There was some initial doubt as to whether or not Major League Baseball would be able to pull off having a 2020 season, but so far, they’ve been able to play games, without too many issues.
And sure, both the Marlins and Cardinals had players contract the coronavirus, which forced the league to cancel some of their games. It’s unclear how many of them will be rescheduled, or if the league will simply need to focus on win percentage in approaching its playoff format.
For now, though, games are being played in empty stadiums. It was a bit of an adjustment at first, as stellar defensive plays and walk-off home runs just didn’t carry the same luster, without seeing fans being brought to their feet, or showering players with cheer.
But fans have adjusted to the “new normal,” especially after seeing soccer leagues around the world, as well as the NBA and NHL, adopt a similar model. They are wondering when they can begin attending games going forward, though.
And while that’s a good question, it doesn’t appear it’ll be happening anytime soon, according to The Athletic, which featured this statement from an MLB spokesperson.
“Given the state of the virus throughout the country and that most of our clubs do not have authorization from their local jurisdictions allowing for it, we are not able to consider hosting fans at this time.”
It’s good to see the league is still prioritizing the health of its players, coaches, staffers and fans over anything else.
