Here's one thing I REALLY don't get. MiLB players get their salary - which everyone agrees is not very much (whether something should be done or not is not unanimous). But why, out of that small salary, do they have to pay some back to the team for "club fees"? That makes absolutely no sense. Why not just pay them less or give them the advantage of clubhouse stuff for free? I don't get that.
I may be completely wrong, but I will make a stab at what I believe is an educated guess.
The MLB club pays the "salary" of the player. The Club dues are paid to the Affiliate to cover the club house expenses. So if the "salaries" were lowered by the cost of the club house dues. The MLB would have to shift that money to their affiliate.
Do these club house fees/dues exist in independent ball?