SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - There's nothing better than pizza, beer and catching a game at Basic Bar & Pizza in the East Village, just outside of the San Diego Padres' Petco Park.
“As I say, it’s only a baseball throw from the park,” said Erik Tesmer, General Manager of Basic Bar & Pizza.
But there’s one sport fans will have to wait longer to see on TV or in person, Major League Baseball.
The league’s lockout will continue, and the first two series of games are canceled after a collective bargain agreement could not be reached between the players and owners.
Having those games canceled means businesses like Basic are striking out on a big opportunity.
“It really means a lot of money. Opening Day is literally our busiest day, our busiest week of the year. And to lose all of that is considerably difficult for us to handle,” Tesmer said.
The Padres were set to take on the San Francisco Giants at home for the first series of games, which were to be played on the weekend of March 31-April 3. The opening home series could’ve resulted in a lot of out-of-town dollars coming to San Diego.
“They would’ve spent money in hotels and in restaurants and things like that. So, the hit - if we lose that first series - is going to be bigger than would normally be the case. That is based on how well the Giants travel in terms of their fan base,” Dr. Alan Gin, an economics professor at University of San Diego, said.
The crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd ringing out through Petco Park is on hold for now.
“It’s devastating. It really is for the city, for the team, for everything. But hopefully things will get back to normal and we’ll win the [World] Series,” Padres fan Dominic West said.
Something Padres fans and downtown businesses hope comes back sooner rather than later.
“We were just coming back to life after COVID and I just want to see them come back and play ball,” said Padres fan Jenny McBrearty.
“They need to work it out as quick as possible,” said Bob Chastain, a Seattle Mariners fan visiting San Diego.
The San Diego Padres sent an email to season ticket holders how to receive a refund for tickets to the canceled game. You can find out more information at https://padres.mlblogs.com/letter-from-padres-chairman-and-owner-peter-seidler-on-2022-season-update-254ef80f9210.
Letter from Padres Chairman and Owner, Peter Seidler.
Full letter: https://t.co/3tZSc6ndnX pic.twitter.com/BBP3TUg1sw
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 2, 2022
