Report: MLB considering shutting down ALL spring training sites

[BuffaloBills1998]

25 minutes ago, Florida Bills Fanatic said:

Everybody needs to chill.  There is too much money involved to put an end to the season. The players, TV networks, and owners want it to happen and it will.  There may be a few players that are afraid to participate and they will sit out.  For well conditioned athletes that don't have some serious preexisting health condition, many experts believe that there is very little risk involved.  Listening to players who have already had the virus, they all seemed to liken it to a moderate cold.  Every time I read an article about players from various teams that are working out together, it solidifies my opinion that the players want to play and they will play.  Players know they have a career clock and it is running toward zero.  They don't want to lose a year of that career time and more importantly the earnings that go along with it. Nobody needs to convince me that the owners want to play and make money.  That is a given.

 

For those of us that are afraid of getting seriously ill, we should continue to self quarantine, avoid risky behavior, practice good hygiene. social distance, and use masks as appropriate. People need to manage their actions for themselves.

We don’t know what’s going to happen, but unfortunately it’s looking like it’s going the direction of not having a season. I mean if there’s not going to be college football this season i don’t see how there’s gonna be any NFL this season. Unfortunately we don’t make the call it’s the higher ups in the NFL that will be making the call

[wppete]

11 hours ago, The Dean said:

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/06/19/report-mlb-considering-shutting-down-all-30-spring-training-sites/

 

It's another negative sign. But not the death knell. 

“Death Knell” ? ? ? 

[HappyDays]

Last month they were working on modified helmets with surgical face mask material attached:

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-testing-n95-surgical-mask-material-on-modified-face-masks-in-hopes-of-fighting-covid-19-spread/

 

This may ultimately be the solution. But I don't know what has come of it since then. Masks have been shown to be extremely effective in preventing the spread of the virus. They just have to find a way to build it into the helmet. It will look weird but better than no football at all.

Edited June 20, 2020 by HappyDays

[NoSaint]

11 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

Not going to shut down a 15 billion dollar industry for [covid-19] virus. Just not gonna happen. They’ll handle positive cases and move on. 

I thought the same yet here we are

4 hours ago, Buddo said:

While undoubtedly many of the NFL players are very fit, areas where they aren't so much, are on both lines. Look at how much weight guys who have recently retired, shed with ease.

 

The assumption that NFL players will all be ok if infected, is very much just an assumption, and is based upon the fallacy that they are both young nd fully fit. Young yet, fully fit, not really. Again, the majority will be, but guys on the lines put on weight deliberately, and are quite likely to be considered obese. Obesity being a condition that doesn't match up particularly favourably with covid-19.

 

Just about every coaching staff will have guys on it who can be considered  'high risk' through age or other conditions.

 

I wonder how many people have to die before risks become unacceptable.

a fair argument all around but how many guys are getting physically wrecked and dying very young from football already?

 

they shoulder a lot of risk showing up any day. Will be interesting to see where the line is 

[PromoTheRobot]

57 minutes ago, Florida Bills Fanatic said:

 

For those of us that are afraid of getting seriously ill, we should continue to self quarantine, avoid risky behavior, practice good hygiene. social distance, and use masks as appropriate. People need to manage their actions for themselves.

 

That only works if you live alone on a remote compound. It falls apart if you have to go shopping for food, etc.  Because while you might take all the appropriate precautions, the guy next to you was at big party at some bar with hundreds of people...and he doesn't believe in wearing a mask.

[boater]

Quote

Report: MLB considering shutting down all 30 spring training sites

Notice it's considering. Let's hope it's posturing by some lawyer in the MLB legal department to mitigate future risk.

 

Worse case scenario would be a player dies of the Chinese Virus, then MLB can say "we gave closing camp due consideration."

[BillsFan4]

There is quite obviously a chance we won’t have pro sports this year but as of now I’m still hopeful for an NFL/NHL/MLB season, even if it may have to happen with limited (or no) fans (hopefully that’s not the case). 

 

Professional sports is such a massive business. I think they will do everything in their power to avoid completely losing out on all that revenue. Money is a huge motivating factor. I think they will get creative with their solutions. 

 

Only time will tell though. Nobody has any definitive answers right now. There’s a lot that we just don’t know yet. We’ll just have to wait and see.

 

All this stuff is out of my control. All I can really do is my small part: follow the guidelines. I feel like the more of us that do our small part, and the more we can cut down on the spread of this virus, the better chance that we have pro sports. Just my opinion though. 

[Kirby Jackson]

The likeliest to play IMO is football based on the timeline. The NBA could also be considered 1 as their plan is, by far, further along than anyone else. I say football because they have basically 5 or 6 weeks to start the regular season after the NBA. No one else is all that close.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

 

6 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

There is quite obviously a chance we won’t have pro sports this year but as of now I’m still hopeful for an NFL/NHL/MLB season, even if it may have to happen with limited (or no) fans (hopefully that’s not the case). 

 

Professional sports is such a massive business. I think they will do everything in their power to avoid completely losing out on all that revenue. Money is a huge motivating factor. I think they will get creative with their solutions. 

 

Only time will tell though. Nobody has any definitive answers right now. There’s a lot that we just don’t know yet. We’ll just have to wait and see.

 

All this stuff is out of my control. All I can really do is my small part: follow the guidelines. I feel like the more of us that do our small part, and the more we can cut down on the spread of this virus, the better chance that we have pro sports. Just my opinion though. 

 

I'm with you

 

I feel there is increasing evidence that masks are effective in situations where close contact can not be avoided, and if everyone would just shaddup about the horrid infringement on their personal liberty  and pull their chin-strap up over their nose and mouth where it's supposed to be, we could get outta this.

[Rocbillsfan1]

12 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

Not going to shut down a 15 billion dollar industry for [covid-19] virus. Just not gonna happen. They’ll handle positive cases and move on. 

Hard to field a team when they are on quarantine. 

[Mikie2times]

Like I said earlier, NFL needs to take the opposite approach of the rest of the leagues. All of which have basically thought of every conceivable way to not let it spread, yet it inevitably does. Plan failed, then they pull back. The NFL will still take similar precautionary measures and do everything possible to eliminate spread, but they have to go in expecting high infection rates. Expecting the potential for some loss of life <= some players will deal with complications that result in loss of life. It's a very low probability outcome, but enough get it, the math guarantees at least some will have serious cases. Coaches, others, also fit into this. Again, is it this that far off from what most businesses and employees are dealing with right now? I watch gas station attendants and grocery store clerks come in contact with 1,000 of people a day for minimum wage. Lots of people face increased risk vs having enough money to live on a daily basis. If the NFL wants to take the same approach and I think they will, then that's a choice they have. I also think, like many employees, the NFLPA and it's players would rather make the money and take the risk. They know most players have a very limited window to earn this type of money and I'm sure the majority would risk infection for the ability to do so.       

[KD in CA]

I'm going to assume nothing baseball does has any relevance to other sports because unlike the other sports, the owners and union in baseball both prioritize negotiation and PR victories far, far, above actually working to get back on the field.   They are as dysfunctional as Democrats and Republicans both seeking 'wins' over the public good.

 

I don't even care if there's a baseball season any longer.

[The Dean]

Just something to read and consider:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/sports/coronavirus-survivors-athletes.html

[Gugny]

26 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

I'm going to assume nothing baseball does has any relevance to other sports because unlike the other sports, the owners and union in baseball both prioritize negotiation and PR victories far, far, above actually working to get back on the field.   They are as dysfunctional as Democrats and Republicans both seeking 'wins' over the public good.

 

I don't even care if there's a baseball season any longer.

 

Spot on.

 

If they had any brains in their collective heads, they would stop this public bickering and cancel the season citing COVID-19 as the reason.

[The Dean]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/06/20/nflpa-recommends-that-players-stop-practicing-together/

 

Quote

“Please be advised that it is our consensus medical opinion that in light of the increase in COVID-19 cases in certain states that no players should be engaged in practicing together in private workouts,” Dr. Thom Mayer, the NFLPA medical director, said in an email to all players, a copy of which PFT has obtained. “Our goal is to have all players and your families as healthy as possible in the coming months.

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/06/20/bucs-confirm-positive-tests-say-those-exposed-will-quarantine-for-14-days/

 

14 day quarantine. Then, should any of them get bad symptoms, how much after that before they are ready to actually play? Doesn't mean much now,  but when it happens during the season (assume it will))?

[aristocrat]

It’ll be important to see what happens with all these college athletes getting it.  Gotta be in the hundreds already and maybe in the thousands by the time season is here.  The more we learn about who’s at risk of getting very sick the better.  These college teams like LSU might get herd immunity and be on the other side of this thing.  

[Buddo]

One of the biggest difficulties for NFL teams, is the simple size of rosters and coaching/training staff. That's an awful lot of people to try and keep away from viral contact. Especially when families are also concerned. In an odd way, while teams may well be able to better organize their protocols etc. at their own facilities, having players away at a TC, actually could have an alternative benefit of keeping them away from external exposure via their families.

 

If I was a gambling man, my money would be on a season largely played behind closed doors, with the definite potential for disruption due to a viral hotspot or two occurring.

 

So far, some soccer is back to being played in Europe, behind closed doors, and for the moment, there doesn't appear to be any specific issues.

 

While it is a 'contact' sport, it's a minimal contact sport, and doesn't involve very large bodies glaring at each other from a foot or so away.

 

Currently there are no clear plans for rugby to re-start, which would be a far greater risk, probably more so than the NFL, where guys are on the field for most of the 80 minutes, and often in close contact.

 

It is also the case that people throughout europe generally, have been a lot more compliant with their respective governments measures, than the US has, imho. I think that that is possibly going to be a problem for the NFL going forward, as it needs players and their families, to observe whatever measures are agreed upon. My confidence that that will happen, is pretty minimal.

[atlbillsfan1975]

6 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The tricky part is that sports and covid/social activism are so intertwined right now. They can’t operate independently of one another. These issues can actually prevent these leagues from playing. 

I hear ya. I just don’t like seeing it. It’s nobodies fault. Someone even took my post as an opportunity to push their agenda. Oh well. It’s a sign of the times. Have at it everyone. 

[The Dean]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/06/20/lsu-quarantines-at-least-30-football-players/

 

Quote

Sports Illustrated reports that more than a quarter of the team has been quarantined either because of a positive test or because of contact with someone who tested positive.

 

But also consider this:

 

Quote

“It’s not surprising we’re seeing the rise right now,” she said. “It’s a pandemic. We should not be shocked. The story is that it’s exactly what we said it would be. We were prepared from the get-go for a lot of virus. The good news is we’re seeing subtle virus illness.”

 

However, they are still able to transmit the virus to others.

[Saxum]

Biggest issues are:

• Locker room / showers where players are indoors in close proximity to other people. In meetings and such possible do a lot of via Microsoft Teams (because Microsoft is advertising partner not because best system) and use masks for large group meetings and one to one type meetings with trainers and coaches.  Showers will need to be done in shifts for there is not enough space to build 90+ solo shower stalls for home and visitors or even just active players once season starts.
• Travel for it is confined air with anybody contagious breathing out virus and having air circulate many times.  Switching to charter flights would help teams for it would have more control over passengers and would have agreement with carrier on testing of crew.  They could also fly more direct flights using less populated airports.
• Players and staff families.  Players/staff will need to do confinement at home to try to prevent family members from passing virus to them.  Players cannot relax restrictions and attend social gatherings like they do in non-COVID times.   Teams could help by setting up more social/entertainment at facilities - players sometimes had poker parties, movie nights, game watching nights with fellow players but let teams have more control and screening of any guests   There also needs to be financial incentive for players to not miss games for NFL and NFLPA are supposed to be partners and if season or games are halted players should absorb part of burden.

Smaller issues are:

• Game/Practice contact - this virus is spread primarily via air including particles on people taking into body via touch (i.e. don't touch your face).  Objects are not primary virus transmission medium and with all players and staff including referees checked frequently less of a risk.  Referees frankly are going to be higher risk of being carriers because rhey will not be going thru the same day-to-day restrictions as players.  Provide more room on sideline even if cheerleaders have to be eliminated (with no fans they will not be needed).  Maybe even open some of the seating area. Provide face masks (themed or advertising of course) for players which can be replaced frequently and sanitized.  Encourage use of gloves and again frequently clean.   Make deal with players on game worn new merchandise for them to get part of us to sell or donated to their charities.
• Press conferences - Press likes to break rules to try to get scoop / attention.  Live press conferences will need to restricted and press made to understand that one breaking of rule may result of being banned from press conferences.
• Locker room coverage - stopped, no real way to do it safely and players will not be grouped together to be interviewed post game.

 

How NFL can help:

• Throw out current schedule for this year - schedule rotation goes in effect when COVID-19 is under control.  Divide teams by league into sections of country, reduce travel as much as possible for teams and establish new seeding algorithm for this year.  It is silly for AFC-E/NFC-E to be battling AFC-W/NFC-W.    There will be some inequalities (naughty word) but it will reduce chances of getting virus.