Luxe box seating features four seats separated by six feet in all directions from other peopledlr group
A top exec with architecture firm DLR Group said that a return to the design of original MLB ballparks "could be in the future" with the coronavirus pandemic "dictating the capacity of social gatherings," according to Jabari Young of CNBC.com. DLR Principal & Global Sports Sector Leader Don Barnum said teams would need to make "required and necessary renovations" to sports venues to "honor social distancing guidelines, at least in the short term." DLR Group "found that 'luxe box' seating, with four seats separated by six feet in all directions from other people in the seating bowl sections, would honor distancing rules." Entrance logistics "would be reasonably straightforward." Arena staff "would need to manage access points differently, and 'meter people as they come in.'" Barnum said that teams also can "distribute arrival times to fans to avoid overloading security staff, as temperature testing could be included." Law firm O'Melveny Sports Industry Group co-Chair Irwin Raij said that teams "would need to invest in additional contact-less options for concession sales and fan interactions." Barnum said that if the pandemic lasts over a year, teams "will need to consider permanent additions to arenas, which will affect 'capital improvements and capital investments'" (CNBC.com, 4/26).
