Top three reasons fans at MLB playoffs are a terrible idea
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says fans will be allowed at the NLCS and World Series: for at least three reasons, it’s a terrible idea.
And just like that, there is less than a week to go in the 2020 MLB season.
More to the point, less than a week to go in a complete 2020 MLB season. It’s an achievement that seems remarkable given all the potential for setbacks. Given the Miami Marlins outbreak that happened just three games in. From disease to forest fires to an abundance of injuries, and everything else in between, all thirty of MLB’s teams managed to play the majority of their sixty game schedule in enough time to begin the wild rollercoaster ride that will be this sixteen team MLB postseason that will end with the 2020 World Series.
Much like the NBA playoffs, these games have been a welcome respite from the real world realities of 2020. A pleasant distraction on most nights. At times, an opportunity to help bring attention to the need to constantly fight against social injustice. But almost always, at least to the greatest extent possible given games were being played at all, carried out with an eye towards health and safety being of paramount importance.
Which makes it all the more remarkable that MLB, voiced by commissioner Rob Manfred, had the unmitigated gall to announce that fans will be allowed to attend the NLCS and World Series.
It’s insanity. It’s frankly stupid. It’s a terrible look for the one professional sports league that started/restarted the 2020 sports season needing to make up for spending months fighting about money while millions of its fans faced loss of life and livelihood.
However, just as the 2020 MLB season to this point has been a needed distraction, you didn’t come to a baseball blog needing to be reminded that there’s a pandemic going on. Even if someone might need to remind Mr. Manfred and the owners who signed off on this idea.
There are actually plenty of just about baseball concerns with having fans in the stands for the MLB playoffs- and yes, one big bigger than baseball one. What are they? So glad you asked.