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Super-Agent Scott Boras Discusses Decline in MLB Player Salaries

Scott Boras is not your typical sports agent. The 66-year-old California-native has become one of the most powerful men in all of Major League Baseball. For the fourth consecutive year, Boras’ remarkable negotiating skills led him to the pinnacle of Forbes’ list of most successful sports agents in the world. The super-agent currently manages nearly $1.9 billion in contract values, as he continues to be a juggernaut within the Major League Baseball agency industry. As of September 2018, Scott Boras has earned approximately $105 million in commissions through his representation of some of baseball’s most prominent stars. His company, Boras Corporation, represents nearly 175 professional baseball players, including Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg and since-retired Prince Fielder.

As rumors surrounding free-agent Bryce Harper’s next destination continue to swirl, Scott Boras has been right beside his client in the headlines this offseason. While speaking on The Jonah Keri Podcast, Boras claimed that Major League Baseball’s owners are colluding against their players in an effort to decrease labor costs. To support his assertion, Boras cited the record-breaking $10 billion revenue stream that Major League Baseball experienced this year. Contrary to this growth, player salaries have logged their biggest decline in over six years, per CBS Sports. According to Boras, the practice of collusion dates back several decades. In the 1980’s Scott Boras filed numerous collusion-related claims against the league on behalf of his clients, resulting in $280 million in damages, per CBS Sports.

Boras claims that this private collusion among league owners is hurting the ability of players like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado to land lucrative deals in the free-agent market. He mentions the luxury tax as a major contributor to this issue, stating that it serves as a “disguise for owners to not go over the threshold” and is “almost a membership agreement.” Although Boras does not possess concrete evidence of this corrupt ownership practice, he remains persistent in his efforts to create a fair environment for Major League Baseball players.