SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Baseball is back, and that could mean potentially good news for businesses near Petco Park in downtown San Diego.
On Tuesday, Major League Baseball announced a 60-game season will begin on July 23 and 24. Players are expected to return for training camps on July 1.
While the MLB announcement did not specify the role of fans, multiple reports suggest the season will begin in empty ballparks with no fans in attendance.
To reduce travel, the schedule will include 10 games for each team against its divisional opponents, along with 20 games against the opposite leagues corresponding geographical division.
For the San Diego Padres, that will mean 10 games each against the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies. The Padres will also play teams from the American League West.
"Major League Baseball is thrilled to announce that the 2020 season is on the horizon," MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred said in a news release. "We have provided the Players Association with a schedule to play 60 games and are excited to provide our great fans with Baseball again.
Businesses near Petco Park welcomed the news.
Brant Crenshaw, co-owner of the sports bar Social Tap, which is located next to the ballpark, said the pandemic has hurt business. He is hopeful that the return of baseball will lead the way for more sports to return. He said it could help bring some customers back, especially if fans aren't yet allowed back into the ballparks.
"The only way you're going to be able to watch these games is on TV, and you can come down here and watch every game," Crenshaw said. "It's a one-stop-shop, so if you're a fan of teams out of state, we'll have them playing. So, I think it will help to get some sports back on TV.”
