by LoveMeSomeFastpitch » Sat Jun 13, 2020 11:45 pm
I would be surprised if a significant number of out of state teams will travel to SoCal to participate in a large tournament this summer. Because of how badly the federal government bungled their initial response to the coronavirus, their denial of the impending threat and politically motivated push to open states prematurely, there is now a spike of new COVID-19 cases showing up in Texas and Southeastern & Western parts of the country.
Of course PGF has to remain optimistic, but there is good reason why they canceled all of their qualifiers this summer. Based on current trends, and doubling down on denial by the White House, it's wishful thinking to believe anything is going to be better in seven weeks. Also, all of that PPP stimulus spending is set to expire on July 31st. That is not going to help matters from an economic perspective.
Assuming out of state teams aren't in a big hurry to fly into the heart of coronavirus country here in California, PGF may decide to recalibrate for a smaller statewide tournament, where people can drive instead of fly, to minimize their exposure to the virus. With 80% of all statewide COVID-19 related cases/deaths occurring in SoCal, it might be more prudent to hold a State Championship in Northern CA, where local authorities took quick action to quell the virus before it could wreak havoc in this part of the state.
If PGF decides to go this route it would be pretty easy to pull off. They could start with regional playoffs for each age group in the Southern and Northern parts of the state, with semi-finals for each region being a best of three or five series. It would be by invitation, based on a team's recent history as well as strength of performance during 2020 summer play. The winners of each age group in SoCal would then drive up north and play the NorCal winners here in Modesto or Stockton, best of three or five series, similar to the NCAA or MLB World Series. That way there could be no argument about who has the best team in each age division in California.
Ideally, the PGF Nationals will come to fruition without a hitch. But if for whatever reason it doesn't, this would be a practical alternative to end a summer season that was impacted by a global pandemic, giving the season some meaning to the players, while minimizing risk to the participants and their families.