Games postponed due to poor air quality from wildfires

General view of an empty, hazy Yankee Stadium before a game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox was rescheduled due to poor air quality. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Games in NYC, Philly metro areas postponed due to poor air quality from Canadian wildfires

By Jason Clinkscales | Last updated 6/7/23

Sports leagues have finally taken action on games a day after smoke from the Canadian wildfires worsened the air quality throughout much of the northern United States.

Major League Baseball announced the postponement of two games in New York and Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The second game of a three-game series between Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees will be pushed until Thursday afternoon as part of a single-admission doubleheader starting at 4:05 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Tonight’s Yankees-White Sox game (Wednesday, June 7) is rescheduled because of poor air quality due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires and will be made up tomorrow, Thursday, June 8, as the first game of a single-admission doubleheader, which will begin at 4:05pm. pic.twitter.com/nx1WxqUaTU
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 7, 2023

In Philadelphia, the Phillies' game against the visiting Detroit Tigers was moved to early Thursday evening. Thursday was originally scheduled to be an off day for both teams. (The Tigers were due to travel home before a weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.)

Tonight’s game between the Phillies and the Detroit Tigers has been rescheduled due to the air quality in the Philadelphia area. The game will be made up on Thursday, June 8, at 6:05 p.m. pic.twitter.com/VIBDrYcBHD
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 7, 2023

The NWSL postponed a match between the Orlando Pride and NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena, which is just outside of Newark, New Jersey.

The June 7 match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and Orlando Pride will be postponed due to poor air quality conditions. pic.twitter.com/E1AdnZFB7y
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 7, 2023

Smoke plumes from raging wildfires in eastern Canada have blanketed northern U.S. states and much of the Eastern seaboard since Tuesday. Prior to Tuesday's game against the White Sox, beat reporter Max Goodman showed the ominous clouds over Yankee Stadium.

Wednesday was going to be far worse for the region, with social media buzzing over the orange-like clouds that hovered over much of the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states.

Smoke from the Canadian wildfires has covered Yankee Stadium

(via @eboland11)pic.twitter.com/GqYmP8Fwys
— Sports Business Journal (@SBJ) June 7, 2023

Although the impact of the smoke to sporting events in open-air venues is obvious, indoor sports are affected as well. The WNBA announced that the New York Liberty's home game against the Minnesota Lynx will be rescheduled for a date to be determined. The air quality index surrounding Brooklyn's Barclays Center, where the Liberty play, reached a hazardous level of 431.

Local meteorologists have said that the air quality will remain poor through Thursday morning with officials in both cities pleading that residents use caution while outdoors.

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