Cubs pen letter to fans on lockout after CBA expires originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Cubs penned a letter to fans Thursday addressing baseball's lockout following the expiration of MLB's collective bargaining agreement.
The team posted the letter to its official Twitter account.
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MLB instituted a lockout, which loomed as possible for months, Wednesday night following the CBA's expiration. It's the game's first work stoppage in over a quarter century, when a players strike and ensuing lockout cost the end of the 1994 season and beginning of the 1995 season.
The Cubs' letter concluded with: "We appreciate your patience and support as we await a new agreement. We know how important our team and sport are to you and your family. We can't wait to share the magic of Wrigley Field and enjoy competitive baseball with you in 2022."
Commissioner Rob Manfred and the MLBPA also issued statements late Wednesday addressing the situation.
"Simply put, we believe that an offseason lockout is the best mechanism to protect the 2022 season," Manfred said in the statement. "We hope that the lockout will jumpstart the negotiations and get us to an agreement that will allow the season to start on time.
"This defensive lockout was necessary because the Players Association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive. It’s simply not a viable option."
The MLBPA called the lockout a "dramatic measure" in its statement.
"It is not required by law or for any other reason," the union's statement reads. "It was the owners' choice, plain and simple, specifically calculated to pressure Players into relinquishing rights and benefits, and abandoning good faith bargaining proposals that will benefit not just Players, but the game and industry as a whole."
