There’s a chance that the stands at Fenway Park won’t sit empty all season long.
Major League Baseball and the Players’ Association on Tuesday announced an agreement on a 60-game shortened season and the measures the league will take to keep everyone involved in its return safe.
Boston Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy on Wednesday hopped on a conference call with reporters where he revealed Fenway Park could host spectators this year.
“I would say it would be a possibility,” Kennedy said, via MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “If it were to become a reality, it would be because of the great work the state of MA and the city of Boston have done.
“… We are hopeful to have fans at some point, there are clubs around MLB anticipating having fans in their ballparks.
"We are hopeful to have fans at some point. There are clubs around MLB anticipating having fans in their ballparks." https://t.co/6ELy6zmUhd
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 24, 2020
Kennedy says determination about fans at games will be made by each team/market based on their regulations.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) June 24, 2020
As Boston enters Phase 3 Kennedy said he hopes to have fans in stands at some point this season, but that’s obviously a moving target and still uncertain.
— Julian McWilliams (@byJulianMack) June 24, 2020
Of course, as noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and Julian McWilliams, we’ll cross that bridge when the league gets around in Phase 3 of the return plan.
And with decisions being made based on local health recommendations, baseball fans who live in their favorite team’s market have all the more reason to stay disciplined with social distancing.