One of the things that makes Major League Baseball unique among American sports is the existence of MLB’s antitrust exemption. The sweeping antitrust exemption for America’s pastime really only exists because when Federal Baseball Club v. National League was decided by the Supreme Court in 1922 the court’s understanding of interstate commerce was quite different than what it is today. I wrote about the curious history of the antitrust exemption, it’s almost accidental character and widespread impact on MLB a few years ago. At that time I wondered if MLB was jeopardizing their special status by threatening Minor League Baseball in dozens of communities:
The antitrust exemption has always been about far more than whether the Federal League could exist and free agency.