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Originally Posted by kylejt
MLB is in the entertainment business, guised in a sports wrapper. And as long as there is a huge gaggle of umpires willing to toil for less than nothing for the hope of making it to the show there's no reason for the owners to even deal with MiLB umpires. The lure of "big" money in the Majors has so far kept a ton of AAA and AA guys and gals willing to work for less, and have lots of folks waiting in line for their spots if they quit.
So, why should MLB do anything about MiLB umpries? It's a simple supply and demand situation.
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This goes beyond simple supply and demand.
As I learned after I got of college and into the real marketing world, people (and in this case, organizations) don't always spend money because they have to; they often spend money because they want to.
In the second case, they have made the decision, for what ever reason, that it is in their best interest to spend the money. This can apply to such simple things as IPhones, in which case people often choose to pay more for the object than they really have to for some perceived benefit...convenience, a more reliable retailer....etc.
MLB will contribute more to the training of MiLB umpires when they perceive it is in their best interest. This is where, in my opinion, the former leadership of the AMLU failed its membership. They did not present a convincing enough case that what they wanted was in the best interest of both MiLB and MLB.
I believe the new leadership understands this.