COVID-19 Roundup: Stubhub Stops Issuing Refunds

This is the latest installment of a daily series in which the FanGraphs staff rounds up the latest developments regarding the COVID-19 virus’ effect on baseball.

Just a reminder that today is April Fools Day. While any attempt to prank you with false news seems especially cruel in light of the pandemic, be aware. There are tricksters out there. And don’t a doofus. Folks are on edge as it is. The past 24 hours haven’t seen any major news drop, so we’ll keep this list to a bunch of quick hits today.

MLB Aid for Minor Leaguers

Yesterday, Tony Wolfe covered the announcement that minor leaguers would receive $400 per week through the end of May along with medical benefits, with the former commitment amounting to around $400,000 per team. There are some reports that the announcement has come on the heels of many teams releasing minor leaguers. While MLB currently has a freeze on movement, the minors are not covered by the same rules.

Stubhub Changes Refund Policy

Stubhub is no longer offering refunds for cancelled events, instead only offering credit for a future purchase. To recoup money from sellers who have been paid, they are charging the seller’s credit cards and telling the sellers to get their money back from where they originally purchased the ticket. Note, that no refunds are offered for postponements that are later made up, so for the many baseball games not yet cancelled, there is not an option for even the credit at this time.

Toronto Bans Public Events Through June, But Pro Sports Excepted

While there’s still a lot of uncertainty about when the baseball season can start, Toronto seemingly set a date before which baseball could not be played in its city by banning all public events until the end of June. There was later clarification that the prohibition applied to events that require permits from the city, and that games by the Blue Jays, Raptors, and Maple Leafs were not part of the ban. Still, travel to and from Canada is likely going to be somewhat difficult to work out with their current travel restrictions, and crowds like those you’d see at a Blue Jays game seem to go against public health guidance.

James Andrews to Stop Performing Tommy John Surgeries

In yesterday’s post, Wolfe mentioned the ethical issues associated with undergoing elective surgeries like Tommy John. Dr. James Andrews, who has performed the surgery hundreds of times for professional baseball players announced he is will cease doing so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

China Slowing Down Return to Sports

Professional basketball in China had been expected to ramp up soon, but the government has opted to slow its progress due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

Jets Defer Season Ticket Payments

The NFL season is still months away, but payments for season ticket holders are beginning to come due. Every team is handling season ticket payment options differently, with Cleveland previously notifying ticket holders their March payments would be made as planned. The New York Jets announced they would be deferring the next payment to help fans during COVID-19.

New York Yankees Rain Poncho Illustrates the Great Need for Medical Supplies

A doctor in New York sent the following tweet yesterday. If you are in a position to donate personal protective gear, New York has set up a website to coordinate donations; many other states are doing the same.

I’m a physician at a hospital in NYC and THIS IS THE “PPE” I WAS JUST HANDED for my shift. Our federal government has completely failed its health care workers. #GetUsPPE pic.twitter.com/bEh11ra7Ee

— Rachel, MD (@racheljulie) March 31, 2020

London Series Officially Cancelled

While there were already reports that the Cardinals and Cubs wouldn’t play their series in June, MLB went ahead and made it official.