I don't know about MLB but licences seem important on football games at least. Would be a desperate move imo and bad for fans of the series.

Well if they are losing control over their own IP,  it just seems like thats one way to go. It would still have the same gameplay. But again, I dont know how much fans care about it.

Pay for licence and you never have full control over your IP. MLB would sell their licence to someone else and Sony's Pro Evolution Baseball would end up selling a handful of copies.

Of course, Sony already chose to let MLB publish the game on Xbox so what you're suggesting would be a reaction to game pass and it would be silly.  

Well they "chose" to do it after being given an ultimatum. The series is not a reason to get a PS console anymore, so that does hurt Sony. Especially now that its on Gamepass. I would understand them dropping the license if they dont feel like making games for the competition. 

Sports game don't fare nearly as well without the major league of the sport attached to it.  Especially sports simulations.  Just look at how many Madden gamers complain about the crappy job EA does with the NFL license every year.  Yet Madden sales obliterate any non-licensed football game that hits the market.  All Pro Football 2K8 and Madden 08 both released in the Summer of 2007, but only Madden carried the NFL license.  Despite APF2K8 releasing a month earlier and receiving very similar reviews to Madden 08, Madden trounced it in sales and 2K immediately scrapped their plans to continue the 2K series bi-annually without the NFL license.  

Fair enough. I just find that a bit weird I guess. I mean I dont play realistic sports games or watch sports, so for me the gameplay is what draws me to a game. Couldnt care less about playing as a real person.

I'm totally with you on that.  But, it's the power that brand marketing has over the average consumer unfortunately.

There are a number of non licensed baseball games on Xbox. Some are actually really good, but they don’t go for MLB style baseball. The Show is solid enough that it might do fine without the MLB license. They could do the players association license maybe and still have MLB players but not the teams or stadiums.