Tag Archives: baseball 2020

Independent Ball

Where YOU Can Watch Baseball (In Person and Online)

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The Coronavirus pandemic has greatly changed how we will be spending our summer this year. Unfortunately, independent baseball hasn’t been left out of the impact this virus has had on America.

But there IS professional baseball happening all over the country. You just have to know where to look. And if going to a stadium doesn’t sound appealing during a global pandemic, there are plenty of ways to get your baseball fix by watching online.

Atlantic League

While the Atlantic League is not operating for the 2020 season, the Sugar Land Skeeters have created their own 4-team league (The Constellation Energy League) based out of their stadium in Sugar Land, Texas.

The four teams that will be playing are:

Sugar Land Skeeters – Managed by Pete Incaviglia

Team Texas – Managed by Roger and Koby Clemens

Sugar Land Lightning Sloths – Managed by Greg Swindell

Eastern Reyes del Tigre – Managed by Dave Eiland

There will be a total of seven games played at Constellation Field each week from the Opening Day on July 3 through the conclusion of the season on Aug. 23 (56 total games).  The schedule is subject to change, but single games are anticipated to be played on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and doubleheaders will be played on Saturday and Sunday.

Games will be broadcasted by AT&T Sportsnet or streamed online through Meridix.

Tickets can also be purchased HERE.

The Somerset Patriots are another Atlantic League team looking to bring professional baseball to their ballpark this summer. The Patriots will play the New Jersey Blasters on Fridays and Saturdays for a 12-game, six weekend schedule beginning on July 17th at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

Games can be seen live on their Youtube Channel HERE.

Tickets can also be purchased HERE.

American Association

The American Association is continuing with a 6-team league based out of “hub cities.”

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and Winnipeg Goldeyes are operating out of Fargo, The Sioux Falls Canaries and St. Paul Saints are operating out of Sioux Falls, while the Chicago Dogs and Milwaukee Milkmen will operate out of their own respective stadiums.

The entire 60-game season can be streamed online for $19.99 at: https://www.aabaseball.tv/

Tickets can be purchased at the following links:
Fargo/Winnipeg TICKETS
Sioux Falls/St. Paul TICKETS
Chicago TICKETS
Milwaukee TICKETS

Frontier League

The Frontier League as a whole has canceled their championship season, but multiple teams have created their own leagues to continue play throughout the summer.

Washington has become home to a 4-team league. The Washington Wild Things and Slammin’ Sammies (operated by the Wild Things) and the Baseball Brilliance Sox and Road Warrior Black Sox (operated by Joe Torre and the Black Sox) are playing an 80 game season, consisting of double headers Thursday-Sunday.

Every game can be streamed live for free at: Watch LIVE

Individual game tickets can be purchased HERE.

The Black Sox will also be holding their own games Monday – Wednesday (not open to the public) as a part of a minor league system and a way to get guys a chance to play daily while having the option to “move up” to the big league based on performance and need.
For more information about the Black Sox, check out their official website HERE.

Florence and the Lexington Legends (usually a MiLB team) announced their own 4-team league, the Battle of the Bourbon Trail.

Both cities will form two teams that will play in front of fans every Wednesday through Sunday starting in Florence on July 31st and run for 7 weeks.

Each organization will field two high caliber teams. Florence will host the Y’alls and the return of the Freedom. Lexington will host the Legends and their second identity, Las Leyendas.

Florence tickets can be purchased HERE.

Lexington tickets can be purchased HERE.

Joliet is holding the Champion Cup. Four teams will compete for the Cup, all playing a 27 game schedule each at DuPage Medical Group Field from July 16 through September 6.

Each team will play 3-4 home games per week in a schedule that generally will include night games on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with additional ticketed day games on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  

Fans can purchase an online channel ticket to watch the full season for $49.99 HERE, individual games for $5.99 HERE or purchase tickets to attend HERE.

All-American Challenge

A 32-game schedule will feature the New Jersey Jackals and the Jersey Wise Guys playing at Yogi Berra Stadium in Little Falls, NJ, Sussex County Miners and Skylands Cardinals at Skylands Stadium in Augusta, NJ; Rockland Boulders (not affiliated with the New York Boulders) and New York Brave Palisades Credit Union Park. All games will be held on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Yogi Berra Stadium TICKETS
Skylands Stadium TICKETS
Palisades Credit Union Park TICKETS

United Shore Pro Baseball League

The USPBL has started their 2020 season. The league has always consisted of 4 teams playing at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica, Michigan. Games are played Wednesday – Sunday.

Games are shown live through Facebook and Youtube.

A limited number of single game tickets are also available HERE.

Pecos League

The Pecos League is operating with 4 teams for the 2020 season. The Houston Apollos, Roswell Invaders, Salina Stockade and Tucson Saguaros are all playing at Coastal Park in Houston, TX. The games (mostly double headers) will take place Wednesdays – Sundays.

The schedule and links to individual tickets can be found HERE.

Games are also streamed for a cost through Meridix.

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Independent Ball

The Pecos and Empire Leagues Were Built For This

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We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Sports as we know it are canceling and changing.  Who is going to save us from a summer without baseball?

Look no further than the lowest levels of independent baseball… the Pecos and Empire Leagues.

You may be wondering how these two leagues, that I just classified as the “lowest levels” of indy ball will be able to continue playing when even major league baseball is having difficulty figuring out their game plan.

It’s simple really… the Pecos League and Empire League were both built for this…  Barely (or not at all) paying players and playing in front of minimal crowds is what they are infamous for.

Prospective players pay hundreds of dollars to play in these leagues when they attend training camps and tryouts in the spring. Every year, this is where a substantial amount of revenue for the leagues is made.

It’s also where a good amount of the labor comes from as well.  The fields these leagues play on aren’t state-of-the-art facilities that require a grounds crew and workers to maintain. Most teams use their own players to take care of field and ballpark maintenance.

As for playing in front of no crowds with no gate revenue, during a “normal” season, crowds usually range in the very low hundreds if that. It won’t be too much of a change overall. 

Don’t get me wrong, I along with many Americans, will be very happy to still have baseball to follow. I will watch and support the players.  I hope that they will be able to have the recognition that they deserve for grinding through some of the roughest conditions in baseball, especially with the current world situation going on all around us.

Here are the official statements from the Pecos League and Empire League about their seasons: 

Pecos League

4/16/2020- The Pecos League is aware of the rapidly changing developments regarding COVID-19. The Pecos League was originally scheduled to have a 64 game regular season start on 5/27/2020 and end on 8/1/2020 with 12 teams in 6 states. This will not happen.

The Pecos League has adjusted its season to a 48 game season with a start date to July 1, 2020 with an end date August 16, 2020 assuming it is deemed safe by local governments to play with fans at this time.

The other option the Pecos League may have to consider is to have four teams play in one location. No travel, no hotels and likely limited fan interaction would occur. But the players who need to play in the 2020 season would be able to play.

“There are 12 cities in the Pecos League and there are 12 different opinions, two of the cities have said no baseball in 2020. We will adjust and if possible play a 48 game season beginning July 1.”

Empire League

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I do commend the Pecos League and the Empire League for attempting to play and bring baseball to players and fans who are greatly missing it.  The sacrifices these teams are all making to play at a time of such uncertainty should be recognized if they do indeed have a 2020 season.