Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the top professional baseball league in the U.S. and Canada, operating 30 member clubs and the World Series.
Last updated October 30, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and the highest level of professional baseball, consisting of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada. Governed by the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB oversees the regular season, the postseason culminating in the World Series, and a broad portfolio of media and digital properties including MLB Network, MLB.TV, and MLB.com. The league positions itself as the steward of America's National Pastime, emphasizing competitive balance, community impact, and global reach. Its official site, MLB.com, serves as the central hub for scores, standings, news, and postseason history dating back to 1949. MLB also maintains historical initiatives such as the Negro Leagues recognition, honoring players and teams from that era. With record levels of games and minutes watched on MLB.TV, MLB continues to expand its programming and content to fans worldwide.
History
Major League Baseball traces its origins to the National League (founded 1876) and the American League (founded 1901). The two leagues formalized their relationship in 1903 with the National Commission, and the first World Series was held that year. Over the decades, MLB expanded westward, integrated with the signing of Jackie Robinson in 1947, and grew to 30 clubs across the U.S. and Canada. The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball was established in 1920. In the modern era, MLB has embraced digital media, launching MLB.com, MLB Network, and MLB.TV, and has undertaken historical recognition efforts such as honoring the Negro Leagues. The league continues to emphasize competitive balance and global growth.
- 2009
MLB Network launched.
- 1947
Jackie Robinson integrates MLB.
- 1920
Office of the Commissioner of Baseball established.
- 1903
First World Series held; National and American Leagues formalize relationship.
Products and positioning
The premier professional baseball league in the U.S. and Canada, positioned as the steward of America's National Pastime with a global reach.
World Series
Annual championship series of MLB.
MLB.TV
Out-of-market streaming service.
MLB Network
Cable television network dedicated to baseball.
Controversies
2020
Staten Island Yankees sue New York Yankees and MLB
The Staten Island Yankees filed a lawsuit against the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball, alleging contractual violations after its affiliation with the major league club was ended. The reported claims are allegations in the complaint.
Recent events
Francisco Lindor wins the Roberto Clemente Award[6]
Reported:
MLB named New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes baseball’s top humanitarian.
Francisco Lindor wins the Roberto Clemente Award[7]
Reported:
Major League Baseball named New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award for his humanitarian work; he was scheduled to receive it before Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
MLB proposes shortening regular season to 154 games amid salary cap push[8]
Reported:
On Oct. 8, 2026, Major League Baseball proposed shortening its regular season from 162 games to 154 games, with the new schedule set to begin in 2029, as it attempts to convince players to approve a salary cap and a salary floor in the league's next collective bargaining agreement, which expires Dec. 1. The proposal also includes cementing Monday as an exclusive national broadcast window, extending the divisional round of the playoffs from five to seven games, and allowing higher-seeded teams to choose their lower-seeded opponents. The Major League Baseball Players Association responded that the proposals are contingent on players agreeing to a salary cap, called them anti-player, and said players will weigh in and respond at the bargaining table.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
X expands its Gametime sports hub beyond the NFL, starting with MLB[9]
Reported:
X announced on Wednesday that it is expanding its Gametime feature on its social media platform beyond tracking the NFL alone, turning the NFL-focused sports hub into a year-round sports destination starting with MLB, with other professional leagues to follow. The hub offers live scores, play-by-play updates, and game feeds, and is aimed at users discussing live sporting events as well as at wooing brands and advertisers looking to reach passionate sports fans.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
MLB and WWE announce replica championship licensing partnership[10]
Reported:
Major League Baseball and WWE announced a multi-year partnership to create MLB-inspired WWE Championship replica titles and accessories featuring the logos of all 30 MLB Clubs. The merchandise line is planned to launch in 2022.
Job Creators Network sues MLB over All-Star Game relocation[11]
Reported:
The Job Creators Network sued MLB and the MLBPA after MLB moved the All-Star Game out of Atlanta; the group seeks to have the game returned to Atlanta or damages of at least $100 million for Atlanta businesses.
Staten Island Yankees sue New York Yankees and MLB[5]
Reported:
The Staten Island Yankees filed a lawsuit against the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball, alleging contractual violations after its affiliation with the major league club was ended. The reported claims are allegations in the complaint.
MLB opens first U.S. flagship store in New York[12]
Reported:
MLB opened its first U.S. memorabilia flagship store, MLB NYC, in Midtown Manhattan on October 2.
- Unconfirmed
Coca-Cola ends its MLB sponsorship[13]
Reported:
The Coca-Cola Co. ended its national sponsorship of Major League Baseball after three seasons. It said it would continue supporting 16 MLB teams locally.
- Unconfirmed
Coca-Cola ends national MLB sponsorship[14]
Reported:
The Coca-Cola Co. ended its national sponsorship with Major League Baseball after three seasons, while saying it would continue to support 16 MLB teams locally.
Sources15 sources
- 1MLB.com | The Official Site of Major League Baseballmlb.com
- 2About MLB | Official Information | MLB.commlb.com
- 3Postseason History | MLB.commlb.com
- 4The Negro Leagues | MLB.commlb.com
- 5Staten Island Yankees sue New York Yankees and MLBcourthousenews.com
- 6弗朗西斯科·林多尔获得罗伯托·克莱门特奖nydailynews.com
- 7弗朗西斯科·林多尔获得罗伯托·克莱门特奖aol.com
- 8MLB提议将常规赛缩短至154场以推动薪资上限谈判cnbc.com
- 9X 将 Gametime 体育中心扩展至 NFL 以外，首先覆盖 MLBtechcrunch.com
- 10MLB与WWE宣布复制版冠军腰带授权合作wrestlingnewssource.com
- 11Job Creators Network因全明星赛迁址起诉MLBnewsweek.com
- 12MLB在纽约开设美国首家旗舰店epochtimes.com
- 13可口可乐结束与美国职业棒球大联盟的赞助合作foxbusiness.com
- 14可口可乐结束与美国职业棒球大联盟的全国赞助toronto.citynews.ca
- 15Pro-Business Group Sues MLB for Moving All-Star Game Out of Atlantanbcdfw.com
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/major-league-baseball · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled