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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

<p>Marc Normandin writes about old video games at <a href="https://retroxp.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://retroxp.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1618674670611000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHfh-tiUJRghT9MV1BNxbtAOlI5Aw">Retro XP</a>, and on baseball’s labor issues at <a href="https://marcnormandin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://marcnormandin.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1618674670611000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGLkSx4sN271GhHVvriAoLN_UFOKQ">marcnormandin.com</a>, which you can read for free but <a href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1618674670611000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGC_1Zx4sq480759Z-PK-RWn8hF8w">support through his Patreon</a>. He is one of the founding members of <a href="http://pubtbnl.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://pubtbnl.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1618674670611000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGs0Hu7YMHRvAsFNZ2kh6CU-Bmwhw">Publication To Be Named Later,</a> and his writing has appeared at Baseball Prospectus, SB Nation, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, and TalkPoverty.</p>


Marc Normandin

Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting speaks during the 2024 Pirates Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony before the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on August 24, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is kind of shrugging and looks like he is wearing a disguise somehow.

Cincinnati Reds v Pittsburgh Pirates

Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Really In Dire Straits?

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Patrick Redford

Striking Touchstone route setters demonstrate in front of a California climbing gym.

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Climbing

There’s No Climbing Without Route Setters, And They’re On Strike

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 14: Novak Djokovic of Serbia waits for the trophy presentation after his defeat by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the final of the men's singles, during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Frey/TPN/Getty Images)

Day Fourteen: The Championships – Wimbledon 2024

Tennis

Novak Djokovic’s Loose Players Union Files Huge Lawsuit Against Tennis Power Structure

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 15: Bobby Portis #9 of the Milwaukee Bucks walks backcourt during a game against the Orlando Magic at Fiserv Forum on January 15, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Orlando Magic v Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis’s Big Suspension Is Ruinous Bullshit

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Capital

The Logic Of Private Equity Explains The Park City Ski Patrol Strike

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Rachelle Hampton

Two reflective gold wine glasses emblazoned with "Love is Blind" are held up against the sky.

Love Is Blind Cast Celebrates Netflix’s First Live Reunion With The Iconic Pods In Los Angeles

Could Unionizing Protect Contestants From The Reality Of Reality TV?

<p>Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.</p>


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Hamilton Nolan

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 19: Delegates from Florida chant "Lock him up," as Hillary Clinton talks about former President Donald Trump's criminal convictions during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

2024 Democratic National Convention: Day 1

Politics

A Night With The Party Animals

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Ray Ratto

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 25: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell walks out on the stage during day 1 of the NFL Draft on April 25, 2024 at Fox Theatre in Detroit, MI. (Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

NFL: APR 25 2024 Draft

The 18-Game NFL Season Already Feels Inevitable

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 15: during the UFC 2024 Seasonal Press Conference at MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 15, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

UFC 2024 Seasonal Press Conference

UFC Settles Pair Of Class-Action Lawsuits For $335 Million

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 17: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 17, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

2024 NBA All-Star – Commissioner Adam Silver Press Conference

The NBA, And The Definition Of Work

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Maitreyi Anantharaman

A view of the first period of the PWHL game between Minnesota and Boston at Tsongas Center on January 03, 2024 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

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Women's Hockey

The First CBA In Women’s Hockey Is A Picture Of The Future, And A Story Of The Past

<p>Katharine Trendacosta writes about tech policy, the entertainment industry, pop culture, and where those things intersect. In her day job, she&#8217;s the Associate Director of Policy and Activism for the digital civil liberties nonprofit the Electronic Frontier Foundation. (Her writing here reflects her views alone and not those of EFF.) In her spare time, she writes things like this.</p>


A photo of the author, Katharine Trendacosta

Katharine Trendacosta

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 19: Striking SAG-AFTRA members picket with striking WGA (Writers Guild of America) workers outside Netflix offices on July 19, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Members of SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood's largest union which represents actors and other media professionals, have joined striking WGA (Writers Guild of America) workers in the first joint walkout against the studios since 1960. The strike could shut down Hollywood productions completely with writers in the third month of their strike against the Hollywood studios. Netflix reported second quarter earnings after the closing bell today.

Members Of SAG-AFTRA And WGA Go On Strike At Netflix, Sunset Gower And Paramount Studios

Arts And Culture

The Hollywood Strike Forces A Reckoning For The Trades

BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 14 : Fans cheering to game stage during the 2018 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational Groups Stage at the EU LCS Studio on May 14, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games via Getty Images)

2018 Mid-Season Invitational Groups Day 4

The ‘League Of Legends’ Walkout Is A Warning

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David Roth

A Mariachi Band performs on Cinco De Mayo as writers on strike march with signs on the picket line on day four of the strike by the Writers Guild of America in front of Netflix in Hollywood, California.

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Podcasts

A Symphony Of Solidarity Honks, With Adam Conover

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Laura Wagner

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Minor Leaguers And MLB Are On The Verge Of A Historic CBA


<p>Investigations Editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


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Diana Moskovitz

Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. At the center of the photo, a person is holding up a sign. It reads: "Mortgage: $$$$ Food: $$$$$ Utilities: $$$$$ My pay: ¢¢¢¢¢¢"

LAUSD strike

Why L.A.’s Education Workers Had No Choice But To Strike

Shohei Ohtani looking swole as hell during Samurai Japan's training before the 2023 World Baseball Classic, with The Distraction logo at upper left.

Japan Training Session

My Fabulous Vacation Home On Naboo, With Michael Schur

<p><a href="https://twitter.com/johnwilmeswords">John Wilmes</a> is a writer and professor in Chicago. His work has appeared in The Ringer, <em>GQ</em>, <em>Chicago Reader</em>, and <em>The New Republic</em>, among other places. He is the author of the novella <i>Jad&#8217;s Dad Milo</i>.</p>


John Wilmes

A Compass Group employee works the hot dog concession at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Cleveland Indians v Chicago White Sox

A Fight Is Brewing In Chicago Between A Multinational Concessions Business And Its Workers

The New York Times 24-Hour Strike

Journalismism

A Roundtable On The Free Speech Implications Of The New York Times Trans Letter Debate

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<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
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Casey Taylor

SAN FRANCISCO - JUNE 09: Apple CEO Steve Jobs watches a video of the new iPhone 3G as he delivers the keynote address at the Apple Worldwide Web Developers Conference June 9, 2008 in San Francisco, California. Jobs kicked off the 2008 WWDC conference with a keynote where he announced an upgraded version of the popular iPhone called the iPhone 3G. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Apple Introduces New iPhone At Worldwide Developers Conference

Quiet Quitting Is A Stupid New Name For An Old Fight

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Media Meltdowns

Newspaper Owner Slaps Union Organizer With Burger Bag At Ohio Rest Stop Amid Labor Strike

Starbucks workers on strike in Austin, Texas.

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The Starbucks Strike Is Working

Hundreds of graduate students gather in Sproul Plaza

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48,000 UC Workers Are On Strike Because You Can’t Eat Prestige

<p>Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marcnormandin.com/">marcnormandin.com</a>, which you can read for free but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">support through his Patreon</a>. His baseball writing has appeared at SB Nation, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, and TalkPoverty.</p>


Amarillo Sod Poodles infielder Jordan Lawlar seen outlined against a bright blue sky in a game against the Frisco RoughRiders in September of 2022.

Arkansas Travelers v Amarillo Sod Poodles

Major League Baseball’s Hubris Helped Lead To Minor League Baseball’s Union

Amarillo Sod Poodles infielder Jordan Lawlar is congratulated by his coach after scoring a run in minor league game in 2022.

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