Last Thursday night on CNN, Major League Baseball’s commissioner, Rob Manfred, spoke bluntly regarding any potential timelines to begin the 2020 regular season amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the globe.
“We’re fortunate — we have a great panel of infectious disease experts that we rely on to help sort through the various pronouncements from different governmental agencies and politicians,” Manfred said. “And, you know, we will make a decision to resume only when we’re comfortable that the public health situation supports that decision.”
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommended on March 14 that all gatherings of over 50 people be postponed or canceled for at least eight weeks.
Ideas of beginning the season with no fans in the stands have been considered, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Central to the agreement that was reached last week between MLB and the Players Association was a good-faith understanding that there will be “best efforts to play as many games as possible.” Teams derive revenue and players earn salary from games, so both pledged commitment to a regular season as stocked with games as possible.
And it is just logical at this point, as one team executive said, “By a matter of weeks, we will be able to play games without crowds [before we can play games] with them.” Another official said, “I think the only way we play, at least initially, is without fans.”
Between players, coaches and staff, a major league game would bring well over 60 people to the ballpark. Whether safe distancing can be practiced would need to be determined, as would the prospect of including network broadcast staff into the ballpark to televise the games.
The general overall consensus remains that some baseball is better than no baseball. And if fan attendance is the only viable option as opposed to losing the entire 2020 season, that will suffice.
We’ll keep you posted with any new information as it becomes available.
