June 21, 2020
From Governor Andrew Cuomo:
Yankees to Train at Yankee Stadium, Mets at Citi Field
New York City Will Enter Phase Two of Reopening on Monday; Mid-Hudson Region on Track to Enter Phase Three on Tuesday
1 Percent of Yesterday’s COVID-19 Tests were Positive
24 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Governor Cuomo: “I can’t remember the last time we had spring training in New York. But this is really exciting news for us. … 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 … and that’s a credit to all New Yorkers.”
Cuomo: “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, that is the first bit of really good news when it comes to baseball that we’ve had in a long time.”
During a conference call briefing, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced 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.
A rush transcript of the conference call is available below:
Good morning, guys. Andrew Cuomo and Melissa DeRosa – we wanted to do a quick briefing. I think there is some of you who wouldn’t know what day of the week we are in if it wasn’t for the briefings so today is Saturday. That is a fact; that is not an opinion.
I want to give you a quick briefing on Covid but then we have exciting news to announce which I wanted to related to you. On the numbers for the Covid virus, we did about 68,000 tests yesterday, again which is a very high amount of daily tests but that’s how we know exactly where we.
The overall rate was about 1 percent which is just about where it’s been. New York City was 1.1 which is where it was the day before on Thursday; Capital Region was .7 which is down a bit, Central New York was .6 which was down; Finger Lakes was 1.1 which is about flat; Long Island was 1.1 which is up a tick but nothing extraordinary; Hudson Valley same, 1.1; Mohawk Valley .8, actually down; North Country .4, up a tick but nothing extraordinary; Southern Tier .4, nothing extraordinary there; and Western New York .8 which is just about flat.
The 1 percent is 716 additional cases. In New York City that means it’s 391 tested positive yesterday but that is all in keeping with where we were so New York City is still on track to open up so that’s all good news.
We had 24 deaths. Each one of them is in our thoughts and prayers but that’s basically continuing the downward trajectory.
So nothing extraordinary there but we watch every day and a serious caution flag because we’re very aware of what’s going on around this nation and around the globe where we’re seeing spikes of the virus everywhere – everywhere. So remain diligent, feel good about what we’ve accomplished but remember how we accomplished it and keep the discipline and the intelligence which is what brought us to this point.
On the good news and it’s exciting news for me and for a lot of fathers who will be celebrating Father’s Day this weekend, this is going to be a welcomed Father’s Day gift. We’re all hopeful that Major League Baseball will start their season or part of a season. 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.
The State is going to review their protocols in place to make sure they’re doing it safely and appropriately, but they’re moving their spring training camp from Florida to New York. And I can’t remember the last time we had spring training in New York. But this is really exciting news for us. Again, we’re hopeful about the season overall and we’re really excited that the spring training camp is going to start here. The Mets are starting a soft training camp opening this week for players who want to start to get prepared. Again they’re all awaiting a final decision from Major League Baseball. That is still in discussions.
But to have spring training in New York, that is a really great development. It’s where I think they should always be obviously. But 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? That is the first bit of really good news when it comes to baseball that we’ve had in a long time. So, I’m excited.
I want to thank the Yankees and the Mets for their consideration. I want to thank all New Yorkers for what they did, making this state a state they could do their spring training in.
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 certainly, and that’s a credit to all New Yorkers.
So good news, exciting news. We hope the Players Association of Major League Baseball makes a quick agreement. We will be at the front of the line to welcome them and to start the games so we at least have something to watch on television and get that season going and spring training here. I’m going to make it my business to go by, drop in even if I’m uninvited, just drop in. I’d love to see it.
Thanks for taking the time to be with us.
