Players Return to the Ballpark

The 2020 MLB season ended before it even started. Fans are left wondering if the sport will return at any time soon due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; fortunately, plans are currently being developed to jumpstart the league come May.

The MLB Players Association, backed by a few federal officials, recently released a statement saying that the organization is working to allow all 30 teams to play games in the greater Phoenix area, albeit with no fans in the stadium. Essential staff including players, managers, assistant coaches and any other personnel would be isolated and would stay in hotels, only traveling to the stadium and hotel as necessary.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health have approved of a plan that would abide by the strict isolation policies, promote social distancing and allow the MLB to be the first professional sport to be revived since the coronavirus outbreak. However, it currently seems as though the May opening date is going to be a bit unrealistic, and many believe that postponing the season until June is the most realistic and safe scenario.

One thing that can help the MLB season open back up in May is an increase in testing availability for COVID-19. Even though players are seen as low-risk candidates for the disease, it is still important to protect their health, along with the health of managers, coaches, umpires and other staff members above anything else.

This brings up another question, however: what if a player or staff member was to test positive for the coronavirus? The MLB already has a plan. If someone were to test positive, it would not necessarily mean that the whole affected team would have to plunge itself back into self-isolation, or that the entire season would have to come to a halt once again. The plan would include teams possibly carrying extended rosters so that, should a player test positive, there are new players to replace the sick one. The growing heat in Phoenix would also help greatly in counteracting the virus, with COVID-19 being unable to flourish in high temperatures.

However this plan does not simply rely on coronavirus testing - the players and staff would also have to buy into this idea for it to be feasible. Players and staff might have to spend a lot of time away from their families to make sure they are truly isolated with their team and other personnel. How long this could go on is uncertain, but if the virus limits teams from returning to their home fields throughout 2020, it could be for as long as five months.

Economic feasibility of such a project would also be problematic. With more players on each team, more people would have to be paid an official salary, and with a major decline in gate revenue, many teams may struggle to pay their players. Without any fans in a stadium, the bulk of the revenue made from the games would be through TV deals, so the MLB is currently working on capitalizing on TV networks to make as much money as possible to pay their players. For example, the MLB could add the games to its national television portfolio, which can then be watched and rewatched by fans on varying networks that would pay the MLB to let them show the games.

In addition, there would be other features added to the game to adhere to the social distancing regulations, as well as simply taking precaution. First off, the MLB will be using an electronic strike zone to make sure there is enough space between the umpire, batter and catcher. Secondly, instead of using a dugout, the players will have to sit six feet apart in the empty stadium stands. The catcher nor the coach are permitted to visit the pitching mound during the game, and regular on-field microphones will be used by players as a bonus TV feature.

It is evident that MLB and many other sports will not return to exactly as they were for quite some time, however it is important that we return to the status quo of sports-watching. Having sports to watch can be a great thing at such a depressing time in the world.