Cincinnati Reds news: Season could kickoff in Arizona with no fans

No one knows when the 2020 Major League Baseball season will commence, but perhaps the Cincinnati Reds will have Opening Day in Arizona.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the prospects of beginning the 2020 Major League Baseball season in front of empty stadiums exists. If MLB decides to go this route, a likely scenario could be to utilize ballparks designed for spring training. That would mean the Cincinnati Reds could begin the 2020 season while playing in Arizona.

Rosenthal was clear to point out that MLB is prioritizing public health as it weighs the options of how to proceed. Currently, the earliest Major League Baseball is said to begin would be mid-May, but even that seems like a long shot. Even early-June is beginning to look more and more like a pipe dream.

According to Rosenthal’s report, all 30 could potentially be quarantined in one area, most likely Arizona, where the majority of ballparks are more concentrated. Rosenthal reports that, according to sources, the idea could become extremely complex and perhaps controversial.

Baseball isn’t the only sports entity looking to explore unique ways to play games. According to SI.com, the NBA, whose season was halted several weeks ago, is said to be considering holding its entire postseason tournament in Las Vegas.

The Cincinnati Reds moved their spring training from Sarasota, Florida to Goodyear, Arizona about 10 years ago, with their inaugural spring season beginning in 2010. Since then, the Reds have shared the Goodyear complex with the Cleveland Indians. The stadium can seat a little more than 10,000 fans, but that wouldn’t matter at this time, as the teams would be playing in front of an empty stadium.

While the idea of seeing baseball on our television screens sounds intriguing, there are a lot of hurdles to be cleared. The health and safety of the players is just one item on the list, as the health and safety of the umpires, those producing the TV broadcast and other team personnel would also  have to be taken into consideration.

Major League Baseball may have to get creative in order to get the 2020 season underway, but for now, the Cincinnati Reds and the other 29 teams are on standby. There’s no telling when the season will get underway, but it’s good to hear that MLB is looking at non-conventional ways to bring baseball back.