A Major League Conundrum
The live entertainment industry, specifically North American professional sports leagues,
are arguably taking the hardest hit from the wave of cancellations that have plagued the
entire world due to the response of the spread of COVID-19. Cancellations were inevitable
for sporting events where attendance can easily exceed 40,000 people, but what lies ahead
for the MLB season that was supposed to start, it’s rigorous 162 game schedule at the
beginning of April?
are arguably taking the hardest hit from the wave of cancellations that have plagued the
entire world due to the response of the spread of COVID-19. Cancellations were inevitable
for sporting events where attendance can easily exceed 40,000 people, but what lies ahead
for the MLB season that was supposed to start, it’s rigorous 162 game schedule at the
beginning of April?
The answer is unclear, even to the MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. Spring training games
were suspended on March 12th with the original plan to postpone the regular season by as
little as 2 weeks. This duration has since come and gone, with an increasingly indefinite return
date for the nation’s pastime.
were suspended on March 12th with the original plan to postpone the regular season by as
little as 2 weeks. This duration has since come and gone, with an increasingly indefinite return
date for the nation’s pastime.
As precautionary measures have been taken in various industries worldwide concerning the
COVID-19 pandemic, individuals are learning how to protect themselves and others. These
safety measures will undoubtedly be integrated into MLB game-play if the league wishes to
commence action in the near future. The commissioner, Rob Manfred, was part of a conference
call that President Donald Trump held with other major sports league commissioners concerning
contingency plans for the scheduling of games within their respective leagues.
COVID-19 pandemic, individuals are learning how to protect themselves and others. These
safety measures will undoubtedly be integrated into MLB game-play if the league wishes to
commence action in the near future. The commissioner, Rob Manfred, was part of a conference
call that President Donald Trump held with other major sports league commissioners concerning
contingency plans for the scheduling of games within their respective leagues.
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| Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to the press informing the public of the initial 2020 MLB season postponement. |
Among the lengthy list of ideas the commissioner has presented to the team’s owners, the
most intriguing one is a proposal that the 2020 MLB season begins with the league spreading
it’s 30 teams across 3 “hubs” located in Arizona, Texas, and Florida. Each site has at least 1
MLB stadium in its vicinity and these games would be played without any fans in attendance
in addition to the players striving to maintain their social distance of 6 feet during gameplay.
These plans are not set in stone, as it is up to the league and its player's union to come to an
agreement on how to begin the 2020 season while protecting the player’s health and safety.
This current proposal from the commissioner may be far from finalized, but it is a plan that league
executives will continue to tinker with until major league baseball is underway once again.
agreement on how to begin the 2020 season while protecting the player’s health and safety.
This current proposal from the commissioner may be far from finalized, but it is a plan that league
executives will continue to tinker with until major league baseball is underway once again.
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