Posted on 04/07/2020 2:13:43 AM PDT by Libloather
Major League Baseball (MLB) could hold the entirety of the 2020 season at the Arizona Diamondbacks' stadium in Phoenix, Ariz., without any fans attending if officials go through with a plan that has reportedly been discussed by top league officials and members of the MLB players' union.
The Associated Press reported that the two groups are in talks about potential plans for the 2020 season, which is supposed to be already underway but has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak that has swept across the U.S. and around the world.
One of the plans being discussed involved teams meeting at Chase Field in Arizona, where a number of teams have training facilities. The stadium features an artificial turf field and retractable roof, and according to a top sports talent agent, could theoretically host up to three games per day.
“It allows for immediacy of a schedule, where you might be able to begin it and televise it, provide Major League Baseball to America,” Scott Boras, president of the Boras Corporation, told the AP. “I think players are willing to do what’s necessary because I think they understand the importance of baseball for their own livelihoods and for the interest of our country and providing a necessary product that gives all the people that are isolated enjoyment.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Baseball in Phoenix in summer? Prepare for news stories about the “frightening heatstroke epidemic”.
you have got to be kidding. Baseball without fans? Will it also be without advertising? Does the league and players think the money to keep baseball going comes from unicorns? If this happens as advertised I will cancel my Sirius XM subscription and watch the grass grow in my yard. I wonder where common sense has gone...on hiatus or just died from lack of practice.
Chase Field’s roof is opened or closed depending on the game-time temperature. Even when the roof is closed, the park’s windows allow enough sunlight to play in true daylight without overheating the stadium.
The roof, which takes just 4½ minutes to open or close at a cost of $2–$3, is closed three hours before game time using two 200-horsepower motors triggered from a control room in the upper deck above left-center field.[9] A massive HVAC system then drops the temperature inside the park to about 78 °F (25.5 °C) by the time the gates open. The chilled water system, which has cooling power equivalent to 2,500 homes of 2,000 square feet (190 m2), also serves more than 30 buildings in downtown Phoenix.[9] The cooling plant, located in a separate building right outside the ballpark, freezes water overnight to reduce daytime electricity demand.[9] Originally, the HVAC system didn’t cool above row 25 of the upper level, exposing fans in the higher rows to the brunt of Phoenix’ oppressive summer heat. Changes since then keep virtually all of the facility in air-conditioned comfort.[23]
This stadium has a movable roof. That might help.
The problem I see....you open up the stadium and maybe no fans in the stands would show up for 3 games over eight hours. There’s zero profit for the teams under these circumstances.
To make this work, you’d have to have four (maybe five) stadiums being used like this (maybe in San Diego, Tampa, and Atlanta as well)...with teams only playing ‘grouped’ teams...meaning no travel. Less risk of transmission.
Losing interest around the rest of the US? I think 70-percent of us would shake our heads.
Interesting idea. If you factor in all the Cactus league spring training parks it seems to be doable to play.
Naturally, I looked at the cancer that is The Hill comments and the let hates the idea and is full of doom and gloom and demands to keep the lock down in place until a vaccine is found. I like the idea, gets us something to occupy time with and hopefully a return to ball games at the regular stadiums.
If every game was supposed to be held at a 'neutral site', then where would the Diamondback's play their games?
The Phoenix area has 10 spring training stadiums, plus Chase field for 11 fields. They only play 15 games a day at most, so 3 parks would need to play 2 games per day to make it work.
Probably use one of the spring training parks instead of Chase field.
The money will come from MLB’s current TV contracts. It is a considerable sum.
We have not just those fields, but a massive complex at Salt River fields just waiting for activity. These are superb facilities just waiting for MLB to take advantage of them for actual games instead of just spring training. There’s a massive entertainment complex built around these in the surrounding area which will be excellent for the players, their families and the fans who will attend when the crisis has passed.
There would be no fans. So, very little advantage to playing at “home”.
Of course, that game was all offense. Pitchers did not matter.
If there are no fans, then it doesn't matter where they play.
‘I did something similar to that with my Cadaco Ellis baseball game, with the little circle pieces of paper and a spinner.’
ah yes, the Cadaco-Ellis board games; loved them...remember Foto-Football? an excellent reproduction of how actual play on the field developed. I always thought some sort of pitching element could have been incorporated in the baseball game, maybe it did later, I’m talking late 1950’s that I was playing them...I did reprise the 1980 National League baseball season with the APBA game (took me two years to do it), and the Phillies lost out to the Expos, so I guess I didn’t do it right...
‘If there are no fans, then it doesn’t matter where they play.’
if there are no fans, then just call the season a yearlong exhibition, and pick up next year...I swear, if these dolts wanting the country locked down until the election, then there will be a savage backlash; and I’ve been one mocking the ‘sheeple’ and their fear of life’s uncertainties and lack of response to getting pushed around...
‘I swear, if these dolts wanting the country locked down until the election, then there will be a savage backlash’
for a grammar nazi, you don’t post so good either; should be ‘get their way’ after the word ‘election...’
I’ve experienced PHX (and Yuma) in (late) June. Man it’s hot hot hot.
Playing in Arizona in the middle of summer? I feel sorry for the players.
MLB already has one foot in the grave. Overpaid players and 4 hour games.
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