I’ve heard one major issue is that they planned to play in empty stadiums. With no ticket sales revenue, the owners are going to take a huge financial bath this season.
Sad to say the owners will come out ahead financially if there is no 2020 season at all.
Then on the other hand the players, some of whom make millions of dollars in a season, are balking at perhaps getting only a high six figure or low million dollar payday for a short season.
Ideally both sides would realize that 2020 is going to be a tough season for everyone, and make Financial sacrifices in 2020 for the good of the game in 2021 and beyond.
I'm not so sure about that. I've been under the impression that MLB is under tremendous pressure to put SOMETHING on the field this season because the financial/legal repercussions they'd face under their TV contracts would be devastating.
And I have no interest in defending the players here, but the public statement from one of them on this mess made a lot of sense. He was really talking about the blatant inconsistency in playing games under modified conditions. He said (I'm paraphrasing): "If it isn't safe enough to play with fans in the stands, then how is it safe to play at all?"