Who represents the owners as a group in contract negotiations?

• A. Each team's legal department
• B. The properties group
• C. The players union
• D. Each team's general manager

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that the owners’ interests are represented by a single, centralized group that handles the business side of negotiations on behalf of all owners. In professional sports, the properties group acts as that unified voice, coordinating terms and strategy for deals that affect the owners’ assets—like media rights, sponsorships, and other contracts—so that there’s consistency across teams and alignment with the league’s overall business plan. This makes it the best fit for representing owners as a group in contract talks.

The other options don’t fit as well. The players union represents players, not owners. The general manager negotiates player contracts for a specific team, not on behalf of the owners as a group. The legal departments of individual teams handle their own issues but don’t present a single, collective owners’ position.