LIVING THE JAI LIFE VOL 12: Jai-Alai in The United States – Labor Relations 1968 – 1988. A Complex & Complicated History of Players, Owners, Managers & Fans (and let’s not forget the Lawyers)

• July 01, 2025
• Stu Neiman

Disclaimer: The World Jai-Alai League and Battle Court Jai-Alai, L.L.C. are committed to transparency and the promotion of Jai-Alai as a sport worthy of respect in the 21st century. Our approach, goals and methods are different from those employed in the past. The league recognizes its unique role in Jai-Alai’s 100+ year history in the United States. Like all professional sports Jai-Alai’s history is rich and complex. This is the first post to appear under a byline. In his capacity as our Director of Jai-Alai Operations, Stu Neiman was tasked with explaining a complicated period based on his 45+ year affiliation with both professional and amateur Jai-Alai players & Frontons . The following observations and conclusions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts & opinions of the W.J.A.L. or Battle Court Jai-Alai, LLC.

(From the Documentary “Jai-Alai Blues” - 2016)

I love Jai-Alai. I admire the players and the empresarios, the managers and the operators. Those who committed themselves, their time and their fortunes to this sport – to the world’s fastest ballgame! 40 years ago, while working behind the counter of North Miami Amateur Jai-Alai at 16, (poorly) sewing Jai-Alai balls and clocking amateurs on and off the courts, I could never have conceived of my adult working life would be in and around the management of Jai-Alai - players, operations and frontons. I was done with Jai-Alai in 2013, or so I thought. My return in January 2018 was unlikely and unexpected as late as December of 2017. But that’s a funny story for another time.

“Living The Jai-Life” volumes 1-11 have been a chronology of events which present the story of Jai-Alai, specifically in the United States. Vol. 11 ended with “cliff-hanger” because in 1988 EVERYTHING changed. Those in the Jai-Alai world tend to focus on the player’s strike on April 14th, but in truth 1988 was a transformational year. The Florida Lottery began draw-games on January 12th, and the 100th U. S. Congress passed “The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act” on October 17th. These events in addition to the grey-market “cruises to nowhere” would change the business environment in which Jai-Alai competed. The strike was an internal, labor matter for the operators but it was more of an existential issue for many of the players. Neither party fully understood the other and those contracted to advise profited at the expense of the impasse.

A quick and oft-cited data point about the ’88 Strike lies in the irony that while Jai-Alai is one of America’s smallest professional sports it holds the record for having the longest strike in professional sports history at 2.5 years. In April of 1988 there were approximately 570 professionally licensed Jai-Alai players in Florida, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Collective bargaining agreements were reached with individual Fronton operators in the fall of 1990 with the first union players returning to Florida Frontons in December. But why did it happen in the first place and how in the hell did it take over two years to resolve?

WFTF-ABC Affiliate Orlando TV News

WFLA-NBC Affiliate - Tampa 1988

So, here’s the thing - the ’88 Jai-Alai strike was 37 years ago. Lives were forever changed and many who were affected are still emotional. The chronology can be explained in a paragraph or two, but there are lessons which can help us now. So here is my own view.

A Foreign Sport in A Foreign Land

Jai-Alai is fundamentally a Basque sport so understanding the Basque people & their culture, but more importantly their history is essential, and Basque history is VERY complex. A sentence or paragraph can’t begin to do it justice, so suffice it to say that for as long as there has been Jai-Alai in the United States (100 years) the Basques have been at odds with and often fighting the country that claims them (Spain). At issue - some form of independence as well as “recognition and respect” (one of the central arguments made by striking players regarding contract and working conditions in 1968 & 1988).

The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939 with the victory of General Francisco Franco. Franco maintained neutrality during World Ward II and remained the only Western European Fascist Dictator to continue his reign in the post war period until his death in 1975. During this time Basque identity was repressed, and the Basque language, historical institutions and political organizations were all banned. So roughly 95%+ of all Jai-Alai players playing in the USA at the time of the first labor action in 1968 and 90+% of those playing up to the labor action of 1988 came from this background of continuous conflict. For many (but certainly not all) Jai-Alai players, being cautious of authority and acting as a group had been essential to their survival.

To be clear, I am in no way suggesting that “The Basque Players” were responsible for either the strike or its duration. Indeed, some of the most “active” union members were American by birth and not of Basque descent. Also, numerous actions taken by the operators contributed to the strike’s duration. Factually, most of the Jai-Alai players (90+%) were either Basque or of Basque descent but it was still a very American strike.

1968 - 1975 - 1988 A Continuum of Labor Concerns

Labor actions initiated by players occurred in 1968, 1975 and 1988. The outcomes were starkly different in each decade but the complaints, demands, and concerns were usually consistent - official recognition of a player’s organization, contractual job security, increased prize money, profit sharing, insurance and a pension upon retirement. Operators took three decidedly different approaches in each decade.

(1968 Image Credit mankatofreepress)

1968 - More of “Lockout” than a “Strike”

In 1968 six frontons were operating seasonally in Miami, Dania, West Palm, Tampa, Orlando and Daytona. Indeed, some of greatest Jai-Alai players in the history of the sport had been dominating Jai-Alai play for more than a decade. Prior to the opening of the 1968 season, while still in The Basque Country, players collectively presented a list of requirements beyond their individual contracts. It was considered a “Strike,” but the players were not part of any N.L.R.B. recognized / sanctioned Union or Players organization. Players in the Basque Country were supported by the “Montepio,” a mutual aid society that was separate and distinct from the historic Spanish Unions.

Five of the six owner / operators refused their conditions, and the players were “locked-out” of the 1968 season. Many were blackballed for the remainder of their careers. Several legends were able to return to play as part of Bridgeport’s inaugural roster in 1976. The owner of Palm Beach Jai-Alai reached an agreement with his roster, and they returned for the ’68 Winter season. The other frontons brought-in the top young talent which had been training in The Basque Country, France and Mexico. Also included were the first American and Cuban American players at Miami Jai-Alai.

Stu’s Hindsight 20/20: Though a “win” for ownership, the ’68 lock-out sewed the seeds of distrust which, in turn provided the impetus for the ’88 strike and plagued the sport into the 21st Century. A negotiated settlement like the one achieved with the Palm Beach players would likely have prevented years of labor turmoil, with or without a Union.

75 - A Labor Issue Without Issue & A Quickly Resolved Strike in Nevada

In 1975 Jai-Alai was big business and getting bigger with three new Frontons scheduled to open in Connecticut the following year. Many entities including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters were beginning to take notice. In October of 1975 the 32-man roster at the Las Vegas MGM Fronton went on strike, citing recognition, increased prize money & salary. Strictly speaking it was not a “strike” as they had no Union, nor official recognition by the N.L.R.B. A settlement with improved conditions was reached prior to the 1976 season.

This action, the interest shown by unions and the N.L.R.B. recognition of Jai-Alai “players” did not go un-noticed, especially by World Jai-Alai, Inc. with its three Frontons and 4th coming online. Proactively and unofficially a handful of players at Miami & Tampa were polled about their concerns. Salaries, insurance and prize money were addressed company-wide in time for the 1976 seasons.

Stu’s Hindsight 20/20: If a company can afford to be proactive and be responsive to player (indeed all employee) needs major headaches can “usually” be avoided. At a minimum open dialogue of some kind is always in order.

April 1988 - Jai-Alai In the United States Changes Forever

The Jai-Alai Landscape: In 1988 there were ten Frontons in Florida, three in Connecticut and one in Rhode Island. Most operated year-round, others seasonally. There were 571 Licensed Jai-Alai players individually contracted to a specific fronton. Prize money for players was set for finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd and varied between frontons. A player could negotiate their base pay at most Frontons, but player (base) salaries ranged from $18,000 to $100,000. There were at most 10 players at or near the $100,000 figure, with the “average” Jai-Alai player earning $39,000 (By comparison, the national average salary in the U.S. for a full time / 40hr-per-week job was $19,334.04 per the S.S.A.)

No two Frontons were the same. Though “World Jai-Alai” operated four frontons, other operators had at most two operating seasonally. In 1988 there was no O.T.B. in Florida, so a Fronton’s income was based exclusively on “live handle” (money bet on site) and revenues generated from other profit centers supporting live Jai-Alai. Connecticut Frontons had the benefit of State-Wide Off-Track Betting. Most Frontons were “operationally” profitable but as privately held entities it’s hard to know a company’s exact net earnings beyond State reporting requirements. Though operationally profitable, attendance and handle peaked prior to 1988 and the competition for in-person entertainment and gaming were beginning to impact Jai-Alai income.

Stu’s Hindsight 20/20: Most Jai-Alai players lived in a bubble of sorts and spent hours locked-in together while competing against each other. Players had access to public attendance and handle figures but were not well versed in what the handle netted-down to. Several players later acknowledged that there was a longstanding belief that operators were netting far more income than they were. “Opening the books,” even if not completely, may have helped

(Tampa Jai-Alai Circa 1987 - Well attended but no longer “sold-out”)

March 6th, 1988 - April 10th, 1988 - Jai-Alai Players Seek “Recognition & Respect”

It had been a longstanding goal of many (but not all) Jai-Alai players to be part of an “organization” run by players and recognized by Fronton Owners. Accounts vary as to what precipitated the action, but The International Jai-Alai Player’s Association (IJAPA) was formed on March 6th, 1988. An attorney was hired, and representation petitions were filed with the N.L.R.B. on March 11th. It is generally agreed that the action began at Bridgeport Jai-Alai with most of the Connecticut-based players joining the organization almost immediately. Meetings were then held in Florida with slightly fewer but still a majority of players joining. The meetings were described as “animated” and marked by an “us-versus-them” fervor which played into the quiet frustrations of many players.

Lead-Up to April 14th, 1988 - Most of The Players Take Action - Owners Become Entrenched

Armed with a list of approximately 80% of all Jai-Alai players as “active” members the newly formed I.J.A.P.A. petitioned all Fronton owners to recognize the organization as representing all Jai-Alai players. Though they could not present themselves formally as a “Union” with collective bargaining powers, the majority of owners saw them as just that. A meeting of all owners / operators was convened in Miami and a decision was made to refuse I.J.A.P.A. any recognition and immediately hire labor attorneys to fight player organization and recognition by the N.L.R.B. Just as he had 20 years earlier the owner of Palm Beach and Newport Jai-Alai expressed concern and felt that recognizing “a players organization” might not be a bad thing. So, though issues had been percolating for about 20 years, within the span of a month in the Spring of 1988 both sides set-up for a fight. But there was not a consensus among “all players” or “all owners” which adequately explains what happened next.

Stu’s Hindsight 20/20: There was no “one size fits all” fix for either the players or owners. Each fronton was unique as were labor laws and attitudes. There were significant differences between Connecticut Labor Law and Florida Labor law and market forces were different in each city. A “decentralized I.J.A.P.A.” raising specific concerns at specific frontons might actually have worked. For the owners, something more than a blanked “NO” was probably in order.

April 14th, 1988 - America’s Longest Lasting Strike of Professional Athletes Begins

So, 40 days after its official creation and without official recognition by owners as a player’s organization nor the N.L.R.B.’s certification as a Union with collective bargaining powers the I.J.A.P.A. initiated a strike against all Frontons which were in season. Owners encouraged players to stay. I.J.A.P.A. maintained a position of “all or none” and sought to shut all Fronton’s down until they were recognized. Beyond recognition of the organization, a uniform list of demands requiring resolution was developed and presented to ownership following the work stoppage.

It got very ugly very quickly. Before the end of April, the lines were “literally” drawn - striking players on the picket line, “scabs” on the service line. Owners were entrenched in their offices and lawyers were lawyering. Both Connecticut and Florida had robust amateur Jai-Alai programs. “Try-outs” were held and many who might otherwise never have had an opportunity to play Jai-Alai professionally were now officially “replacement players” at five Florida Frontons and two Connecticut Frontons. The striking players were incensed. On the 11th day of the strike Connecticut State regulators shut down Hartford and Bridgeport citing “public safety concerns,” based on rock throwing and verbal abuse. Owner’s held firm and for two years continued with diverse rosters.

On or about May 15th the N.L.R.B. granted striking players in Hartford and Newport the right to conduct union representation elections. I.J.A.P.A. would later become an affiliate of the U.A.W. The owners appealed every decision and though recognition would become inevitable, every issue would be dragged out to its fullest. A quote from Washington Post reporter Andrew Beyer summed-up the situation perfectly in a February 1989 article: “There is no mediation, no dialogue, no negotiation in the Jai-Alai dispute, only mutual enmity.” Officially the strike ended in September of 1990, and one could argue that the I.J.A.P.A. won. They received both recognition and collective bargaining powers. Earlier that year Melbourne converted from Jai-Alai to greyhounds and Big Bend was shuttered. Within 5 years half of America’s Jai-Alai frontons would close.

Stu’s Hindsight 20/20: It’s a sad thing. Many were hurt. It was probably preventable just not with the personalities who were in decision making capacities on both sides. The players did not get anything that they couldn’t have gotten without a strike but responsibility for that lies with most of the owners who could not even get to “recognition.” I.J.A.P.A. seriously overplayed their hand and needed to take responsibility for the worst actors among them who alienated fans.