Most MLB players, executives, and team owners believe a 2020 MLB Season happens. Check out more info on our Coronavirus (COVID-19) MLB Update for Monday, May 4.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) MLB Update – May 4th Edition
2020 Major League Baseball Season
- When: TBD
- Where: Various Venues
2020 World Series Futures
- New York Yankees +375
- Los Angeles Dodgers +285
- Houston Astros +850
- Atlanta Braves +1200
- Louis Cardinals +2000
- Minnesota Twins +1200
- Washington Nationals +1600
- New York Mets +1700
- Philadelphia Phillies +3300
- Los Angeles Angels +2500
- Boston Red Sox +4000
- Cleveland Indians +3000
- Chicago Cubs +2800
- Tampa Bay Rays +1700
- Oakland Athletics +1800
- Cincinnati Reds +3000
- Milwaukee Brewers +4000
- Chicago White Sox +2500
- San Diego Padres +5000
- Arizona Diamondbacks +4500
- Texas Rangers +7000
- Toronto Blue Jays +10000
- Colorado Rockies +20000
- Pittsburgh Pirates +25000
- San Francisco Giants +25000
- Seattle Mariners +30000
- Baltimore Orioles +30000
- Detroit Tigers +30000
- Kansas City Royals +30000
- Miami Marlins +20000
States reopening a good sign for Major League Baseball
Some U.S. states have already started some form of Phase 1 of the Trump Administration’s reopening plan. States that have lifted some coronavirus pandemic restrictions in at least one way are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Tennessee, Georgia, and Mississippi started reopening in April. Even California Governor Gavin Newsom has discussed changing some of the stay-at-home orders in the coming days instead of months.
That’s excellent news for the world of sports. It’s good enough news that most Major League Baseball players, executives, and owners are more positive about games happening in 2020. Not a single person associated with MLB has said they believe baseball must cancel the season due to coronavirus.
Everyone knows what’s at stake. Per an analysis conducted for ESPN, the pandemic will shed $12 billion from the U.S. $100 billion revenue per year sports industry. MLB doesn’t want to suffer a huge chunk of that $12 billion loss.
Major League Baseball and the National Football League remain the two professional sports organizations in the U.S. in the best position to lose the least revenue. Baseball has yet to start their season.
No doubt, they will lose some money via television contracts. But they’re in a much better position than the NHL or the NBA.
Baseball can push 2020 MLB Playoffs and World Series
Baseball has more latitude than the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association. While those leagues have discussed pushing their upcoming seasons to December, baseball can play an entire 162-game season and push the 2020 MLB Playoffs and World Series to late November or early December.
MLB can have a truncated 2021 MLB Spring Training. Players can still ready for an early April start to the 2020 MLB Season.
Baseball hopes to have something in place with players by late May or early June. That appears more than probable.
65 players in major league baseball make $100,000 or more each time their teams play a game. That’s a lot of money those players leave on the table if MLB must cancel games. The league itself has television contracts that pay incredible amounts of money.
Even a December playoffs and World Series could work. If MLB coordinates with NCAAF and the NFL, the U.S. could create a December to remember. Bowl games, the NFL playoff push, and the MLB Playoffs in the same month?
Sounds like a reason to stay indoors and really stick to those social distancing norms.
