ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It is one of the most popular places to be in the summer. Isotopes Park would have been packed Wednesday night as the Albuquerque Isotopes would have taken on the Reno Aces. However, the team doesn’t even know if they will even have a season.
This time of year, Isotopes Park is usually full of fans. Their season should have started this month with the last home game running through Labor Day Weekend but the future of this season is unclear.
“The best-case scenario is we are playing baseball this summer,” General Manager John Traub said. “The worst case scenario is that we are not.”
Traub said their season is dependent on what Major League Baseball decides. “The frustrating thing for us and for me is we have no control over it,” Traub said. “There are so many things in play like opening stadiums in our state and across our league.”
Right now, he said possibilities include the season being canceled or delayed further, pushing games into the fall. “If we are able to play from September through October, we have the kind of weather in this market to be able to do that,” Traub said.
While the MLB considers few or no fans during games, Traub said that it is just not feasible for the Isotopes. “The likelihood of us playing in an empty stadium in Albuquerque for me is virtually non-existent,” Traub said.
Minor League ball does not have television contracts to bring in money so Traub said they rely on ticket sales. “If we were to play in our venues without fans, it just does not make a lot of sense from a business perspective,” Traub said.
While the season is up in the air, he said the organization already has plans in place to hit the ground running if they get the green light. “Until we are told we are not, we are certainly focused on the fact that we are going to play,” Traub said. “When it is time to play baseball, we will be ready.”
For frequently asked questions from the Isotopes, including ticket refunds, visit https://www.milb.com/albuquerque/fans/update
