With Tony Clark out as the executive director of the MLBPA, the organization needed to find his replacement. Just days before the start of spring training, it appears the new leading the way is Bruce Meyer.
Meyer was unanimously voted to become the interim executive director, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. After already being the No. 2 man in charge, Meyer becomes just the sixth individual to hold the position.
“BREAKING: Bruce Meyer has been unanimously elected as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, sources tell ESPN. Meyer, who was previously the No. 2 at the union, becomes the sixth executive director in the union’s history.
“Bruce Meyer's election by the 72 players on the union executive board is in an interim capacity, sources said. Meyer will remain in charge of collective-bargaining negotiations for the union as the Dec. 1 expiration of the CBA approaches.”
In addition to Meyer being named the interim MLBPA executive director, reports indicate that Matt Nussbaum is being promoted to the interim deputy executive, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“The MLBPA official release with Bruce Meyer becoming interim executive director and Matt Nussbaum promoted to the interim deputy executive.”
Tony Clark was forced to step down as the MLBPA executive director after investigations found he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law. The timing was also notable, as a federal investigation was also going on, as Clark and the MLBPA were accused of essentially lining their pockets with licensing money. That investigation is still underway.
As for Bruce Meyer, the 64-year-old sports executive has been working with the MLBPA since 2018. He has over 30 years of experience in sports law, working for the NFLPA, NBPA, and NHLPA. Meyer is credited with playing a key part in helping end the 99-day MLB lockout, finalizing a five-year CBA deal in 2022.
Meyer will now be in charge in an interim role of helping strike a new CBA deal that is due on December 1, 2026. There is some belief that a lockout could take place for the 2027 season. However, it will largely depend on how the negotiations go.
