Minor League Baseball Play-by-Play jobs might be shrinking

[Jon Chelesnik]

It looks like the amended FSLA (Fair Labor Standards Act) law, as it relates to overtime pay, might have an immediate impact on play-by-play jobs in Minor League Baseball.

Some affiliated leagues are already discussing having the home team provide the broadcast for both the home and visiting clubs. That means each team's broadcaster will only be doing half of the schedule.

Other teams are considering eliminating broadcasts all together.

When the law was passed in July, I wrote a blog post about it. I was cautiously optimistic. As it is turning out, my optimism might have been misplaced. Read it here:

http://staatalent.com/minor-league-broadcaster-raise/

[RadioPat1982]

This would be fun for someone to track if they have the time. I do visit broadcast411.com and check out who has moved where from time to time.

For me, this wont effect much in the AA and AAA classifications. I think there will be some changes at the lower levels though. In fact, one would argue the already has been. A positive view point is that there is an opportunity for basically any team to have at very least an online broadcast with the addition of the Tune In deal and internet available in most press boxes now a days. Aside for hiring and paying someone, there really is not excuse to not have a broadcast. I know in some Single-A leagues, most teams only broadcast home games. Especially if the games are online an not radio. Not sure this changes that either way.

The negative will be the new rules that are put in place by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Let be honest Minor League Baseball was a prime target for why this law was created. Hopefully the days of someone coming in and working office hours from 8-5 then working the games from 5 to around midnight are a thing of the past. Especially for the very low amount teams pay. For me, the obvious question is why not hire two people instead of one? Instead of having your broadcaster work 60 hours a week have two guys work 30 or something of that nature.

I think it will be a challenge for those teams that used the same person as a broadcaster and media relations. I think we may see that those jobs that were year round will become seasonal now. I think this will effect the media relations departments at every level of baseball.

[malden153]

This goes beyond minor league sports. This may also be affecting radio stations that originate high school or college sports broadcasts. For many stations, the games are already paid as extra, but game broadcasts are part of job descriptions for many others. Those stations have a choice--go over budget and pay more, or cut duties. I have a sinking feeling I know how that will play out for many.

[Jon Chelesnik]

These comments were shared with me by someone in minor league baseball...

I think the FSLA is going to affect media relations, broadcasting and possibly other sections of MiLB negatively rather than positively in terms of full-time opportunities. There are very few positions that make $30,000 or more as a base salary. That's asking a lot of the industry to increase payroll. I know some athletic departments and MiLB teams are moving what would have been salaried positions (with benefits, retirement, etc.) to hourly and just calculating out the overtime costs.

I do believe that the positions have been undervalued for a long time and deserve more financial compensation (particularly in the instances where those employees are also contributing social media, graphic design, video content, media relations, sales, etc.), but the drastic leap by the Department of Labor from below $25,000 to over $47,000 is going to do more damage than good.

He adds that it is greatly affecting job security, financial status, and the ability to grow as a broadcaster.

[Jon Chelesnik]

Another MiLB broadcaster sent this message to me, with permission to post it here. Thank you for sharing your insights.

I am a seasonal No. 1 broadcaster and media relations guy for a full-season, affiliated Minor League Baseball team. From the time I show up at the start of the season through the end of the season I am paid as a contract employee. This means I am not given medical benefits nor do I have taxes taken out of my paycheck-- that must be done at the time of tax-filing.

Between last year and this year, my set-up did not need to be changed according to the new Fair Standards Labor Act, as it does not account for contractors. This seems like a possible avenue teams can shift toward if their media/broadcasting position was not already paid in this way and they do not want to be on the hook for all the hours a broadcaster spends working while riding buses traveling city-to-city.

My responsibilities on gamedays are traditional in that they include editing game notes, updating the website, coordinating roster moves with player development folks at the parent club and acting as liaison between the staff/players and the relatively large media attention we attract given our market and affiliation.

For those who are interested, my agreement works out where I am paid $6.25/hour for this work-- again, without benefits-- given an average of an 80-hour workweek when overtime is calculated at time-and-a-half ($750/week). Truly, there are many weeks where the team is on the road that I'm working closer to 90 hours a weeks, in which case the hourly rate averages out to $5.35/hour.

[PhilGiubileo]

This isn't happening:

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/22/judge-bl ... e-pay.html

[Bill Czaja]

I'm not sure how to feel about that ruling. At best, it saves jobs for now. Overextended, undercompensated jobs.
But here's my quick hits on radio media relations, and not the first time I've posted them.
1 - "Radio is a three-hour commercial for my team." - a longtime employer.
2 - Teams that think offseason media relations is to just "Send something out about that new ticket package" will not be taken seriously by their local media. Even worse, the teams that just shutter media relations for a six-month offseason are forgotten about by both media and fans.
3 - Budget-obsessed general managers will make their first position cuts among those who do not make money for the team. Learn sales. It's not quick. It's not easy. But it will save your job someday. And if you still lose that gig, it will get you your next job.


If you are interested in the latter, contact me directly through the boards, or my FB or email if you have that. I have a couple of files - one is general sales keys (learned from experience) and the other is specifically a manifesto on selling radio effectively. It won't change your life, but it's something learned through years of trial and error that will hopefully make your path easier.