It now comes down to this. For the player, it’s been years of competing and succeeding at the highest level and accumulating enough service time to become (or stay) eligible for salary arbitration. For the majority of clubs, it’s been years of developing the player and seeing him grow and contribute to the organization. For the advocates on both sides of the table, it’s been months of research and analysis of statistics and the challenging task of reducing it all to a 100-page presentation. Salary arbitration is a unique process. It is not “arbitration” in the traditional sense of the word. There are no court reporters to take testimony, there is no swearing-in of witnesses, there are no post-hearing briefs or oral arguments and, perhaps most notable of all, there are no written decisions from the arbitrators. Salary arbitration cases are presented before a panel of three arbitrators, all of whom are among the top labor arbitrators in the country. Why labor? Because the relationship between the Players Association and the Clubs is grounded in labor law and governed by a collective bargaining agreement. When not hearing salary arbitration cases over the first three weeks of February, the panel […]