U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined her colleagues in stepping up to the plate by cosponsoring legislation to help independent professional baseball and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams, including the Fisher Cats, that have struggled economically after the COVID-19 crisis threw a curveball into their 2020 and 2021 seasons. The Minor League Baseball Relief Act would provide up to $550 million in federal relief funding for independent and MiLB teams. This would also strengthen local economies, since game attendees patronize small businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and other attractions across New England.

“Baseball is America’s pastime, and few sights signal recovery more than baseball stadiums filling up again as we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator Hassan. “When families and friends come together to share in their love of baseball, small business owners also win–serving customers and stimulating the local economy. I’m glad to sign onto this bill that will help smaller baseball teams recover from a difficult revenue loss from a canceled season, and I am proud to cheer on the Fisher Cats and Red Sox!”

“We’re grateful for Senator Hassan’s leadership in helping introduce this bill to help support our Fisher Cats,” said Mike Ramshaw, Team President of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. “We’re more than a baseball team, we’re a part of the New Hampshire community. We’re so excited to be back on the field this year and showing up again for Granite State families. Relief like this will be sorely needed as we bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic and reopen for business.”

The Minor League Baseball Relief Act would be modeled after the Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG) program, which has provided needed assistance to venues like theatres, museums, and concert halls that were forced to shut due to necessary COVID-19 safety measures.

Specifically, the Minor League Baseball Relief Act would:

· Repurpose up to $550 million in COVID-19 relief funding for an emergency grant program to be administered by the Small Business Administration that would otherwise be returned to the U.S. Treasury.

· Provide eligible clubs grants up to a maximum of $10 million. Allowable expenses include payroll costs, regular business expenses (e.g., rent, utilities), worker protection expenditures, and payments made to independent contractors.

· Provide an opportunity for a second grant at 50 percent of the first if a club’s revenue does not recover and does not significantly exceed its 2019 total.

· Require strict oversight from SBA through documentation, review of use, and an audit on grant funding, and applies to any minor league baseball team previously part of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues but not to any club that is majority-owned by Major League Baseball.

Play ball and read a copy of the bill text here.