No Otter Ball This Summer – Frontier League Cancels 2020 Season

Just hours after Major League Baseball shared the good news that they WILL play ball in 2020 (albeit a much shorter season), the Frontier League announces they are cancelling their 2020 season. No Frontier League means no Evansville Otters, and that means no baseball at historic Bosse Field, and that is a big time bummer!

The biggest hurdle for the league and the Otters would be the fans. Major League Baseball can get away with playing in empty stadiums - they have other ways to make money. Smaller organizations, like the Frontier League, depend on folks coming to the games, and with the current CDC guidelines, it just wouldn't be possible to safely accommodate thousands of people each night.

The Otters were excited to welcome fans back to the newly renovated Bosse Field, which has become an absolutely essential part of summertime in Evansville. The Otters released, in part, the following statement:

The COVID-19 pandemic is the underlying reason for the cancellation of the league season. Over the past three months, league officials and owners reviewed numerous alternatives in an effort to play this summer, but in the long run, unresolved regulatory and health issues made playing unfeasible.

Needless to say, we are very disappointed (and saddened) that we cannot play this season. A lot of work has gone into what would have been a wonderful year with the extensive improvements to Bosse Field and an expanded and more competitive league.

So, what's next for the Otters? Does this cancellation mean that Bosse Field will now be available to host more events? It's possible, although the Otters will need to make those decisions on a case by case basis. Owners hope to find ways to provide more activities related to the Otters, like the recent 'Virtual Anniversary' shared on YouTube. For now, I'd say keep an eye on EvansvilleOtters.com and on the Otters Facebook page for more information.