Dear MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred:

We are baseball fans concerned about the ongoing epidemic of fan injuries from dangerous foul balls. At least 15 people were maimed by foul balls in 2019 at Major League Baseball games, and an untold number of fans have been injured at minor league ballparks where statistics are unknown. NBC News compiled data from first aid contractors working for only four out of the 30 MLB teams, and reported that at least 808 fans had been injured by baseballs from 2012 to 2019. Factoring in the other 26 teams, that would come out to roughly 5,000 fan injuries over the same period. These injuries were predictable and entirely preventable if professional baseball had mandated and undertaken the simple act of extending and elevating protective netting.

We the fans deserve the right to watch baseball games in safety, without the threat of being maimed by dangerous foul balls. Fans of all ages and abilities ought to be able to relax and enjoy watching baseball, and to bring our families to the game confident that everyone will leave as healthy as they arrived.

This entirely preventable epidemic of serious foul ball injuries to fans will continue to haunt Major League Baseball in 2021 as long as basic precautionary measures are not taken at both Major and Minor League ballparks.

Enough is enough. It is MLB’s responsibility to protect all fans from dangerous foul balls once and for all. We demand that MLB now extend protective netting down the foul lines in all professional baseball stadiums, and raise the height of netting where necessary in order to protect all fans of baseball. We demand that every professional ballpark and stadium throughout America be certified as foul-ball safe for all visitors, so we can all enjoy watching America’s pastime in peace. Extend the nets now