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SUPERHOSTIndlwana yonke4.98 (59) USATODAY.com - Selig testifies in antitrust hearing
12/07/2001 - Updated 12:57 AM ET
Selig testifies in antitrust hearing
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig during testimony on Thursday. WASHINGTON  Commissioner Bud Selig had a difficult time Thursday convincing Congress that eliminating two teams prior to next season will ease baseball's economic problems. Selig, who presented unprecedented volumes of financial information on the 30 teams, testified before the House Judiciary Committee. "I thought it went well," Selig said. "I've had more difficult times here in the past. The fact of the matter is we need to solve these problems, and contraction is one of the solutions." Owners have voted to eliminate two teams, probably the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos, before the 2002 season. Read more below
2001 team-by-team revenues and expenses forecast Audio
USA TODAY's Bodley: Selig evasive in hearings
Selig: Downsizing will be justified
Lopresti: Baseball's staggering numbers don't add up
Diamondbacks will stay in NL
Baseball's numbers send mixed signals
Selig's testimony met with skepticism
Fehr: Numbers don't tell whole story
Selig to discuss team finances to Congress
Fehr: Selig broke confidentiality agreement
Contraction hearings under way in Texas
Explaining the antitrust exemption
Baseball economic quotes over the years
House panel to address antitrust concerns
Small market baseball struggling
Hal Bodley answers questions about contraction
Contraction threat gains steam
Selig to Twins fans: 'Look in the mirror'
Congressmen take aim at contraction
Players union files grievance vs. owners
Opposition builds as contraction talks begin
Twins, Expos, Rays, Marlins ponder uncertain future
Contract questions may lead to lawsuits
Twins supportive of team staying
Baseball votes to contract for next season
Bodley: Revenue sharing at heart of issue
The announcement triggered legislation in both the House and Senate to limit baseball's antitrust exemption, a court injunction in Minnesota to force the Twins to play in the Metrodome next year and a grievance by the union.
Lawmakers' questions, at times hostile, ranged from why Eric Gregg lost his job as an umpire to Alex Rodriguez's $252 million contract to whether the Florida Marlins will remain in existence.
Selig kept repeating baseball is desperate for a new economic system of salary restraints and more revenue sharing. He said 25 of 30 teams lost money this year with the industry as a whole forecasted to lose $232 million, with that rising to $519 million when debt and depreciation are added in.
Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., called the figures more a summary than a detailed spreadsheet. Lacking was such information as fees received by owners and their families and the impact of stadium acquisition. "In essence what they've told us is, 'We lose money, but we can't trust you with the details.' "
In Irving, Texas, the union's executive director, Don Fehr, agreed that the numbers don't tell the full story.
"You need to be able to verify the information, and you need critical analysis," Fehr said. "The question is why the commissioner, in the interests of full disclosure and no secrets, is not willing to do that."
Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura berated spendthrift teams. "The teams are losing that kind of money and still paying the salaries they're paying. That's asinine," he said. He bet that home run king Barry Bonds would sign a deal worth more than $100 million.
"These people didn't get the wealth they have by being stupid," he said about baseball owners.
"Owners struggle," Selig said. "If they don't spend money, they're called 'El Cheapo.' If they spend more money, they have problems."