As the coronavirus (COVID-19) peak approaches across the United States, Major League Baseball and other professional sports leagues have begun formulating plans with regard to potentially resuming their respective seasons.
MLB has reportedly pinpointed Arizona as a centralized location for all 30 teams to begin the 2020 campaign as early as May. In this scenario, Chase Field and 10 Cactus League Spring Training facilities would be the site of regular-season games.
The proposal comes with some restrictions, however, as fans would not be permitted to attend. Players, coaches and team employees would additionally quarantine in nearby hotels, only being allowed to travel back and forth to the ballparks.
Given that players will likely need a second Spring Training to get back into game shape, most around the league view June as a more realistic timeframe for Opening Day.
Such a possibility is dependent on an increased amount of coronavirus tests being made available that wouldn’t jeopardize the general public’s access, via ESPN’s Jeff Passan:
The May return date depends on a number of concerns being allayed, and some officials believe a June opening day could be more realistic, sources said. Most important would be a significant increase in available coronavirus tests with a quick turnaround time, which sources familiar with the plan believe will happen by early May and allow MLB’s testing not to diminish access for the general public.
While there is optimism from MLB, the MLB Players Association, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institute of Health that baseball could return under these guidelines, nothing is set in stone.
MLB issued a response on Tuesday refuting the notion of having settled on the plan of beginning the regular season in Arizona.
“MLB has been actively considering numerous contingency plans that would allow play to commence once the public health situation has improved to the point that it is safe to do so,” a released statement explained.
“While we have discussed the idea of staging games at one location as one potential option, we have not settled on that option or developed a detailed plan. While we continue to interact regularly with governmental and public health officials, we have not sought or received approval of any plan from federal, state and local officials, or the Players Association.
“The health and safety of our employees, players, fans and the public at large are paramount, and we are not ready at this time to endorse any particular format for staging games in light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the coronavirus.”
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