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Defector

Patrick Redford

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 07: President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Dana White attends UFC 274 at Footprint Center on May 07, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Fights

The UFC’s Labor Problem Is Only Getting Worse


<p>Amy Pedulla is a writer and audio producer. She can be reached at pedullaa@gmail.com.</p>


Amy Pedulla

Capital

The Uphill Battle To Unionize Tennessee Whiskey

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 10: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Miami Heat during the first half in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at FTX Arena on May 10, 2022 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Joel Embiid Is Right About Awards Voting

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 17: (L-R) Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mark Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) hold a brief press availability on Capitol Hill December 17, 2019 in Washington, DC. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) met with NCAA President Mark Emmert to discuss the issue of compensation for collegiate athletes. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Death To The NCAA

What Did These Morons Think Was Going To Happen?


<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

Wander Franco receives congratulations in the dugout after scoring against the Orioles.

The International Draft Solves A Problem Of MLB’s Own Making

Laura Wagner

Union organizer Christian Smalls (R) celebrates following the April 1, 2022, vote for the unionization of the Amazon Staten Island warehouse in New York. - Amazon workers in New York voted Friday to establish the first US union at the e-commerce giant, a milestone for a company that has steadfastly opposed organized labor in its massive workforce. Employees at the Staten Island JFK8 warehouse voted 2,654 to 2,131 in support of the unionizing drive, according to a tally of ballots from the National Labor Relations Board. (Photo by Andrea RENAULT / AFP)

Heartwarming: Amazon Eats Shit

David Roth

Dwight Howard grimacing Dwight Howardishly next to the Distraction logo.

Podcasts

The Art Of Aging Gracelessly, With Ray Ratto

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 19: Los Angeles Dodgers fans cheer during Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

What Would An Effective Sports Fan Union Actually Look Like?

Lauren Theisen

I’m Stuck With Baseball

<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

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred leaving the MLB owners meetings with that look on his face.

MLB’s Owners Want To Make Their Favorite Loopholes Into Law

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 26: The closed box office is shown at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 26, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees Opening Day game scheduled for today, along with the entire MLB season, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An MLB Network Freelancer Talks Life In Lockout Limbo

Albert Burneko

The Wirecutter Union Won

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred talks to Astros GM James Click during the 2021 World Series.

MLB Owners Have Forgotten That They Always Lose Lockouts

Media Meltdowns

Wirecutter Union Files Labor Grievance After “Vindictive” New York Times Withheld Holiday Pay

Mets owner Steve Cohen and Mets mascot Mr. Met, seen at the opening of a mass vaccination site at CitiField in February of 2021.

Lockout Mindset And Dog Talk, With Lindsey Adler

Barry Petchesky

DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 12: Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. speaks during a press conference announcing a partnership with the Players Alliance during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Let’s Be Very Clear About What’s Going On Here

Corey Seager, seen here sitting on his butt tossing a baseball up in the air back when he was with the Dodgers, and before he joined the Rangers.

Here’s To The Texas Rangers And What They’re Trying To Do

Amos Barshad

These Musicians Are Angry, Organized, And Coming For Spotify

Tom Ley

Today Is A Good Day To Not Read Wirecutter


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

An ad for the Carlos Watson show. A quote calls him "Anderson Cooper Meets Oprah" on it.

Ozy Media Is A Monumental Bummer

WGA East Council Slate Edits Platform After Everyone Gets Mad At Them

See If You Can Stomach The UFC Turning Its Exploitation Of Labor Into A Heartwarming Moment

It's Jamie Dimon, America's finance boss.

The Bosses Are At It Again

Samer Kalaf

Please Distract The Football Reporters So They Stop Defending Unpaid Internships

Ray Ratto

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after made a bad pass against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center on February 02, 2021 in San Francisco, California. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

labor