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Defector

<p>Grace Byron is a critic, reporter, and novelist based in Queens. Her writing has appeared in <em>The New Yorker</em>, <em>Granta</em>, <em>Bookforum</em>, and elsewhere. Her debut novel <em>Herculine</em> is out now.</p>


Grace Byron

Books

Claire Stapleton Helped Write The Myth Of Google, But Now She’s Trying To Tell The Truth

Sarah Borus

Marvin Miller, executive director of the baseball players association, chats with players here after announcing a settlement has been reached to end the 13-day old players strike and that the season would begin in April of 1972. The other people in the photo are lawyer Richard Moss and MLBPA player reps Joe Torre, Wes Parker, and Gary Peters.

Baseball’s Labor History Is Repeating Itself Once Again

Lauren Theisen

white text on blue background: "THE LEAGUE IS LISTENING"

MLB Is Now Promoting A Salary Cap Between Innings

Ray Ratto

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred answers questions during an MLB owner's meeting at the Waldorf Astoria on February 10, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Manfred addressed the ongoing lockout of players, which owners put in place after the league's collective bargaining agreement ended on December 1, 2021.

MLB Owners Want A Salary Cap Because They Want To Cash Out

Patrick Redford

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 16: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons and Kenny's Young Stars drives past Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Chuck's Global Stars during the 74th NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center on February 16, 2025 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)

The 65-Game Rule Exacerbates The Fake Problem It Was Intended To Solve

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 14: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert holds a Golden State Valkyries jersey after announcing their fifth overall pick of Juste Joyce during the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed on April 14, 2025 in New York City. 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 Elsa/Getty Images)

Podcasts

Welcome To The Craziest Possible WNBA Offseason, With Maitreyi Anantharaman

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees arrives to the spring training game against the Chicago Cubs on March 23, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. He's got big goofy shades on.

Baseball Is Almost Back, And Almost Gone

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Kiki Iriafen #44 of the Washington Mystics, Gabby Williams #5 of the Seattle Storm, Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces, Sonia Citron #2 of the Washington Mystics and Brittney Sykes #15 of the Washington Mystics wear shirts saying "Pay us what you owe us" prior to the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

WNBA

The WNBA And Players’ Union Have A Verbal Agreement On A New CBA

Tamika Tremaglio, Executive Director of the NBA Players Association, speaks during the NBPA 2023 All-Star Weekend Press Conference at the Hyatt Regency on February 18, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Interviews

Former NBPA Head Tamika Tremaglio Discusses The WNBA Labor Battle And The Art Of Bargaining

Jaya Saxena

Arts And Culture

Fair Pay Feels Good In A Place Like This

Kelsey Plum #10 of the Phantom dribbles the ball against Breanna Stewart #30 of the Mist during the first quarter of an Unrivaled 2026 at Sephora Arena on January 12, 2026 in Medley, Florida

What’s Going On With The WNBA CBA Talks?

Executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association Tony Clark talks to the media prior to Game 1 of the 2023 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers.

MLBPA Chief Tony Clark Is Stepping Down 10 Months Before Baseball’s CBA Expires

Buster Posey, President of Baseball Operations of the San Francisco Giants prepares for a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 15, 2025.

Major League Baseball Is Determined To Rain On Its Own Parade

Giri Nathan

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic is seen in the pitlane after the sprint race ahead of the Formula One Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail on November 29, 2025.

Tennis

Novak Djokovic Washes His Hands Of The Quasi-Player Union He Co-Founded

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates with her team after defeating the New York Liberty during Game Four of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 18, 2023 in New York City. The Aces defeated the Liberty 70-69. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Why WNBA Owners Cheated To Help Their Players

Bryce Young hugs NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected first overall by the Carolina Panthers during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Capital

Whose League Is It Anyway?

<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

ob Nutting of the Pittsburgh Pirates talks with Adam Frazier #26 before the game against the New York Yankees during the home opener at PNC Park on April 4, 2025. He's got weird little sunglasses on. He looks like he's in a disguise somehow.

Why MLB’s Cheapest Teams Are At Least Trying To Seem Like They’re Trying

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert poses with MVP Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx following the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Napheesa Collier Put A Face To The Fight

Philadelphia first baseman Bryce Harper looking stern in the dugout during the MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves on April 9th, 2025.

Bryce Harper Opens Negotiations On MLB’s Salary Cap Proposal By Telling Rob Manfred To “Get The Fuck Out”

Brittney Sykes #15 of the Washington Mystics holds a "Pay the Players" sign following the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

WNBA Players Want To Share In The League’s “Hypergrowth”

NFLPA President JC Tretter speaks at a press conference prior to Super Bowl LVI at the NFL Media Building on the SoFi Stadium campus in Inglewood, California.

The NFL Players Association Is Falling Apart When It Needs Solidarity The Most

Tom Ley

NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell discusses the state of the union and its direction for the upcoming year before fielding questions from the media on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The NFLPA Is Having Communication Issues

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.

Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Really In Dire Straits?

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

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)

labor