Despite rollbacks, the Reopen Texas task force did not alter guidelines for professional sports leaguesRANGERS
The MLB Rangers have been hoping to have some fans in attendance for games this season at Globe Life Field, but with rising coronavirus cases in Texas, there may be a "shift in position" by MLB, according to Jeff Wilson of the Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM. MLB last week was "leaning toward letting local health officials work with clubs on allowing fans while staying largely in the background." But yesterday the league said, "The decision will be based both on whether local health authorities approve fans to attend games and whether our medical advisors believe it is appropriate to do so.” Last Wednesday, the Rangers said that they were "working toward a plan that would allow them to fill 50% of their 40,000 seats, per the current phase of the governor’s Reopen Texas plan." By Friday, the number of positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations began to rise statewide and Gov. Greg Abbott "instituted rollback measures to the state’s reopening plan." However, the Reopen Texas task force "did not make changes to guidelines for professional sports leagues" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/30).
HIGH HOPES: Twins President Dave St. Peter noted there are a handful of MLB teams that have "high hopes" to have fans at games when the season starts, but "we are not one of them." In St. Paul, John Shipley notes Minnesota has seen a spike in coronavirus cases since June 24, reporting 315 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 yesterday. St. Peter said that the Twins are in "regular contact with the governor’s office and representatives of the Minnesota Department of Health about when the team might be able to allow some fans into Target Field." St. Peter: "If there’s a path to do it and we think we can do it in a safe way that’s responsible, I expect we’ll try to proceed with that at some point in 2020" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 6/30).
