It's been over two months since Boston hosted a professional sports game — a Celtics-Thunder game on March 8 — but with all leagues on hold, when could sports return? And how could they do so?
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh discussed the challenges involved in an interview with the Boston Globe, saying he'd allow games to be played at TD Garden and Fenway Park again this summer, dependent on certain protocols.
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Walsh says the City of Boston would have to sign off on advanced safety protocols that protect everyone involved in the event, from athletes to all arena/stadium staff — but he is also adamant that fans won't be allowed at games any time soon.
“There will be no fans in Fenway Park in July, there will be no fans in Fenway Park in August — we won’t even be near a situation where there’s herd immunity and there certainly won’t be a vaccine,” Walsh told the Globe's Michael Silverman.
Walsh said that sports leagues are categorized alongside restaurants, office buildings, construction projects and entertainment business as it pertains to re-opening, with city standards needing to be met before businesses are allowed to re-open.
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Still, Mayor Walsh recognizes the value of sports in these challenging times.
“Certainly on the fan side and the psychological side, I think if baseball could come back like we’re seeing in Taiwan and South Korea, I think that that’s good for people to have a distraction,” said Walsh. “I think sports is one aspect of that. People have different reasons for distraction and sports is one, and I think it would help a lot people’s psyches as far as having baseball and sports back."
With Major League Baseball formulating a plan to start up this summer, the mayor has been in contact with Red Sox president Sam Kennedy, but has not talked with the Celtics or Bruins recently.
So while the next sporting event in Boston isn't set in stone, there are more bread crumbs of optimism for local fans to cling to.