PEARL, Miss. (WJTV) — Baseball is a sport that has always brought communities together and while the MLB can financially survive on large TV contracts, minor league baseball needs their fans to fill up their ballparks.

Mississippi Braves director of communications Chris Harris breaks down where Trustmark Park and the team currently stand.

“Fans are minor league baseball,” Harris said. “You know with major league baseball obviously they have large TV contracts and media deals. For minor league baseball teams you know there is 160 teams around the country that rely on fans to fill the ballparks every summer you know it’s coming up on the Fourth of July which is always one of the largest two-day attendance in minor league baseball July third and July fourth. Every team is guaranteed to be home one of those days.”

While some teams are worried about being eliminated in MLB’s minor league reduction proposal, the M-Braves and Trustmark Park are in the clear.

“We are owned and operated by the Atlanta Braves, so you know that puts us in outstanding position no matter what happens. Our GM Pete Laven is one of the most creative minds in baseball and we’re going to be announcing some things pretty soon that we can have with the proper social distancing and if we can’t have M-Braves games here we’re thinking about other ways to get fans in the ballpark.

Although things are tough for the baseball community right now, Harris knows the game’s comeback will be one to remember.

“You know baseball has always been something that brings communities together. You know the first thing I remember after 911 is Yankee Stadium watching the Mets and the Braves play. Seeing the country you know it didn’t matter what party you were in democrat, republican you know whatever you were it brought people together and whenever baseball does come back, we’ll be a huge part of that.”