DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa Cubs fans are getting an extended baseball season.
It comes as the team, and all of Minor League Baseball, lost games in April due to a pandemic-delayed start to the season.
"(Major League Baseball) didn't want to make a commitment too soon based on not knowing how many games may or may not be missed due to COVID, or other reasons when we got started. Fortunately minor league games have not been missed in great measure," says Iowa Cubs Vice President and Assistant General Manager Randy Wehoefer.
He says 10 more games at the end of September and beginning of October means the minor league season will mirror the major league's.
"Sunday, October 3rd is our last day and their last day. So, both seasons will end at the same time. Obviously, Major League Baseball goes on to the playoffs" Wehoefer says.
He says Triple A minor league champions will be crowned based on their overall records at the end of the regular season.
Wehoefer says the extended regular season is just the outcome the team was hoping for.
"The opportunity for our season ticket holders, to give them the value of a full season after games in April were eliminated, we now come back to a more representative number of games for the packages that they purchased--the same for our sponsors," Wehoefer says.
The Iowa Cubs will play five games Sept. 22nd through the 26th at Saint Paul, then finish the season with a five-game home-stand against Omaha Sept 29th through Oct 3rd.
Image from Iowa Cubs website