The Business of Baseball: Storm Chasers affected by coronavirus

The Business of Baseball: Storm Chasers affected by coronavirus

OPENING DAY ATWERNER PARK FORTHE OMAHA STORMCHASERS.HOWEVER, DUE TOTHE CORONAVIRUS,MINOR LEAGUEBASEBALLPOSTPONED THE 20-20SEASON.THE STORM CHASERSARE A STAPLE INOMAHA THEFRANCHISE HAS BEENIN THE CITY FOR THELAST 52 YEARS AND ISCELEBRATING ADECADE THIS YEAR INSARPY COUNTY.REPORTER PHILBERGMAN JOINS USLIVE FROM WERNERPARK WITH MORE ONHOW THE CLOSURE ISAFFECTING THEFRANCHISE AND WHATTHEY'RE DOINGTODAY FOR TAKE OUTTUESDAY.GOOD EVENING.THE STORM CHASERSARE DOING "CHASERSTAKEOUT" TONIGHTFOR OPENING DAY.PEOPLE CAN DRIVE UPAND HAVE THECLASSIC BALLPARKFOOD AT HOMETONIGHTIT COMESWITH HODOGS, ANDSODAS.AS YOU MENTIONEDTONIGHT WASSUPPOSED TO BEOPENING NIGHT ANDLIKE SO MANY OTHERACTIVITIES, THE BOYSOF SUMMER ARE ONHOLD FOR THE TIMEBEING.GOOD EVENINGEVERYBODY ANDWELCOME TOWERNER PARK.IT'S TIME TO STARTTHE 52ND SEASON INOMAHA AND THETENTH SEASON ASTHE STORM CHASERS.FOR QUITE SOMETIME, JAKEEISENBERG HAS HADAPRIL 14 MARKED ONHIS CALENDAR.IT'S THE BEGINNINGOF A NEW SEASON,IT'S THE POINT OF THEMOST HOPE FOR THETEAM.BUT INSTEAD OFSPENDING OPENINGDAY AT WERNER PARK,HE'S SPENDING IT ATHOME IN NEW YORK.IF THERE'S NOBASEBALL, THERE'SNO PLAY BY PLAY FORBASEBALL FOR THEMOST PART.TODAY IS EXTREMELYBITTERSWEET, THEPHOTO BEHIND MESHOWS BRIGHTERDAYS FROM THE PASTBUT I ALSO LOOK AT ITAS BRIGHTER DAYS INTHE FUTURE.MARTIE CORDERO ISTHE STORM CHASERSAND TEAMPRESIDENT.WITH MINOR LEAGUEBASEBALL ON HOLDTHE CHASERSTEMPORARILYFURLOUGHED SIX OFITS 30 STAFFMEMBERS.THE NEARLY 400EMPLOYEES THATWORK A HOMEGAMEARE ALSO BEINGAFFECTEDFINANCIALLY.THIS IS REALBUSINESS.WE HAVE ANECONOMIC IMPACT OFUP TO 20-MILLIONDOLLARS ANNUALLY.THE STORM CHASERSAPPLIED FOR ANDRECEIVED FUNDS FORA S-B-A P-P-P LOAN.THIS IS HELPED PAYDEPTS INCURREDOVER THE PAST FEWWEEKS, INCLUDINGITS BOND PAYMENTSTO SARPY COUNTYFOR WERNERPARKWITH CLOSETO70-PERCENT OFREVENUES COMINGBETWEEN MARCH ANDJULY, THECORONAVIRUS ISTAKING A MAJORLEAGUE HIT ON MINORLEAGUE BASEBALL.EXPENSESCONTINUED ONWARDAND A NUMBER OFTHOSE EXPENSESWERE ALREADYCOMMITTED TO ANPAID FOR BUT THEREVENUES DIDN'TCOME IN FOR THEMOST PART.UNLIKE MAJORLEAGUE BASEBALL, ITDOESN'T FINANCIALLYMAKE SENSE FOR THESTORM CHASERS TOPLAY GAMES IN EMPTYSTADIUMS.BUT CORDERO SAYSTHERE WILL BE A TIMEWHEN THE TEAM CANHELP THE OMAHACOMMUNITYREBUILDAFTER THISPANDEMIC.I ARGUE WE WILL BEESSENTIAL FOR THEHEALING OF OURMETRO AREA ANDBASEBALL WILL BEPART OF THE HEALINGAND AN ESSENTIALWHEN THE COUNTRYOPENS BACK UP.THE STORM CHASERSOWNERSHIP GROUPALSO OWNS UNIONOMAHATHEYFURLOUGHED FIVEEMPLOYEES ANDTHEIR SEASON ISALSO ON HOLD.AS OF NOW MINORLEAGUE BASEBALL ORTHE PACIFIC COASTLEAGUE HAVEN'TGIVEN ANY DATES ONWHEN THE SEASONMAY START.ANOTHER EVENT THESTORM CHASERS AREDOINGTHIS SATURDAYEVENING THEY WILLBE DOING AFIREWORKS SHOW ATTHE STADIUM WHEREYOU CAN PARK INYOUR CAR ANDWATCH IT.I'VE BEENTOLD THEY'RE USINGA LARGER CALIBERFIREWORK SO YOUCAN SEE THE SHOWACROSS THE METROAREA.REPORTING OUTSIDEWERNER PARK INOMAHA, PHILBERGMAN, 3 NEWSNOW.AS WELL, STORMCHASERS AND UNIONOMAHA OWNER GARYGREEN HAS DONATED45-THOUSANDMEDICAL MASKS TONEBRASKA MEDICINE,CHI HEALTH,METHODIST HEALTHSYSTEM AND ORTHONEBRASKA FORHEALTH CAREWORKERS TO USEWHEN TAKING CAREOF PATIENTS.