The nature of media coverage today, regarding free agency, trades, etc., has essentially rendered individual team’s off- season plans completely transparent. GM’s do not need to communicate directly in order to gain insight into the strategies employed by their competition. The specific player’s targeted, as well a the budgetary restrictions within which another team must operate are readily available with a few key strokes or by flipping through the sports section of the local news paper. Entire websites are dedicated to seeking out and reporting this information as soon as it becomes available. “Leaks” to the media have become incredibly commonplace- to the point that one is astounded when a signing/deal occurs without any prior warning.

If a GM choses to look at this information, even if he does not speak with representatives of another organization, can he be said to have engaged in collusion? I find it difficult to conclude that he has. Any yet, the same, or at least similar results occur. Perhaps it is the access provided to the media which has “watered down,” and perhaps rendered moot, the Player’s Association’s collusion claims.