Frisco RoughRiders Take Aggressive Safety Measures Following COVID-19 Outbreak Among Front Office Staff
FRISCO, Texas (July 2, 2020) – The Frisco RoughRiders announced today a series of aggressive health and safety measures in the wake of multiple members of the front office testing positive for COVID-19. “After one member of our front office exhibited symptoms consistent with COVID-19 last week, we immediately sent
FRISCO, Texas (July 2, 2020) – The Frisco RoughRiders announced today a series of aggressive health and safety measures in the wake of multiple members of the front office testing positive for COVID-19.
“After one member of our front office exhibited symptoms consistent with COVID-19 last week, we immediately sent everyone home, closed the office, arranged for testing for every staff member and performed a comprehensive COVID-19 cleaning of our entire office in less than 48 hours,” said RoughRiders President and General Manager Andy Milovich. “Unfortunately, the tests revealed a number of positives. The fact we had multiple positive test results despite the social distancing and other safety measures we had implemented to protect our staff is a testament to how easily this virus can spread.”
The RoughRiders also announced the cancelation of the opening July 3-5 home series of their entry in the Texas Collegiate League, an elite summer college wooden bat league and further announced that the second home series, scheduled for July 7-9, will not be open to the public if held at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
“While the ballpark itself is safe and sanitary, especially after the extensive COVID-19 cleaning we performed, we cannot in good conscience open the ballpark to the public at this time given all relevant circumstances, including the positive tests among our own staff, rising infection rates in North Texas and Governor Abbott’s most recent recommendation regarding outdoor gatherings,” said Milovich. “We had dearly looked forward to welcoming our fans back to the ballpark this holiday weekend, and it certainly would have been a welcome financial boost as well, but the health, safety and welfare of our staff, fans, players, guests and the community at large must take precedence. To play these games among fans this weekend in Frisco would have been the wrong decision and wrong message at this time.”
The RoughRiders are in active discussions with the TCL over the fate of the RoughRiders 2020 season. “We certainly feel a responsibility to our friends and colleagues in the League and do not want our actions to create a burden for them or their communities,” said Milovich. “We also have tremendous empathy for our players, who just want to play and have already lost so many opportunities to do so this year. We are confident our discussions with the League will produce a thoughtful plan going forward that will not jeopardize the League, its members or our players.”
The RoughRiders will be contacting fans next week who purchased tickets to the opening TCL homestand with information on refunds and other options. Information for fans who have purchased tickets for subsequent RoughRiders TCL home games should be available next week as well.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and play their games at beautiful Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance in each of the last 15 seasons (2005-2019). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world’s largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest’s prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 160 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball, including current Rangers players Elvis Andrus and Joey Gallo. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders and Dr Pepper Ballpark, please visit RidersBaseball.com or e-mail at [email protected].