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Baseball Is Back, American Association to Begin Play July 3, Saints Will Use Sioux Falls as Home Ballpark...For Now

June 12, 2020 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Sports talk show hosts and fans believed the perfect time to begin the 2020 baseball season was the Fourth of July Weekend. America's birthday, fireworks, and baseball have always gone together. Baseball fans were looking for a glimmer of hope. The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball is providing that optimism announcing on Friday that the league will begin play on July 3 with a 60-game season. In order to play a meaningful season, the American Association is implementing a hub city model. The St. Paul Saints will utilize Sioux Falls Stadium as their home ballpark until capacity restrictions for outdoor events have relaxed, allowing the Saints to return to CHS Field.

The American Association season will run from July 3-September 10 with a Championship Series, consisting of the top two teams from the regular season, to follow in a best-of-five format. The league will consist of six teams based in three separate "hubs." The Saints will be grouped with the Sioux Falls Canaries at Sioux Falls Stadium. The Winnipeg Goldeyes are with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Newman Outdoor Field, home of the RedHawks. The Chicago Dogs are paired with the Milwaukee Milkmen at Ballpark Commons, home of the Milkmen. Each team and ballpark will have in place, and enforce, COVID Readiness Plans, approved by local Health Departments and Government Officials. In order to allow for safe social distancing while enjoying a live, professional baseball game ballparks will limit capacity.

With players around the country unsure of whether they would have a chance to play the National Pastime this summer, the American Association was determined to find a way to play. As players found creative ways to work out on their own, the league owners realized they could make it happen. A rallying cry emerged: For Love of the Game.

Whether it was a college player looking for their first chance at professional baseball or a veteran looking for one final moment the league realized it needed to open its season.

Why? For love of the Game.

This sentiment became so pervasive in the league's approach that Baseballism, a lifestyle brand devoted to all things baseball and its rich history as America's pastime, has been brought aboard to promote the season with a retail offering commemorating the spirit of the effort via a "For Love of the Game" logo (see attached).

Each team will play 42 of their 60 games in their hub to limit travel, with 30 of those 42 being home games while the remaining 12 as the road team against the other team in their hub. The schedule, which will be released on Monday, June 15, will allow any of the three road clubs to return home for games if local governmental restrictions allow for games with fans in attendance.

"Our sincere hope, and frankly, our plan is to play baseball in St. Paul sooner rather than later," said Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Derek Sharrer. "There were several contingencies discussed, but we realized moving forward with this system was both best for the league and for our ability to accomplish our primary goal of entertaining fans at CHS Field this summer. We appreciate Sioux Falls, Fargo, and Milwaukee opening their ballparks for us, Winnipeg and Chicago."

Six teams will not operate this summer due to the impact of COVID-19 in their local communities. The Cleburne Railroaders, Gary SouthShore RailCats, Kansas City T-Bones, Lincoln Saltdogs, Sioux City Explorers, and Texas AirHogs will suspend baseball operations for the remainder of the summer and return to full operations for the 2021 season.

A truncated Spring Training will begin on June 25, with Opening Day scheduled for July 3. The American Association will experiment with new roster rules in 2020, highlighted by the elimination of rookie, LS, and veteran minimums and maximums on rosters, and a draft of players from non-participating clubs to allow the best possible talent available to play this season.

Saints fans who have purchased tickets for the 2020 season will have the opportunity to exchange their tickets for any game played at CHS Field this season or next. The Saints will keep fans updated on their possible return to CHS Field through their website, saintsbaseball.com, and their various social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at StPaulSaints.

The Saints have an extensive COVID readiness plan in place for CHS Field that is being regularly updated in accordance with CDC and MDH guidelines that will provide a safe, healthy, fun experience for fans once we can return home.

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