ABSTRACT
Typically, owners in a league hire a commissioner and establish a league office. The commissioner’s office, in consultation with the owners, will negotiate national television contracts, establish relationships with vendors for league-wide licensed merchandise sales, hire and supervise game officials, and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union. The commis-
15.A
sioner is the “leader” of the league, but he or she remains the employee of the owners. Kennesaw Mountain Landis, former federal judge and the first MLB commissioner, worked under a “lifetime” contract, but today most commissioners do not enjoy such job security. Many fans believe that the commissioner’s role is to do what is best for the sport, but in reality it is to do what is best for the owners. Former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent displeased the owners to such an extent that they gave him a vote of no confidence after he had served less than three years on the job. The vote effectively ended his commissionership, and he resigned on September 7, 1992.
