MLB players’ union finances detailed in federal disclosure form

NEW YORK — Baseball players’ union head Tony Clark earned $3.41 million last year, down from $4.25 million in 2023 when he received a $1 million bonus that followed collective bargaining.

Deputy director Bruce Meyer earned $1.53 million, a slight decrease from $1.55 million in 2023, according to the union’s federal disclosure form filed Monday.

Clark has a $17.95 million, five-year contract that includes salaries of $3.58 million in 2025, $3.76 million in 2026 and $3.95 million in 2027, according to a financial statement by Mazars that was filed last year.

The union did not publicly release consolidated financial statements, as it did for 2023. The LM-2 included information on MLB Players Inc., its commercial wing, and the MLB Players Trust. With the entities grouped together, employee disbursements increased to nearly $24.6 million from $16.6 million in 2023.

Cash increased to $143.5 million from $74.8 million and U.S. Treasury Securities to $85.3 million from $61.4 million. The union executive board voted in December to withhold 100% of 2024 licensing money to prepare for bargaining to replace the current labor contract, which expires in December 2026.

The union spent just under $2.8 million on legal fees with Winston & Strawn, the law firm of Jeffrey Kessler.

General counsel Matt Nussbaum earned $885,192 and deputy general counsel Jeff Perconte $711,397. Senior adviser Ian Penny, who had been general counsel until July 2022, earned $836,410 and chief operating officer Xavier James $687,567.

Fanatics paid the union $94.4 million, OneTeam Partners $44.5 million and MLB Advanced Media $16.2 million.

Among former players who work for the union, managing director of player services Kevin Slowey earned $490,614 and senior director of operations, business and strategy Chris Capuano $459,330. Other players listed included Dave Winfield at $367,500, Steve Rogers $279,275, Phil Bradley $256,054, Rick Helling $225,817 and Bobby Bonilla $132,477.