Phillies will keep paying minor leaguers through end of canceled season

youth baseball
Photo credit iStock / Getty Images Plus

Related

Coronavirus Mystery
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Because of the coronavirus, there's no minor league baseball this year. It’s not surprising. On Tuesday, Major League Baseball told Minor League Baseball that it won’t provide its affiliates with players for 2020.

pic.twitter.com/XEDFmfHTmI

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 30, 2020

On top of that, minor league president and CEO Pat O’Conner estimated 85% to 90% of minor league revenue comes from ticket money, concessions, parking and ballpark advertising.

MLB is trying to hold games without fans, relying on advertising to help make up for losses in ticket sales. However, the minors don’t have the major TV deals the big leagues do.

Even with the minor league season canceled, the Phils are taking care of their minor leaguers.

The IronPigs and R-Phils, in some form or fashion, will offer ticketholders either credit or refunds. The Lakewood BlueClaws announced on their website that ticketholders will be contacted starting Wednesday on an individual basis to go over options.

With coronavirus cases surging in many states, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, told a U.S. Senate committee that he wouldn’t be surprised to see 100,000 new cases a day if nothing is done to slow the spread.