# New plan for all MLB games to be played in Arizona. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [April 7, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272 "2020-04-07T14:41:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/1 "2020-04-07T14:41:32Z")
Just saw this article where one idea on the table would be for all the MLB teams to just play games in Arizona where 1. many teams already hold spring training and 2. Eleven ballparks all within 50 miles. [LINK](https://apnews.com/43ddd669b1caabd5ebdef2481d85e17f) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/2 "2020-04-07T14:56:26Z")
As early as May. > **[Sources: MLB, players eye May return in Arizona](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29004498/mlb-union-focused-plan-allow-season-start-early-arizona)** > > Major League Baseball and its players are increasingly focused on a plan that could allow them to start the season as early as May in greater Phoenix and has the support of high-ranking federal public health officials, sources told ESPN. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/3 "2020-04-07T15:21:05Z")
Why do these baseball players and owners think they are so important that they have to start work soon? It isn’t like they are grocery clerks. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/4 "2020-04-07T15:38:18Z")
I would imagine they want to get to work. They’re not forcing you to watch. This is really, really unlikely to happen. “They discussed something” is, in pro sports-speak, miles from actually doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/5 "2020-04-07T15:45:30Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Why do these baseball players and owners think they are so important that they have to start work soon? It isn’t like they are grocery clerks. There’s value to having them play. People are stuck at home for weeks and weeks in an increasingly stressful environment. Having sports to take our minds off of it and give us a sense of normalcy shouldn’t be pooh-poohed. Morale is important. Not that it’ll actually happen. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/6 "2020-04-07T15:56:28Z")
This plan seems like desperation to me. Just trying anything . Major league athletes are all in top 1% so it’s not like they are hurting for cash unless they are really dumb and blow it all every year. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/7 "2020-04-07T16:04:39Z")
I would be more interested in watching a shortened season that starts in late August, ends in late September, and playoffs & WS by the end of October. Yes, crazy, but it would make every game a lot more important. Instead of best 3 of 5, 4 of 7 and 4 of 7, have a WC, and all series best of 5. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/8 "2020-04-07T16:07:34Z")
I would be very happy to have a season of exhibition games. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/9 "2020-04-07T17:14:02Z")
If you’re going to play a season of games, why not make them count? > [@asahi](#): > > I would be more interested in watching a shortened season that starts in late August, ends in late September, and playoffs & WS by the end of October. Me too. I don’t understand why some people (not in this thread yet, but it’s out there) completely dismiss a short season. Play 50, 60 games, who cares? 50 games is better than 0 games. If some team goes 37-13 and wins it all, cool. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/10 "2020-04-07T17:23:38Z")
I don’t give one flying fig about sports so this does nothing for me. It comes across to me as a money grab that could help spread the virus some more, but maybe that’s just because I hate most sports and view them with a jaundiced eye. It also makes me wonder about pressure behind the scenes to play whether or not the pandemic has calmed down by then. I also know absolutely nothing about sports so don’t know how much money they’d make playing to an empty arena with an at home audience only. I guess they get money from somewhere in that scenario. Probably more than they do from attendees. I guess? It just seems to me if it’s a bad idea to have fans in the stands then it’s a bad idea to have the players all together too, but I’m not an epidemiologist either. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/11 "2020-04-07T17:27:05Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > I don’t give one flying fig about sports so this does nothing for me. It comes across to me as a money grab that could help spread the virus some more, but maybe that’s just because I hate most sports and view them with a jaundiced eye. It also makes me wonder about pressure behind the scenes to play whether or not the pandemic has calmed down by then. > > I also know absolutely nothing about sports so don’t know how much money they’d make playing to an empty arena with an at home audience only. I guess they get money from somewhere in that scenario. Probably more than they do from attendees. I guess? > > It just seems to me if it’s a bad idea to have fans in the stands then it’s a bad idea to have the players all together too, but I’m not an epidemiologist either. I think the plan is to have NO attendees - just TV coverage, which is where the lion’s share of the revenue is anyway. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/12 "2020-04-07T17:45:04Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > I don’t give one flying fig about sports so this does nothing for me. It comes across to me as a money grab that could help spread the virus some more, but maybe that’s just because I hate most sports and view them with a jaundiced eye. It also makes me wonder about pressure behind the scenes to play whether or not the pandemic has calmed down by then. I’m sure you have things that entertain you. You do want them to come back when it’s safe to do so, surely? > [@beowulff](#): > > I think the plan is to have NO attendees - just TV coverage, which is where the lion’s share of the revenue is anyway. Not really, no. It kind of depends what source you use, but in truth, it’s likely there is no one thing that makes up most of their revenue. I can find no source that says TV and radio reaches half of revenue. Media is a big part of it, but ticket sales are huge, too. Merchandising, sponsorship and licensing is a massive stream, probably at least 25% of revenue. Concessions is a big deal too - estimates go as high as 5-10%, which surprised me. Losing ticket sales and concessions would be a gigantic loss, absolutely massive - but something is better than nothing. There is little doubt, though, that to play games in empty parks will require a massive concession from the players’ union; if the players make the same money per game, it would be a guaranteed money loser. ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/13 "2020-04-07T17:58:10Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > This plan seems like desperation to me. Just trying anything . > > Major league athletes are all in top 1% so it’s not like they are hurting for cash unless they are really dumb and blow it all every year. A full quarter of the baseball players earn below $570,000/year. While pretty close to top 1%, it isn’t quite there. I can’t find stats on the median career length, but the average is 5.6 years. That gets skewed by the players that last 20 years. I wonder if the median tends towards 1. Nearly $600,000/year is enough to survive for many years, even after 1 year, but these guys also have expenses commensurate with their salary. Add to that agents and other support they require, and it isn’t as drastically exaggerated as it might appear. I think most people live according to their expected income, with perhaps a little more saved for rainy days. Just because they earn a lot more doesn’t mean they can maintain the house, cars, etc. a year without getting any income. Much of their savings could have been in investments, which are now 70% of what they were 2 months ago. I’m not saying they are going to be homeless, but to think most can go through this without a bit of strain on the cash reserves seems a little harsh to just call them dumb for not seeing something like this coming. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/14 "2020-04-07T18:00:21Z")
At this point I’d watch a pick up softball game on tv. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/15 "2020-04-07T18:24:56Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > It just seems to me if it’s a bad idea to have fans in the stands then it’s a bad idea to have the players all together too, but I’m not an epidemiologist either. It’s a lot easier to test a couple of dozen players and officials, than a stadium of fans. These teams all have medical personnel on staff. It wouldn’t be that hard to find a core of players who test negative, and keep them, as a group, isolated from any potential infections. Plus, Baseball as a sport has some of the least direct contact between players of any major sport. If you were to promote a limited season as a means of entertaining a population that is otherwise bored stiff staying home all day, you could do a lot worse than baseball. ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/16 "2020-04-07T18:24:58Z")
Well the player’s on the field would be far enough apart so that’s OK and without any fans, the batting team should be able to distance themselves. Of all the sports, if any would work it would be baseball. But why Phoenix? ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/17 "2020-04-07T18:44:20Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m sure you have things that entertain you. You do want them to come back when it’s safe to do so, surely?%, which surprised me. Sure, when it’s safe. I just don’t think there will be as much pressure to produce the TV shows that I’d likely be interested in as there will be to broadcast sports. There’s probably a lot more money in it than in the things I’m interested in. If it’s safe, sure. I’m just wondering if they’ll wait that long. The teams will have exposure to their families and any workers. Those people might also need to be tested regularly. I’d like to see some movies that were going to be released at the theater but that should not happen anytime soon. I’ll just have to wait for my entertainment! I do have some games and books . ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/18 "2020-04-07T18:45:20Z")
> [@Carryon](#): > > Well the player’s on the field would be far enough apart so that’s OK and without any fans, the batting team should be able to distance themselves. > > Of all the sports, if any would work it would be baseball. > > But why Phoenix? Because, 50% of the teams already do spring training out here, and those fields are not nearly as spread out as Florida. At least, that was the rational I read. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/19 "2020-04-07T19:19:47Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I think the plan is to have NO attendees - just TV coverage, which is where the lion’s share of the revenue is anyway. Even with no one in the stands, I don’t see how they could play the game and still have the players maintain social distance from each other. Baseball may not be as much of a contact sport as say American football, but you still have players being tagged out and that sort of thing. I can’t see how they could play the game as usual and maintain social distance. And is there even room for every player to sit six feet apart in the dugout? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/20 "2020-04-07T19:32:29Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Because, 50% of the teams already do spring training out here, and those fields are not nearly as spread out as Florida. At least, that was the rational I read. Like the article said, eleven (11) professional level baseball fields within 15 miles of each other. It would actually be amusing seeing pro teams play like amateur teams where they have one game after another on the same field. The games should go pretty quick with no national anthems, half time stretch, or promotions between innings. I read most games could be played in about 3 hours if it doesnt go into extra innings. I think they should start this way then maybe by July they can switch back to the regular stadiums. I’d bet the stadiums would be packed with baseball starved fans. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272.md?page=2)