Royals owner and CEO John Sherman: Let’s play baseball!
Kansas City Royals CEO and chairman John Sherman joined the chorus of those celebrating the upcoming return of Major League Baseball.
The majority owner and leader of the group that officially purchased the franchise in November, Sherman released a statement through the club Wednesday, the morning after Tuesday night’s announcement that MLB will play a 60-game season starting July 23-24 following the resumption of spring training next week.
“I have been impressed and inspired by the way our organization has conducted itself during these remarkable times, preparing for the return of baseball and responding to our community’s most urgent needs,” Sherman’s statement read.
“I am happy for our players, coaches, scouts, front office associates and all of us who are getting back to the game we love. As we do so, our first and highest priority will be the health and safety of everyone who loves Royals baseball.”
Sherman, formerly a minority owner of the Cleveland Indians, visited the Royals’ Arizona training complex this winter during spring training before MLB suspended exhibition games and all camps in the middle of March.
He recently addressed members of the organization and offered praise and optimism during a video call in which minor-league players were recognized as part of the club’s organizational awards ceremony.
The Royals have not played a regular-season game since Sherman, a longtime Kansas City businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist, purchased the franchise from David Glass.
The Sherman-led ownership group bought the franchise for a reported $1 billion.
Per an Associated Press report ealier this spring, MLB’s projections claimed the Royals were slated to lose $113 million during an 82-game season played without fans in attendance, or approximately $1.38 million per game.
The Royals received praise around baseball when they announced they would not cut any minor-league players and would continue paying them through what would have been the minor-league season. That bucked a mini-trend of cost-cutting measures by MLB clubs.
“We are thankful for our fans, our partners and our sponsors who have run alongside us and supported us during this time,” Sherman’s continued in his statement. “I am also grateful for our ownership group, who has passionately engaged in supporting a season they could never have anticipated.
“We look forward to returning to Kauffman Stadium to compete on behalf of our community and the great fans of the Kansas City Royals. I can’t wait for Opening Day, as we welcome back the healing and unifying power of sports. Let’s play baseball.”
While Sherman’s statement did not allude to the possibility of fans attending games at some point this season, Houston Astros owner Jim Crane said during a conference call with reporters Wednesday that his club was planning for fans to be in attendance at some point this season.
The Royals have worked with the KC-based architectural firm Populous along with MLB, Jackson County and Kansas City officials on a reopening game-plan.
“It appears that social distancing will be the deciding factor for determining attendance capacity,” Royals’ senior vice-president for business Kevin Uhlich told The Star last week for a story on what socially-distanced ballparks and arenas might look like. “There will be reduced attendance. Areas of the building will be sectioned off to keep the proper balance of fans in respective spaces. Concession stands and restrooms will be reconfigured for proper foot-traffic patterns to try and better control the distancing.”
Sports reporter Blair Kerkhoff contributed to this report
