CLEVELAND — For the second straight year, fans of Cleveland's Major League Baseball team will be without one of their favorite winter traditions. On Friday, the Cleveland Guardians announced that they have officially cancelled their in-person 2022 Guardians Fan Fest due to concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"Typically held in January, our annual Fan Fest serves to connect our players with both fans and media in an intimate indoor environment," the team said in a statement. "As we looked forward to the event this offseason, the uncertainty of COVID and the related safety protocols limiting player interaction with fans and media added additional risk to the success of the event. After careful consideration the decision was made to cancel the event this offseason."
In place of an in-person fan fest, the Guardians say that they are pursuing hosting a virtual event prior to the start of the 2022 regular season. More details on such an event will be made available in the future.
Earlier this year, the then-Cleveland Indians cancelled their 2021 Tribe Fest due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The upcoming 2022 season will mark the first year in which the Indians are known as the "Guardians," after the team officially announced its new name this past July.
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