MESA, Ariz. – It’s a moment Brandon Bajema relishes each year – receiving the email notification that Chicago Cubs tickets for spring training games in Arizona are about to go on sale.

The 2022 version came a couple weeks ago. It popped up on his computer screen and he stared at it for a moment.

“For the first time, I dismissed it,” Bajema said. “That hurt. I love baseball.”

The mood for Major League Baseball fans like Bajema is a little glum these days as the players’ union and owners continue to bicker over finances. The owners locked out the players on Dec. 2 and unless an agreement between the two sides is reached soon, the spring training schedule is in trouble. The first games are slated for Feb. 26.

There is a glimmer of hope that the spring might be saved because of incremental progress in negotiations earlier this week, but time is running out fast. The labor uncertainty means it’s not just MLB’s players and owners who are concerned about finances.

Spring training games might not count in the official standings, but they certainly count for the pocketbooks of business owners in Arizona and Florida. They’re also a much-anticipated destination for fans like Bajema, who come for the warm sunshine and the laid-back atmosphere.

Fans don’t just buy baseball tickets when they come to Arizona. They stay at hotels, eat at restaurants, play golf in nearly perfect weather and hang out at the bars and shops in Old Town Scottsdale. Thanks to baseball and spring break for students, March is usually a big time of year for tourism in both Arizona and Florida.