Baseball Victoria continues to closely monitor the complicated, shifting COVID-19 pandemic as we follow all state and federal restrictions to protect the health and safety of the community.
Baseball Victoria confirms that at this stage, the current shutdown of all baseball activity will be extended through Sunday, 31 May 2020.
This includes all forms of baseball training, club activities and team meetings, as well as events, tournaments and competitions.
Decisions that are being made continue to evolve, and we are unable to say with any certainty across a range of contributing factors how the next months will progress to allow us to return to playing baseball. As the landscape shifts, we will continue to monitor these changes and apply them as necessary.
The winter competitions for Bendigo, Dandenong, Geelong, Latrobe Valley and North Eastern Baseball Associations and Melbourne Winter Baseball League and Sunraysia Baseball League will not commence until after Monday, 1 June 2020. We are currently anticipating the opening day for those seasons to fall on Saturday, 13 June 2020.
“In these unprecedented times delaying the start of the winter baseball season, while understandably disappointing to the Victorian baseball community, is the only course of action available to the Baseball Victoria Board to ensure compliance with government measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to provide clarity for Winter Associations and Winter Clubs planning purposes,” Baseball Victoria President Myles Foreman said.
“This decision has been taken in consultation with the Winter Associations and Summer Clubs participating in the VSBL. I would like to take this opportunity to thank these Boards and Committees for the collaborative spirit in which we have worked together to navigate the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19.”
“Thank you also to Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton and the Baseball Victoria Office team who have continued to provide leadership and support to the Victorian Baseball Community during the same challenging times we are all facing in our personal, professional sporting worlds.”
“The constantly changing situation will continue to be monitored and Baseball Victoria will continue to work with the Winter Associations and Clubs in preparation of resuming baseball in Victoria. In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy in these unsettling and unprecedented times,” Foreman added.
“In these unprecedented times delaying the start of the winter baseball season, while understandably disappointing to the Victorian baseball community, is the only course of action available to the Baseball Victoria Board to ensure compliance with government measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to provide clarity for Winter Associations and Winter Clubs planning purposes,” Baseball Victoria President Myles Foreman said.
“This decision has been taken in consultation with the Winter Associations and Summer Clubs participating in the VSBL. I would like to take this opportunity to thank these Boards and Committees for the collaborative spirit in which we have worked together to navigate the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19.”
“Thank you also to Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton and the Baseball Victoria Office team who have continued to provide leadership and support to the Victorian Baseball Community during the same challenging times we are all facing in our personal, professional sporting worlds.”
“The constantly changing situation will continue to be monitored and Baseball Victoria will continue to work with the Winter Associations and Clubs in preparation of resuming baseball in Victoria. In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy in these unsettling and unprecedented times,” Foreman added.
Baseball Victoria and the Winter Associations are working together on the format of those seasons and how these competitions will impact the commencement of the 2020/21 Victorian Summer Baseball League season.
The Baseball Victoria state capitation fees will be reduced by 10%, and members who have already paid will be refunded via Sports TG. These refunds will be processed in the next 48 hours.
The Sports TG portal for registering for the winter season will be closed until Friday, 1 May 2020.
Baseball Victoria and the Winter Associations have also concluded the 2020 State Winter Championships should be abandoned, allowing the Winter Associations to conduct the longest possible winter season.
The State Winter Championships have been rescheduled to the same dates and locations for 2021:
12-14 June 2021 Senior Geelong
26-27 June 2021 U14 Bendigo
03-04 July 2021 U18 Mildura
17-18 July 2021 U16 Morwell/Traralgon
24-25 July 2021 U12 Werribee
“Our organisation is conscious of the long-term effects this pandemic will place across our economy, sporting bodies, associations and clubs,” Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said. “We have prepared a page with information as it is applicable to share with you to assist in navigating this space.”
Please click HERE for COVID-19 resources. We would also like to make our members aware that Major League Baseball (MLB) has issued a mandate for scouts to cease operations in their entirety during the shutdown of professional baseball.
Click HERE to read the full notice from Baseball Australia on what clubs and players should know about the current scouting shutdown.
If you have any questions please contact Baseball Victoria by clicking HERE for full contact details.