The league is building it, but will the players be allowed to come? The status of this year’s highly-anticipated Field of Dreams game between the White Sox and Yankees has been up in the air ever since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. With many wondering what will happen, MLB insider Jon Morosi reports that the league is still hoping to play the game as planned.
The statement he received from Major League Baseball reads:
“To date, there has been no change in the status of the event, and we hope to have the option to play. Construction is continuing and we are following all CDC and state protocols regarding recommended safety practices, including social distancing, washing hands, and temperature checks before arriving to the site. Safeguarding public health is our top priority. We are monitoring ongoing events and plan to remain as flexible as these circumstances demand.”
The game is scheduled to be nationally televised on FOX, which could explain why the league would like to make this happen in 2020. Due to new health guidelines and the realignment of divisions, it only makes sense to swap out the Yankees for a team in the central division. While there are many logical fits based on location, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports that the Sox could likely be facing an NL Central foe.
Of the three opponents listed, I think a Cubs vs. White Sox matchup would draw a particularly large audience due to the Crosstown rivalry at play and marketing opportunities that could go along with it. Regardless, any of the aforementioned should attract an audience due to both the talent-level and large fanbases. Some other clubs who I wouldn’t be surprised to see pop up in discussions are the Minnesota Twins and revamped Cincinnati Reds. Keep in mind the Reds and White Sox faced in the infamous 1919 World Series and could create a very interesting storyline, though Cincinnati – and Minnesota for that matter – wouldn’t bring in the same type of national viewership as their divisional counterparts.
The game is currently planned for August 13th, though it sounds like we may have a better idea of where things stand later this week or next.
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