Jimmy John's Field in Utica, MI. Photo courtesy of USPBL.
At this point in the year, we would normally be well into baseball season. People would be crowding their favorite stadiums, drinking their favorite drink, maybe enjoying a hot dog, and taking pictures with their friends. However, in order to comply with COVID-19 guidelines established by the CDC and/or MDHHS, all professional sports have seen their schedules delayed and readjusted.
That goes for the United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL) in Utica too, which delayed the start of its 2020 season numerous times until finally deciding to make the most of the situation. On July 15, USPBL officially started playing baseball to a limited crowd of 100 season ticket holders in the stands as well as thousands of fans online when it launched the USPBL broadcast network.
“While we are disappointed that we cannot have more fans at our games at Jimmy John’s Field right now, we believe the launch of the USPBL network will give our fans something to enjoy as we await the time when we will be able to expand our capacity to include more fans in person at our games” said USPBL Founder, Owner and CEO Andy Appleby. “The USPBL is leading independent professional baseball when it comes to overall development of baseball players and coaches, and fans will still be able to see some outstanding baseball through our broadcasts this summer.”
Games are broadcasted online via YouTube and Facebook Live, anchored by Jeremy Otto and will feature in-game host and reporter Chelsea Estes. Anyone can tune in via those platforms to watch.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to help launch the new USPBL broadcast network this season,” said Otto. “I had the opportunity to broadcast several USPBL games on ESPN3 last season, and I look forward to continuing the growth of the broadcast arm of this terrific developmental baseball league.”
Short of being able to attend these games in person, the USPBL broadcast network is an amazing opportunity for players and fans alike. Players still get to play (and hopefully get noticed by talent scouts) while fans can watch every game online at no cost.
For a full schedule of games, visit the USPBL website, Facebook page or YouTube channel.