Orioles owner David Rubenstein acknowledges team ownership is highly profitable ahead of looming CBA deadline
Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein publicly stated at an Economic Club of Washington, D.C. forum that pro sports team owners are earning substantial returns — more, he said, than he made in private equity — a candid admission that runs counter to the messaging MLB has historically used ahead of labor negotiations. The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on the first day of December, with a second owner-initiated work stoppage in five years considered the more likely outcome, according to the report. The league has shifted its public argument away from claims that ownership is unprofitable and toward a push for a salary cap framed around competitive balance. Rubenstein also addressed the Orioles' declining on-field performance since he acquired the club in March 2024, noting the team has fallen from over 100 wins to the mid-to-upper 70s in recent seasons.
Why it matters
For media: The owners' public rationale for a salary cap — competitive balance rather than cost control — is being tested by a small-market World Series matchup, giving reporters a timely angle on labor talks.
For athletes: Players entering the next round of CBA negotiations now have an owner on record contradicting the league's traditional claim that ownership is not highly profitable.
Read the full story at CBS Sports
Sources
- CBS Sports · Mike Axisa: Orioles' David Rubenstein admits what MLB owners don't want fans to know: They're making a ton of money