With much concern around the world regarding the spread of coronavirus, it was inevitable that there’d be an impact on the staging of sporting events. Asia’s two most significant baseball leagues are beginning to adjust their schedules to adapt to a situation in which large public gatherings would not be prudent.
The situation is especially concerning in Korea, which has seen the most cases of infection outside of China (where the disease originated). The Korea Baseball organization is responding by canceling its slate of planned pre-season games, as Jee-ho Yoo of Yonhap News reports.
For the KBO, this may only be the beginning. The league is still pondering what to do about the upcoming regular season. Delaying Opening Day (presently scheduled for March 28th) is presumably one possibility.
Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball is also taking action, as the Associated Press reports, but it is taking a somewhat different initial step. The NPB’s spring contests will take place in empty stadiums. There’s still hope of launching the regular season as scheduled on March 20th, but that decision has yet to be made.
Keeping fans away from the spring contests was a “bitter decision,” in the words of the NPB commissioner, but it seems clear that tougher choices could still be to come. In addition to the baseball regular season, Tokyo is scheduled to host the Summer Olympics beginning in late July.
The handling of these difficult questions abroad could help inform Major League Baseball’s approach to the coronavirus situation — if and when it must do so. No doubt the league is already working through contingency plans that would avoid disruption to the extent possible while serving far more important public health imperatives.
Was reall my wondering how this would play out. I know the other day IOC gave a 3-month window to decide on the Games
This is the end. My only friend, the end. – JM
Yes, it is…for the unprepared.
A season of MLB baseball played with empty stadiums, virtual concessions hawked by mlb.com and the price of said service (mlb.com) tripled in an attempt to reclaim revenue.
Only the Oakland A’s, Miami and TB Rays play under normal conditions.. Being empty stadiums
MLB should make the Astros play all their home games over there. Survive and you can keep your title…mmwhahaaaa!
If I remember The Andromeda Strain movie correctly, the alcoholic didn’t get the virus because of elevated whiskey levels in his body. That’s my plan!
Now, where can I get my Washington Nationals branded Hazmat suit? Will they be a early season giveaway sponsored by GEICO or PNC Bank?
I have drank at least a 12 pack of Corona daily for 20 years. Im immune.
I used to write reports on a Smith Corona. It was just my type.
Electric ?
So you drink “squeeze”, huh…..
Dutton: “Non carbon reproduction ..That’s not possible”
Stone: “Apparently it IS”…
One of the truly underappreciated movies of all time…..Michael Crichton wrote the novel if I’m not mistaken….
curious if the leagues organize a transfer/loan agreement if these players allowed to travel to the US
This is effecting how the NBA finishes the season also…
At last, there is finally a good reason to be a shut in.
The inevitable thinning of the herd has begun.
The virus was started in Asia because of over population. I can see a boycott of the Tokyo Olympics and also a serious decline of MLB players playing in Asia.
This is all just a conspiracy to make the precedent look bad. – rash lump paw
You spelled president wrong.
Who knew drinking coronas would eventually cause you to get a virus! Who knew.
And the possibility of lime disease, too!
Upvotes for puns all around!
Ask the Brewers.
Nice job with this. I’m a news producer and this feels like a well written news article.
I didn’t know we were allowed to compliment the authors here.
Why not? They get criticized all the time, so it helps to even things out.
And here I am thinking that Bat Soup is a healthy and hearty dish…
Batman eats his bat soup with with a grilled cheese bat sandwich.
NO!!! Adam Jones stay away from there!!!
Jeff,
How do you foresee this corona virus affecting the London Series in June?
For one thing there will be fewer people traveling there internationally to see it. I know I have trips planned to Ireland and Barcelona later this year and they are both day-to-day, in a holding pattern now…
With reports now confirming a person in California infected who had not travelled overseas or had known contact with someone who had. I would be staying away from crowds in the US now.
Did you get a flu shot this year? Asking for a friend.
No comparison. Search the scientific literature for articles on why you should not compare COVID-19 to the flu, perhaps the biggest reason being that we have a vaccine to prevent and medications to treat the flu. Not so for COVID-19. Another difference is that COVID-19 appears to spread more rapidly. Another difference is the fatality rate, which is .05% for the flu and 2.3% for COVID-19 (in China). There are other differences. There’s a reason the CDC is taking this seriously. And it’s not hysteria.
Of course they can be compared. The mortality rate for the coronavirus is not actually known yet. Many people with the virus seem to be asymptomatic. My point is people are very bad at assessing risk. They can like the poster be fearful of going outdoors where this virus is concerned because it’s an unknown, and not take the readily available measures to protect themselves from known risks. That’s the purpose of my question. Nothing to do with hysteria.
The mortality rate is 2.5% and the flu is 0.005%
Not correct. The mortality rate of the virus is not yet known but for the flu it about 100 times higher than what you say. You’ve only proven my point. The unknown is always scarier than the known.
I told everybody I have it…Mother-in-law cancelled her 2 week visit……