Restaurants riding on hopes of televised sports
Photo | Grant Welker
Welly's Restaurant on Main Street in Marlborough.
The first pitch of the Major League Baseball season is scheduled to be thrown out in Washington, D.C. on July 23 when the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals take on the New York Yankees.
The National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League will follow suit with truncated seasons beginning on July 30, if all goes well with virus safety protocols.
And even though fans will not be back in the seats at venues like Fenway Park to watch the hometown teams play, restaurateurs are hoping that the return of professional sports to television will give their businesses a boost.
"I would hope that sports on TV helps draw folks back inside our restaurants, as many are choosing to dine outside today. Obviously, we are still and will still be constricted without seating directly at the bar, but in many establishments you can see TVs from across the dining room," said Bob Luz, the president of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.
The Red Sox open at home on Friday, July 24 against the Baltimore Orioles.
Restaurants were cleared to reopen for outdoor service on June 8, provided that tables were space six feet apart. Indoor dining came two weeks later on June 22, but seating at the bar is still prohibited.
On Monday, Massachusetts entered Phase 3 of its reopening strategy, and with that came clearance for professional sports to resume without spectators and as determined by their respective leagues. Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh marked the occasion with a press conference at Fenway Park.
"Sports and our local teams were great enhancers of the dining experience, and I do believe it will be a great atmosphere addition that helps make it more comfortable to get back to life the way we loved it pre-Covid. Most importantly, restaurants offer that experience safely!!" Luz said in an email.
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