league game — perhaps more than could be paid to make it worth it. Manfred apparently believes that gambling isn’t as frightening to the game’s integrity as it used to be.
And speaking of Rose, Manfred also told interviewer Bob Ley that Rose’s lawyers already have contacted him regarding reinstatement. Rose has been banned since 1989 because of evidence that he bet on baseball while manager of the Cincinnati Reds, something Rose admits now but didn’t back then. Times change.
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