Official *MLB Season Delayed* Thread

[ThatRogue]

This information says only 30% of revenues come from gate receipts. The peripheral sales at games (parking, concessions, etc, can’t be enough to make up enough to be a majority of revenues, can it? What am I missing?

https://www.statista.com/statistics/193645/revenue-of-major-league-baseball-teams-in-2010/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/193408/percentage-of-ticketing-revenue-in-the-mlb-since-2006/

[GwynnInTheHall]

Not to be a downer, but I really don't see a viable plan.

I kinda think KS was right that we won't see a season this year.

[gcstomp]

I asked way back, simple question, what happens when a player tests positive day after season starts. 14 day quarantine for all in contact means 1 positive puts 1 team out. I cant see season opening up, yet I am in middle of a dynasty draft and I have been picking players as if we were going to have ball some time soon. Right now, in most states, if you present yourself for testing with symptoms you will be turned away. You need to be in severe enough condition to be admitted to hospital. Testing sites have lines 8,10,12 hours long, and test results in areas take up to 14 days to get. We are severely undercounting number of cases,active and number of dead as well, as people who die at home, despite having had symptoms, are of course not tested. And the way bb is going to happen is with near daily tests of every player? When we cant get the testing to people with actual freakin symptoms?

This bb season is dead. So why am I drafting as if this is a video game? People who have been picking with a much longer window, have right idea, I realize. 10 rds too late, lol.

[Sour Masher]

I believe the newest numbers have started to include not only those testing positive, but those presumed to be positive based on symptoms. That is why we are seeing a spike. There is also now a test that takes minutes, not days.

[gcstomp]

yes, sour, there is in existence a test that takes minutes. it is not available for those who need it. i can give endless links, of drive up testing sites with lines 10+ hours long, as in right now https://www.pix11.com/news/coronavir...see-long-lines this is NJ where it takes many hours on a line, and many days to get results. Here is FL from 2 hours ago link https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/04/1...-stadium-site/ where people line up night before, as they only have 400 tests per day available and endless thousands need testing. I know around corner from me is a testing site and you are basically winning the lotto to get tested, and the results are many days. right now, today, florida hospitals have signs saying testing not available unless you present severe symptoms requiring hospitalization.

[revo]

PGA Tour just announced they are returning to action on June 11 with no crowds. There's far more people associated with a PGA Tour event than a single MLB game, that's for sure. 80 golfers, 80 caddies, officials, family members, staff, etc -- maybe 300+?

[Ken]

PGA Tour just announced they are returning to action on June 11 with no crowds. There's far more people associated with a PGA Tour event than a single MLB game, that's for sure. 80 golfers, 80 caddies, officials, family members, staff, etc -- maybe 300+?

Isn't the difference the space though? They can all spread out on a golf course.

[gcstomp]

Well i for sure hope we have games by july 4th. Maybe testing capacity will greatly be ramped up by then.

[Sour Masher]

Well i for sure hope we have games by july 4th. Maybe testing capacity will greatly be ramped up by then.

If it isn't, it is a continuing failure with no excuse. We have the funds and the ability to get ramped up on testing by then.

[revo]

Isn't the difference the space though? They can all spread out on a golf course.

But that's just during the game, and even that seems relatively minimal. Arguably, a caddy and golfer are just as close as a catcher and batter. The argument here about baseball was the peripheral aspects -- hotels, quarantining if one person gets ill, testing, etc.

[chancellor]

Not to be a downer, but I really don't see a viable plan.

I kinda think KS was right that we won't see a season this year.

The only reason I disagree with Seitzer on this one is money. A viable plan and capability to follow through on testing will pale when compared to an opportunity to net billions in TV revenue and online gear sales. The MLBPA appears to be playing along, which to me was the only question remaining.

On my less than detailed accounting analysis, there's two teams that may not survive without a season or, if there's no season, a significant cash infusion from MLB. There's another roughly half a dozen teams that will be financially damaged, likely for years. All too many teams are inadequately prepared financially and will make significant cash calls on partners. And that's just what I can pick out from what's readily visible. If a real accounting firm were allowed to dig in, I expect we'd find the financial backbone of teams is worse than what's out in the public, and not better.

I suspect from the MLBPA behavior that they're hearing from players that they don't want to miss a major chunk of their paychecks either.

I'm not saying you're wrong about the inadequacies of the plans. I just think, as usual, money will rule over poor preparation and planning. The only questions to me that remain are when we'll start and how bad will the outcomes be.

[Ken]

But that's just during the game, and even that seems relatively minimal. Arguably, a caddy and golfer are just as close as a catcher and batter. The argument here about baseball was the peripheral aspects -- hotels, quarantining if one person gets ill, testing, etc.

Yes a caddy and golfer are close, but those are only close to each other. So you are effectively combining two households. The problem with baseball is you can't spread out the 50 people on the field. Every batter comes within 6 feet of the catcher, who comes within 6 feet of every player on his own team. 1 positive case transmitted to 1 is vastly different than 1 to 50 IMO.

[revo]

Yes a caddy and golfer are close, but those are only close to each other. So you are effectively combining two households. The problem with baseball is you can't spread out the 50 people on the field. Every batter comes within 6 feet of the catcher, who comes within 6 feet of every player on his own team. 1 positive case transmitted to 1 is vastly different than 1 to 50 IMO.

That may very well be true, but the point is, the PGA has a LOT of people associated with an event and there's zero chance of all of them abiding all the time by social distancing rules. They're taking a major risk too, whether you want to say that's on the course or not.

[GwynnInTheHall]

Golf is like four days every couple of weeks or so and the fields are smaller after cut down day.

Plus golfers tend to be a different personality than ballplayers and they'd be traveling reducing the potential for going stir crazy and breaking the quarantine.

Again, I'd love to see baseball this year. But with everything being canceled through the summer and I mean entertainment events, I just don't see the logistics working

[Sour Masher]

Baseball is building up a lot of good will and karma by participating in the study of how COVID-19 has spread, subjecting all 10k people associated with the sport to antibody testing. I've read elsewhere the antibody testing still has kinks to work out, but this should tell us a lot in just weeks or months instead of the years it would typically take. If at some point, they decide to buy tests that could go elsewhere, participating in this study I think gives them some moral capital to take that hit. They are doing a lot of good here, and it will give them great data on their player pool. Maybe some players already have immunity. We will know in a month or two, it seems. Doing this is a win-win, but good for baseball for stepping up on this.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...onavirus-study