Billings Mustangs 2020 Season in Doubt

2020 has been the year of cancellations and the hits just keep coming. In a Facebook post Thursday evening (6/10) the Billings Mustangs announced their upcoming season (originally scheduled to begin 6/19) is doubtful.

Well, poop. They haven't officially canceled the season, but it sure sounds like the odds of Mustang baseball happening at Dehler Park this year are pretty slim. Which is a bummer. The games are affordable, the stadium is beautiful and I've always found that spending an afternoon/evening at a Mustangs game to be extremely relaxing. I don't really get into baseball on TV, but plopping down at the ballpark with a tray of draft beer, a Stang Burger and a bag of peanuts is tough to beat.

Some fans are speculating that we might not see the Mustangs in Billings again, ever. KTVQ covered the story last fall about MLB needing to cut costs, and what that could mean for the Mustangs. The Billings Gazette reported in May this year that Senator Steve Daines wrote a letter to baseball league officials, urging them to extend the current Pioneer League agreement for two years, allowing time for negotiations to continue without interference from the COVID-19 pandemic.

If the Mustangs end up leaving, many wonder what will the city of Billings do with Dehler Park? Opened in 2008, the Mustangs website says the ballpark was built for $12.5 million dollars to replace aging Cobb Field, which the team had used since 1948.  With a seating capacity of 3,071 as well as tons of standing-room-only areas around the concourse, I've always felt that Dehler Park should be used for more events and concerts. If baseball leaves, I'll be really curious to see what happens with the space. I'm sure the hospitals would love to buy it for extra parking (eye roll).