MLB Lockout Lookout: What Will The Nashville Sounds 2022 Season Look Like?

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First Horizon Park. Photo: Courtesy of the Sounds/Casey Gower

On Tuesday (March 1) MLB and the MLBPA’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) drama came to a dramatic halt when a deal couldn’t be made after the 5 p.m. deadline made by MLB owners.

As a result, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the first two series of the Major League season would be canceled and not made-up.

Devastating to players and baseball fans around the country, there is no sign of when the players union and owners might come to an agreement, and the fears of more cancelled games has become a harsh reality.

In Nashville, though, the city’s MiLB club, the Nashville Sounds, are pushing full steam ahead for its 2022 season. Along with every other minor league club, their seasons will not be affected by the MLB lockout.

Though the MLBPA demands for the new CBA include better pay and rights for minor league players, the MiLB isn’t affected by the lockout as they are technically a separate entity.

However, there will be some changes to look out for.

Any member of a MLB team’s 40-man roster will not be playing minor league ball this season. In the past, the Sounds would have between five or 10 players on the Milwaukee Brewers 40-man roster playing in Nashville, ready to get called up at any time. Due to contractual differences between 40-man roster players and other minor leaguers, those players won’t be able to play during the lockout.

“Despite the impact of the work stoppage on Major League Baseball’s season, Minor League Baseball has a full season ahead, unaffected of the ongoing situation. We are full steam ahead for Opening Day at First Horizon Park on Tuesday, April 5,” a Nashville Sounds spokesperson tells The Sports Credential. “We’re excited to welcome our passionate fan base back to the ballpark and can’t wait to share memorable moments with them. During the work stoppage we will not have any players that are on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster, on our current roster. That is the only difference from a players standpoint.”

Over the past years, the Sounds have consistently pulled in the highest attendance in all of minor league baseball, pulling 436,868 fans in 2021. In 2019, the Sounds welcomed 578,291 fans to First Horizon Park–the fifth straight year of over 500,000 and the fourth time in the five-year existence of the park with over 550,000 fans.

This season, as COVID-19 case numbers continue to decrease and the club removes its mandates, the attendance will most likely sky-rocket with MLB on hiatus.

Steven Boero
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