At an Hermosillo Naranjeros baseball game last November, stands were packed with cheering fans decked out in orange and black. But the coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty about the upcoming season for the team’s devoted followers.
"Together we can enjoy the excitement of baseball in the Sonora Stadium again, supporting the Naranjeros of Hermosillo," team General Manager Pablo de la Peña said in a press conference Tuesday. "It will be possible if we work together."
De le Peña said the Naranjeros are taking precautions as they prepare and train for the upcoming season of Mexico's Pacific League, which is set to start in October, though games have not yet been scheduled.
"We all have to do our part now, and during the season, understanding that there will be new rules for everyone. Understanding that we will do our best to minimize contagion, and that we'll learn as we go, prepared to improve conditions so our baseball family will feel as safe as possible and can enjoy a good game of baseball," he said, adding that the team will abide by any protocols or limits implemented by health officials.
But he admitted there are still too many unknowns to guarantee the public will be able to attend games in person, or to lay out specific strategies that would be in place to prevent outbreaks, including how many people might be able to attend a game safely.
Still, season tickets for the yet-to-be-scheduled games went on sale this week for those betting on cheering from the stands in the fall. And de la Peña said the team is betting on the coronavirus situation in Hermosillo improving enough by October that the stadium will be open to at least season ticket holders, and hopefully some regular ticket sales as well.
