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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
Major League Baseball’s 30 owners voted to extend Rob Manfred as the sport’s commissioner Wednesday, keeping him in place through January 2029.
The deal puts Manfred in line to guide the owners through another round of collective bargaining, with the current CBA set to expire after the 2026 season.
Manfred, 64, still had one more season remaining on his previous contract and was extended another four years. His new deal will keep him on the job until Jan. 25, 2029, at which point he will be 70.
A lifelong lawyer, Manfred began working with MLB by helping with collective bargaining in 1987 and joined the league full time as executive vice president in 1998, dealing largely in labor relations and economics over the next 17 years.
He officially succeeded Bud Selig as commissioner in January 2015. His latest extension, agreed to during a meeting of owners in Washington, is his second.
“It is an honor to serve the best game in the world and to continue the pursuit of strengthening our sport on and off the field,” Manfred said in a statement. “This season our players are displaying the most vibrant version of our game, and sports fans are responding in a manner that is great for Major League Baseball’s future. Together, all of us in the game will work toward presenting our sport at its finest and broadening its reach and impact for our loyal fans.”
Manfred has overseen record revenues for the sport. His tenure has also been marked, however, by clear dissension from the players and, by extension, the MLB Players’ Association, which was exacerbated by his controversial handling of the Houston Astros‘ sign-stealing scandal and culminated in a bitter labor dispute in the winter of 2021, prompting a 99-day lockout.
Other moves — the scaling down of the minor leagues and the Athletics’ impending move from Oakland to Las Vegas — have also been unpopular with fans, but MLB exceeded $10.8 billion in revenue under Manfred’s watch in 2022, rebounding strongly after two years that were severely impacted by the pandemic.
New rule changes, most notably the pitch clock, have been widely popular with fans and people within the sport. Manfred has also been credited with his anticipation of the erosion of the linear cable model, ensuring that fans don’t miss their teams’ games while Diamond Sports Group navigates bankruptcy proceedings.
The league did not disclose a breakdown of the 30 votes, but voting would not have taken place if Manfred did not believe he had enough support.
“At a critical moment in the history of our game, Commissioner Manfred has listened to our fans and worked closely with our players to improve America’s pastime,” Seattle Mariners chairman John Stanton, who chaired the meeting that approved Manfred’s extension, wrote in a statement.
“Under his leadership, we have been responsive to the fans’ desire for more action and better pace, continued the game’s spirit of innovation, expanded MLB’s role in youth baseball and softball, and beyond. The significant momentum that MLB has built reflects his ongoing initiatives that are advancing the game.”