In an interview with the Denver Post newspaper, we discuss the possibility of baseball returning. Fans understand they can’t pack a stadium to watch a game, but it doesn’t mean they don’t still miss sports.
Gov. Jared Polis is one of those fans. “I hope, as a baseball fan, we have a baseball season this year,” Polis said. “I don’t think it’s going to look like any other baseball season we’ve seen before.”
Some people have been bouncing around the idea of a season without fans. If this were to happen, testing would need to be available to everyone. No one could enter a sports arena without knowing who has the virus and who has the protection of antibodies. This doesn’t just mean players, but workers and family members as well.
If we want sports, we need testing. Testing will be the linchpin to starting the baseball season.
Dr. Rand McClain
If there were diligent testing and tracking of everyone who contracts the virus, there is a possibility baseball could return under quarantine. This would be expensive though. All crew members, players, and any one in contact with the players would need to be cared for and monitored. Safe interaction with immediate family members would also be expected for the players because of the length of the season.
It will be a moonshot. There’s always going to be a modicum of risk, but we humans have made it to the moon and back. If we do it, and try to play baseball, we better do it right.
Baseball is also promising because of its low amount of contact, unlike the NBA. Because of the close contact of the basketball, I believe there’s no chance the NBA plays another game this season. It is too big of a risk.
Only the future can tell what will come. Until then, we thank the nurses, doctors, and first responders for all of their hard work.