Arizona state leaders want to postpone training camp

According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, some Arizona state executives are hoping the MLB will delay the start of spring camp.

The goal is to postpone activities for a period of one month, while waiting for coronavirus outbreaks linked to the holidays to subside and vaccines to become more readily available.

This would bring supporters into the Cactus League stadiums, which is the bread and butter of the state during training camp.

“These are really the fans who made the business grow and are the reason you want to spend $ 200 million on a spring training complex. Without those fans who stay in your hotel rooms and eat in your restaurants and shop in your stores, boot camp is quickly becoming one of the worst business decisions you can make, ” Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps.

The commissioner’s office and the players’ union have discussed the postponement of the regular season also for a period of one month. So far, the two parties have not managed to come to an agreement, among other things because of the pro-rata salary in the event of a shortened season and because of the television contracts which do not benefit from being stretched in November.

The first preparatory matches are scheduled for February 27. It will remain to be seen what will happen between now and then.

Remember that the MLB plans a schedule of 162 games.

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