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Defector

Patrick Redford

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)

Bobby Portis’s Big Suspension Is Ruinous Bullshit

Capital

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

Rachelle Hampton

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

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>


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.

Politics

A Night With The Party Animals

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)

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 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.

The NBA, And The Definition Of Work

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.

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.

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)

The ‘League Of Legends’ Walkout Is A Warning

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.

Podcasts

A Symphony Of Solidarity Honks, With Adam Conover

Laura Wagner

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


<p>Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


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: ¢¢¢¢¢¢"

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.

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.

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

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)

Quiet Quitting Is A Stupid New Name For An Old Fight

Media Meltdowns

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

Starbucks workers on strike in Austin, Texas.

The Starbucks Strike Is Working

Hundreds of graduate students gather in Sproul Plaza

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

<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at </span><a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="http://marcnormandin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://marcnormandin.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758998321491000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZpjG5RUFwdpapWqR1u4bd">marcnormandin.com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">, which you can read for free but support </span><a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">through his Patreon</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">. His baseball writing has appeared at FOX Sports, SB Nation, Defector, Global Sport Matters, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, FAIR, and TalkPoverty, and you can read his takes on video games at Retro XP and Endless Mode.</span></p>
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Marc Normandin

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

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.

How The Minor Leagues Got Organized, With Emma Baccellieri

Nate Diaz flexes during his fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279.

Nate Diaz Leaves The UFC On His Own Terms


<p><a href="https://twitter.com/jaseidler" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jarrett Seidler</a> is the senior prospect writer and evaluation coordinator at Baseball Prospectus. He is a proud Jersey Shore local.</p>


Jarrett Seidler


<p><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffpaternostro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jeffrey Paternostro</a> is the Lead Prospect Writer at Baseball Prospectus and has spent over a decade waiting for the Mets to develop one fourth-round ACC infielder.</p>


Jeffrey Paternostro

The minor league Tampa Tarpons, under manager Rachel Balkovec, stand for the national anthem in an April 2022 game.

To Form A More Perfect Union

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, seen here wearing reflective sunglasses at the 2022 All-Star Game.

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