New York Yankees president says it’s “not practical’ to play without fans for entire season

New York Yankees
Dec 7, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; New York Yankees logo during the MLB winter meetings at Gaylord Opryland Resort . Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly diminished the prospects of having a season in 2020. MLB and the players’ association are currently discussing several avenues to play this year, but they are, to this point, unlikely, to say the least. Commissioner Rob Manfred is confident that there will be baseball this year, but it remains to be seen. For now, though, the New York Yankees are in wait and see mode.

One of the scenarios currently being discussed is playing all games in one location, likely Arizona (where there are several spring training facilities) and with no fans in the stands, in order to prevent further spreading of the disease.

However, New York Yankees’ president Randy Levine is skeptical that a whole season without fans will be played. He, according to SNY, doesn’t believe that playing in front of no fans isn’t practical.

The Yankees’ president says America needs sports

First, Levine said that the “sports industry could be an example for all industry for us to work with health experts.”

“How can we get into our parks as soon as we can with all the appropriate mitigation — social distancing, taking temperature checks, wearing masks, wearing gloves,” Levine said Wednesday on Mornings with Maria on the Fox Business channel. “I think it’s all doable because I think that, to have games just on TV for the whole season for many, many reasons is not practical.”

While he is adamantly against playing games in front of empty seats, Levine does note that the United States of America needs its national pasttime back. Not only baseball, but other sports, as well.

“I think that we just get going, be prepared. There has to be a private-public partnership that all sides – the economic sides, the health sides – are brought to bear to make sure this is done safely and reasonably, and that’s where we’re trying to go right now to get this going as quickly as we can. The country needs sports.”