15 MiLB Teams File Lawsuit Against Insurance Companies over COVID-19 Claims

A group of minor league baseball teams have filed lawsuits against insurance companies related to claims made about the coronavirus pandemic. 

Per ESPN's William Weinbaum, 15 teams filed the lawsuit in a Pennsylvania United States District Court that alleges "action and inaction by federal and state governments" helped contribute to "catastrophic financial losses" for the minor league clubs: 

"In the first few months of 2020, the federal government failed to recognize the severity of the pandemic and did not contain the virus." And it notes a "failure of the federal government to build an effective wall preventing the continued migration of the virus from states that were hit early to the rest of the country."

Per Weinbaum, the lawsuit states minor league teams "incur more than $2 million in expenses to operate" regardless of whether or not "they suffer interruption of their operations."

Weinbaum noted there are policy provisions that exclude financial losses "caused by or resulting from any virus" as well as "acts or decisions, including the failure to act or decide, of any person, group, organization or governmental body."

Even though there hasn't been an official announcement about Minor League Baseball, The Athletic's Britt Ghiroli reported in May that more than 30 Washington Nationals minor leaguers who were released last month were told the 2020 season was canceled. 

Major League Baseball is in the process of setting a schedule for this season after the owners and players were unable to reach an agreement on a working deal. 

MLB announced Monday that owners voted unanimously to proceed with a 2020 season, with commissioner Rob Manfred authorized to set the number of games. 

The minor league season was scheduled to begin April 9.