United States-Cuba Normalized Relations and the MLB Influence: The Baseball Coalition Committee

This note explores the past, present, and future of the path for Cuban baseball players into MLB. Specifically, this note will explore the late-2014 agreement between the United States and Cuba to normalize relations and its anticipated impact on MLB. Part I provides an extensive historical context of the relationship between the two countries with a focus on the effect that baseball has had on the relationship. Part II draws attention to MLB’s current policies and the resulting hardships faced by Cuban baseball players embark on the journey from Serie Nacional to MLB.

Part III concentrates on the legal issues arising out of the circuitous emigration process for Cuban baseball players to make MLB. Part IV outlines the wealth of literature on Cuban baseball and details the proposed solutions offered by other scholars on the matter. Part V explains the development of the normalization agreement between the United States and Cuba and predicts its impact on MLB. Finally, Part V proposes framework to enhance the safety involved with the emigration process and efficiency of the troubling issue while utilizing the normalized relations platform to align incentives for Cuba and the United States.