Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
While much of the world has re-opened over the past few months in some form or fashion, the effects of Covid-19 continue to plague many businesses and organizations, including sports.
Locally the Frisco Roughriders, a minor league baseball team of the Double-A Central and the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, have resumed play but are doing so at a deficit.
In fact they are asking fans to support the Minor League Baseball Relief Act, critical legislation that the team says will help them to survive.
According to the team’s website, with the delayed start of the 2021 season, minor league baseball clubs are expected to generate only 35% of new revenue of a normal season, limiting the ability to hire and spend locally. MiLB Clubs are playing twenty fewer games in 2021, and the games being played are done so with government-mandated reduced capacities, information on the website stated. Further, Clubs have significant added costs of making ballparks COVID safe and operating while the pandemic is still a risk.
The Frisco Roughriders, who play their home games at Riders Field, which opened in 2003 and seats 10,316 people, have sent out letters, email blasts and posted on their website the following information to help save their season:
To our fans:
The COVID-19 pandemic hit us and other minor league baseball teams hard. We went more than 20 months without playing a single game, and while we are excited to be playing ball this season, we are still reeling from the impact of the pandemic. We are fighting to survive, and we need your help!
Members of Congress from both parties in the House and Senate have introduced legislation to help keep minor league baseball alive. Please take 1 minute to ask your representatives in Congress to SUPPORT the Minor League Baseball Relief Act, WHICH WILL ENSURE OUR SURVIVAL. All you have to do is visit https://minorleaguebaseballrelief.com, type in your name and address, and a letter will be sent to your Members of Congress asking them to cosponsor this critical legislation. Please help save the Frisco RoughRiders!
Thank you for your support!
Frisco RoughRiders
Stay tuned to Texas Metro News for more on this developing story.
