Tony Clark Plans to Step Down as MLB Players’ Union Leader Amid Upcoming Salary Cap Discussions
TAMPA, Fla. — Tony Clark is set to resign as the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, according to a source familiar with the situation. The individual, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the confidential nature of the decision, indicated that an official announcement is expected later today.
Clark’s resignation comes amid an investigation by the U.S. Attorney for Brooklyn, New York, into One Team Partners. This licensing company was established in 2019 in collaboration with the MLB Players Association, the NFL Players Association, and RedBird Capital Partners.
His decision arrives as the union anticipates the beginning of collective bargaining negotiations in April. These discussions aim to reach a new agreement to replace the existing five-year labor contract, which expires on December 1. Reports suggest that management may propose a salary cap, raising concerns about a possible work stoppage that could lead to the cancellation of regular-season games for the first time since 1995.
Notably, the union recently canceled the start of its annual tour of 30 spring training camps, which was set to commence with the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox.
Clark, 53, who is a former All-Star first baseman, has served as the first player to lead the union. His career spanned from 1995 to 2009, and he became involved in union leadership shortly after attending his first executive board meeting in 1999. He was appointed as the union’s director of player relations in 2010 before rising to the position of deputy executive director in July 2013. Following the death of union head Michael Weiner due to a brain tumor later that year, Clark was elevated to executive director.
Throughout his tenure, Clark has successfully negotiated key agreements, including one in December 2016—just hours before the expiration of the previous contract—and another in March 2022 following a 99-day lockout.
Deputy Executive Director Bruce Meyer is expected to take the lead in upcoming labor discussions. Meyer has an extensive background, having spent three decades at Weil, Gotshal & Manges before joining the NHL Players Association in 2016. He has held the role of senior director of collective bargaining, policy, and legal, and was promoted to his current position in July 2022.
One Team Partners has since expanded its partnerships to include the players’ associations of the WNBA, MLS, NWSL, and the U.S. women’s soccer national team. RedBird Capital Partners divested its stake in One Team in 2019, transferring ownership to HPS Investment Partners, Atlantic Park Strategic Capital Fund, and Morgan Stanley Tactical Value.
