Facing a patchwork of local regulations governing group gatherings, the independent Atlantic League will not be playing an official league slate in 2020, with teams free to implement solutions tailored to their current governmental guidelines.
The High Point Rockers, Long Island Ducks and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are working with several professional baseball clubs towards finalizing a 70-game schedule of play that would begin in mid-July and wrap up at the end of September with a five-game championship series. Presumably this means some sort of play with independent Fronter League teams as a component of regional play.
“The Atlantic League and other leagues are in similar positions,” said Atlantic League President Rick White in a press statement. “There are multiple teams in each league at different stages of reopening; therefore, some who are able to begin play and some who are not. This solution would pair those clubs able to play and entertain fans at their ballparks, providing a high level of professional baseball and affordable family entertainment.”
The schedule, start date, and further information for this 70-game slate will be announced in the near future, subject to governmental and health guidelines being met in each market on team websites.
The Lancaster Barnstormers and the York Revolution are working on some sort of localized baseball slate, as well as non-baseball events.
The Somerset Patriots will host numerous events ranging from a localized version of professional baseball (pending approval) to drive-in movies, potential in-ballpark movie events, firework shows.
And, as announced last week, the Sugar Land Skeeters will run their own four-team independent baseball league at Constellation Field for 2020, beginning July 3 and running for 56 games through Aug. 23.
Earlier this week it was announced six American Association teams will be playing out of three hubs, with games hosted by the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Milwaukee Milkmen and Sioux Falls Canaries. In the independent Frontier League, the Quebec Capitales and Trois-Rivieres Aigles announced they would not be participating in a league schedule due to travel restrictions.
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