Sources: NPB / Hanshin Tigers / Hanshin Tigers
The 12 pro baseball teams that comprise NPB reached a decision today that all remaining exhibition games (scheduled from February 29 – March 15) will be played, but will not be attended by the general public. This ruling will also include spring practice games held by the farm teams between February 29 and March 12.
The decision was reached in accordance with the implementations being made by the Japanese government in order to try to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Considering the current state of the nation, the league requests your understanding that this is an important measure that needs to be taken to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
For those who have already bought tickets to these games, you need to wait for each club to make its own announcement about refunds, which should happen in the days to come. NPB and all twelve clubs are working hard to make sure that the season will be able to start on time and under regular conditions.
This decision will affect five Hanshin Tigers top squad home games:
- March 4 vs. Hiroshima Carp
- March 6 vs. Nippon Ham Fighters
- March 7 vs. Nippon Ham Fighters
- March 8 vs. Yomiuri Giants
- March 13 vs. Orix Buffaloes (at Kyocera Dome)
It will also affect three farm exhibition games, for which there were no tickets in the first place (March 6-8).
The NPB Commissioner had this to say about the situation: Professional baseball is a national sport that shares a lot of joy and fun with numerous fans. With less than a month to go until the start of the regular season, all twelve clubs have made the decision to play out the exhibition schedule without spectators present. The reason is that we desire to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as well as to prepare stadiums to be suitably ready for the regular season. We will continue to do all we can to help meet this end. We ask for your understanding and appreciate your support.
As for ticket refunds, it differs depending on how you bought the tickets in the first place. If you bought through Ko-Ticket (Koshien’s site) by credit card, they will automatically refund you via your credit card. Generally speaking, wherever you bought the tickets, you need to go back there for a refund, which can be received between March 1 and 31. Read here (Japanese only) for more details.
As for being able to watch some preseason, all Hanshin home games will be viewable on Toratele and DAZN (internet streaming), as well as on cable TV (Gaora for some games, Sky-A for others). As for regular network TV, the game on Wednesday, March 4 will be shown on Sun TV, and the last Koshien game (March 8) will be on Mainichi.
Refunds and broadcasting schedules for road games will be (and in most cases, have been) announced by the hosting clubs. Check in with them for details.