The pandemic is really taking a toll on everyone. It really has been challenging for millions of people. The struggle of applying for unemployment, staying at home, social distancing, it’s been tough. The world of sports is definitely taking a hit as well, and it’s really up in the air on when any of the sports are going to make a safe comeback.
As someone who works for the Milwaukee Brewers, I can say that this whole pandemic has sucked. Brewers on Deck was the last event that Milwaukee really had that dealt with Brewers baseball. We had Spring Training in Phoenix, but the coronavirus took that away from us as well. Opening Day was delayed until April, then it was announced that it would be put off until further notice. To this day, we’re still waiting on a final answer as to when we’re going to get some baseball or if we’re even going to get baseball at all this year.
What’s Going On?
It seems like every day there’s a different answer to the questions being asked. The Players Union can’t seem to be in agreement with the owners as the owners want the players to take a huge pay cut. It wouldn’t be fair to the players, they’re the ones playing the game; the owners aren’t. Plus, without baseball, that means the ones who work for the ball club can’t work either. They’re stuck at home, waiting for an answer on if and when they’re going to be able to return to the ballpark for another day of work.
For full-time/part-time employees, the worries of the status of their jobs isn’t really a huge concern for them. But for those who are seasonal workers, such as myself, we’re unsure on if we’re going to be returning to the ballpark to work another ball-game. We haven’t received a lot of information in regards to the status of our jobs. We know we’re still employed by the Brewers, but as far as that goes for next season if this season doesn’t happen? I have no idea what lies for my future with the franchise.
What Now?
We want answers just as much as the fans do. We don’t even know if the ballparks are going to allow fans in the stadium at all if we happen to have a baseball season. That’s where a lot of the seasonal workers get their money’s worth. The fans make the jobs possible, they’re the reason we’re working: to ensure that the fans are having the best experience while they’re at a ball-game. Without fans, our jobs seem almost useless.
We’re in the midst of tough times due to the pandemic, and as states slowly start to reopen and allow the public to have a somewhat decent sense of normalcy back, it’s really hard to determine what’s best for everyone. It’s really hard to determine what the future of sports will be like. Even outside of baseball, the proposed plans for entities such as the NBA, NHL, NASCAR, etc. are all having to be readjusted due to new information coming out in regards to how they can go about restarting safely. NASCAR has started their races back up again with no fans, and that seems to be fine. But for sports such as baseball and basketball, playing with no fans is really boring.
As for someone who works in a team store, the fans are what drive the sales, they’re the reason I’m working. I work to help the fans and make sure the fan leaves happy. It’s a bummer, and I don’t know the future of my job with the Brewers, but I’m hoping to receive some answers soon.
In Conclusion…
I want baseball back as much as you and the next guy do. It’s really on the fence at this point, we’re patiently waiting for answers. I hope things happen sooner rather than later.
If you would like more information about the Brewers possibly playing in 2020 despite the pandemic, check out this article to gain a little more insight!
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