LITTLE LEAGUE SEASON SUSPENSION EXTENDED TO MAY 11, 2020

Dear Little League Volunteer,

This is much bigger than Little League®.

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is rapidly changing the way that we, as global citizens, think, act, gather, learn, and live our daily lives. And, yes, that also means how we play Little League.

With the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Little League International Board of Directors and staff is now strongly advising all its local Little League programs to suspend/delay their Little League seasons through no earlier than Monday, May 11. We implore you to follow this recommendation and suspend all Little League activities through no earlier than May 11.

We recognize that this is the heart of the traditional Little League season, and we share in the great disappointment that many are feeling surrounding this additional pause in the 2020 season. However, it is our hope that by doing this, we will all play a small, but important part in flattening the curve in the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

We will continue to consult with appropriate medical advisors, government health officials and our volunteer leaders around the world, and we are committed to doing the best we can for the safety and wellbeing of our players, families, volunteers, and fans.

As this situation evolves, Little League International is committed to sharing the best guidance possible for all of our 6,500 leagues in more than 84 countries. It is our sincere hope that we can find ways to bring everyone back to the Little League fields this season, whether that’s later this spring or throughout the summer.

Currently, Little League International is working through all possible scenarios for the 2020 Little League International Tournament and tournament eligibility for our leagues and players in our various divisions of play.

Little League will continue to provide additional guidance on the impact of delaying the season and has developed a series of FAQs available at LittleLeague.org/Coronavirus. We are committed to sharing information as it becomes available on issues like player eligibility and tournament participation, charter and insurance status for the year, and A Safety Awareness Program plan deadlines.

We also will be sharing guidance on how to resume operations when appropriate, best practices for handling the financial implications, and how you can communicate with parents and families in your communities about this delay in Little League activity. This information will continue to be developed and shared on LittleLeague.org/Coronavirus and through all of our communications methods.

There are countless resources available, and we urge you to follow the information available through World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), your state’s public health department (click here for a listing of state public health departments ), and other county and/or local authorities including precedents set by area school districts and government agencies.

We encourage you to stay in touch with Little League and share any additional feedback or questions from your local communities by emailing SeasonUpdate@LittleLeague.org.

Thank you all for your support, understanding, and community leadership. We will be thinking of our global Little League community during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Stephen D. Keener
Little League President and CEO