reserve clause

American  

noun

Sports.

1. the clause in the contract of a professional player in some sports that binds the player to a team for a season beyond the expiration of the contract in the event a new contract has not been made meanwhile or the player has not been sent to another team.

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Etymology

Origin of reserve clause

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Moss became acquainted with outfielder Curt Flood, who challenged the reserve clause in federal court after refusing to report to the Philadelphia Phillies when the St. Louis Cardinals traded him in 1969.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

When a federal court ordered a jury trial to investigate baseball’s labor practices, the owners quickly realized the reserve clause likely would be overturned, potentially costing them millions in salary.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 7, 2022

The reserve clause, for those who don’t remember, was baseball’s way of tying a player to a team for life.

From Washington Post • Mar. 2, 2022

But at the time, the Major Leagues’ reserve clause essentially kept players under a franchise’s control in perpetuity.

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2021

The reserve clause in contracts was the direct cause of that struggle.

From The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 5 July 1906 by Various