Minor League Baseball on Wednesday canceled its season because of the spread of the coronavirus, marking the first time in the organization’s 120-year history that it has called off a full campaign.
“These are unprecedented times for our country and our organization as this is the first time in our history that we’ve had a summer without Minor League Baseball played,” said Minor League Baseball President and CEO Pat O’Conner, in a statement. “While this is a sad day for many, this announcement removes the uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season and allows our teams to begin planning for an exciting 2021 season of affordable family entertainment.”
Minor League Baseball, which began as the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, was founded on September 5, 1901.
According to the New York Times, many MLB teams have agreed to pay their minor league players $400 a week beyond June 30. However, the newspaper noted there are fears around the MLB that some teams might not be able to survive to next year without a revenue stream.
“This is the perfect storm,” O’Conner said, according to the Times. “There are many teams that are not liquid.”
Photo courtesy MLB
