THE NEW NORMAL

When Minor League Baseball resumes play, it will look nothing like it has in our lifetimes

- JOSH NORRIS

When Minor League Baseball returns following the coronavirus pandemic, it will look nothing like it used to.

The Professional Baseball Agreement between Major League Baseball and MiLB expires on Sept. 30, and a proposal by MLB would eliminate 42 minor league teams and realign the remaining clubs for the 2021 season.

No matter how the PBA negotiations shake out, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus will likely have drastic effects on the 2021 season. Without an effective, widely disseminated vaccine, everything about the game day experience will be fundamentally altered for the near future.

From the box office to the turnstiles to the suite level to the seating bowl to the restrooms and everywhere in between, a day at the ballpark will be forced to strike a balance between entertainment and caution.

To get an idea of what the new normal might look like—whether that’s this summer or in 2021—Baseball America spoke to minor league operators across the country about the changes they anticipate making before the next time fans are allowed into their ballparks.

One of the first things that has to happen—to the best of a team’s ability—is to make sure the fans they let through the gates are healthy. Greater access to testing would make it easier, but it isn’t foolproof. There are already parks around the country which require fans to clear metal detectors before entering. Temperature checks might be the next step.

After a season spent ramping up excitement in the Madison, Ala., area, the new Rocket City Trash Pandas franchise was slated to open its gates for the first time this spring. Their new ballpark comes replete with all the modern amenities fans have come to expect—four-top tables, a 360-degree concourse, bars and other social areas in the outfield.