STWF| Dallas| October 30, 2025 – In a stunning development that has sent ripples through Major League Baseball and the players’ union, federal law enforcement officials are investigating a youth baseball initiative launched and funded by the MLB Players Association, multiple sources told ESPN. The Florida-based company, Players Way, was created to reshape youth baseball in America — but now stands at the center of questions over spending, oversight, and internal governance at the sport’s most powerful labor organization.
According to union representatives, Players Way has spent at least $3.9 million since its founding in 2019, yet produced few events and generated little revenue. Sources familiar with MLBPA finances say the true investment may approach $10 million, raising alarms about spending practices and internal transparency.
Federal authorities from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn — the same office currently prosecuting a landmark case involving two NBA coaches and organized-crime figures — are now examining the program’s financial trail, along with a union whistleblower complaint accusing MLBPA executive director Tony Clark of mismanagement and self-dealing. Clark, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, has denied all accusations.
A PROMISING IDEA THAT STRUGGLED TO LAUNCH
Players Way was pitched as a transformative solution to an increasingly commercialized youth sports industry. With travel-ball costs rising and competitive pressures mounting, the program promised to provide access, instruction and life-skill development from current and former major leaguers. Clark — the first former player to lead the MLBPA — described the program as an antidote to “a youth sports machine that too often exploits families.”
But despite lofty intentions, the results have been modest. Over six years, Players Way has held only a handful of clinics, webinars, and showcases, some with just a few dozen attendees. Sources said the company operated without standard budgeting procedures and relied heavily on funds from the union’s for-profit arm, MLB Players Inc.
Meanwhile, executive compensation for those affiliated with the program — including former MLB players and consultants — reportedly reached six-figure annual totals, even as events lagged.
One former union official described Players Way finances as “a black box,” while another called it “a total waste of money.”
ACCUSATIONS OF NEPOTISM AND POOR OVERSIGHT
The whistleblower complaint alleged that Clark used Players Way to reward allies and even briefly employed a family member. A UPS Store mailbox in suburban Florida serves as the company’s listed headquarters — an address that has only fueled scrutiny into the program’s infrastructure.
According to sources, some MLBPA employees questioned the lack of a business plan, the pacing of growth, and spending patterns that seemed detached from performance.
“Few players knew anything about it,” one source told ESPN. “It always came up at meetings, but no one really saw what it was doing.”
UNION LEADERS STAND FIRM
Clark and union leadership have rejected criticism of Players Way, arguing that meaningful player development requires patience and long-term investment — especially in a space dominated by for-profit operators.
“The mission has always been clear,” Clark said in a written statement. “To empower the next generation and support young athletes the right way. This isn’t about profit. It’s about impact.”
Fanatics, a major MLBPA licensing partner, contributed $1.2 million to the program from 2022-2024 and continues to support its mission.
“Youth development is critical to the future of baseball,” a Fanatics spokesperson said. “We trust the union to allocate funds responsibly.”
GROWING PRESSURE AND UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Recent internal presentations show the MLBPA attempting to revitalize the program with new events and expanded player involvement. Still, union insiders say frustration is building, particularly amid growth in union revenues tied to group licensing deals and player NIL rights.
“It doesn’t matter how much we’ve made,” one player leader told ESPN. “Waste is waste.”
With federal investigators now engaged and union membership demanding answers, the Players Way saga represents more than a faded youth initiative — it is a critical test of transparency and leadership inside one of the most powerful unions in sports.
For Clark, the stakes extend beyond optics. With trust on the line and the Justice Department watching, the MLBPA must now prove that its vision for nurturing the next generation wasn’t lost somewhere between ambition, execution, and accountability.
The probe remains ongoing. Neither federal officials nor union representatives provided a timetable for the investigation’s conclusion.
