- By New York State Governor's Office
- Sports
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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Saturday that the Yankees and Mets baseball teams will hold spring training in New York this year. The Yankees will conduct spring training at Yankee Stadium, and the Mets will conduct it at Citi Field. The Mets will host a soft opening this week for players who want to begin preparing. The teams will work with the State of New York to ensure proper health and safety protocols."COVID-19 has disrupted so many of the traditions New Yorkers know and love, and our inability to root for our home teams has been acutely felt all throughout this crisis," Governor Cuomo said. "Thanks to New Yorkers' incredible efforts to slow the spread, we've determined it's possible for the Yankees and the Mets to safely conduct spring training in the state this year and are thrilled to begin reopening America's national pastime right here in New York. In a bleak time and in a season that obviously had significant hurdles to deal with, to have a spring training camp in New York is the first bit of really good news when it comes to baseball that we've had in a long time."
Cuomo said that one of the reasons they're coming to New York is because the infection rate in New York is down low compared to other states, compared to Florida. The State will review their protocols in place to make sure they're doing it safely and appropriately.
"We're all hopeful that Major League Baseball will start their season or part of a season," Cuomo said. "They're in conversations now and we're expecting updates this week. As to the decision on Major League Baseball, the discussions between the Major League Baseball Association and the players. But we're hopeful that we'll have baseball to enjoy this season. And I spoke to Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine of the Yankees and I spoke to Jeff Wilpon of the Mets and they are planning to have their spring training camp in New York. The Yankees will be at Yankee Stadium, the Mets will be at Citi Field for spring training. That is their plan; they're going forward with it."
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