The Major League Baseball Players Association designated Bruce Meyer as its new chief executive on Wednesday, as reported by ESPN sources. This move follows Tony Clark’s resignation due to scandal just a day prior, and occurs less than a year before the current MLB collective bargaining agreement is set to conclude.
Meyer’s selection by the 72 players on the union’s executive committee is a temporary appointment, sources indicated.
Meyer, who formerly served as the union’s associate executive director, was elevated to the principal position during a pivotal period for the MLBPA. As owners advocate for a wage ceiling and are ready to initiate a lockout against the players on December 1st if a fresh agreement isn’t secured, the players are preparing for a prolonged cessation of work as they endeavor to thwart the league’s initiatives.
Appointed in 2018, following a heavily criticized labor agreement from the preceding year, Meyer functioned as the union’s primary negotiator during the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitated the 2022 labor agreement subsequent to a 99-day lockout. He will retain his role leading the union’s collective bargaining talks.
An experienced attorney, with prior experience serving the NHL, NBA, and NFL, Meyer becomes the sixth individual to hold the top executive post at the MLBPA.
On Tuesday, Clark relinquished his position subsequent to an internal probe which uncovered an improper affair with his sister-in-law, who had been employed by the union in 2023. Federal scrutiny of the MLBPA regarding its financial affairs and oversight compelled the union to engage an independent attorney, whose investigation brought the unsuitable relationship to light.