Busch Stadium was filled to 97.8% capacity in 2019.getty images
The bleachers at Wrigley Field. The Green Monster seats at Fenway Park. The antibody section at Petco Park?
The San Diego Padres have discussed the feasibility of creating a section in the stands for those certified as testing positive for coronavirus antibodies. It is just one of many steps teams across the major leagues are taking to prepare for a season that might at some point allow fans in the building.
In fact, the Padres are far from the only team over the past few months that has engaged in internal discussions about creating a safe and comfortable experience for fans if and when they are allowed to return to ballparks. That fan experience would entail contactless food and beverage service, staggered entry times into the venue and reprogrammed seating configurations to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
When asked about its current policy, MLB issued a statement to SBJ that said: “Fans will not be permitted to attend MLB games at the start of the season. The decision to potentially allow fans during the season will be made based on local government approval in each market and MLB’s approval after consultation with all appropriate parties.”
As it has for the past four months, MLB will continue to be guided by medical professionals in individual markets as it determines when and if smaller gatherings of fans will be allowed to attend games. A source familiar with the drafting of MLB’s 100-plus page operations manual, which details comprehensive health and safety protocols, pinpointed two determining factors: the advice of local health officials and the virus’ rate of spread curves in those markets.
“We are in the business of gathering crowds and we are in the midst of a pandemic that calls for the prevention of gathering crowds,” Arizona Diamondbacks CEO and President Derrick Hall said. “Our biggest concern should be creating ideal plans for the comfort and health of our employees and fans when a return is possible, as we are attempting to do with our players and coaches. We need consumer confidence to now include a restored confidence in attending a game in-person, as free of risk as possible.”
Optimism surrounding fan attendance had been rising among some high-level executives. New York Yankees principal owner Hal Steinbrenner said earlier this month that he could envision Yankee Stadium being filled to 20% or 30% capacity. Boston Red Sox team President Sam Kennedy and Houston Astros owner Jim Crane also said this summer that their ballparks would accommodate fans on a limited basis. And Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on June 3 that in-state sports venues could be filled to 50% capacity.
But that optimism has deflated with the virus now raging throughout states like Arizona, Florida and California, which are home to 10 of MLB’s 30 teams. Rob Matwick, the Texas Rangers’ executive vice president of business operations, said that because of the recent spike in cases no fans will attend games at Globe Life Field at least until Aug. 7, if at all this season. Rangers co-owner and co-chairman Ray Davis maintains communication with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Matwick said, and all decisions regarding fan attendance are “collective.”
When asked specifically about Abbott allowing Texas venues to accommodate fans, Zach Binney, an epidemiologist at Oxford College of Emory University, told SBJ: “You can’t print what I want to say so I’m going to take a deep breath here and say as a public health professional that I am deeply dismayed that we can’t all agree that we should not have fans in stadiums until we have a vaccine. This is a totally optional activity that brings a lot of people together only to put money in the pockets of a few, and the least painful thing we can do to prevent the spread, the fact that some don’t agree with that is baffling to me.”
MLB expects to lose $640,000 a game during a season played in empty ballparks. Ticket sales, concessions, parking and other game-day proceeds account for 39% of teams’ revenue. And some middle-market teams rely heavily on gate receipts: The St. Louis Cardinals filled Busch Stadium to 97.8% capacity in 2019, while the Milwaukee Brewers drew 86.1% at Miller Park.
In addition to safety measures, how to ease fans’ minds remains a paramount focus as well.
“Fans have to feel comfortable coming back into the building,” Matwick said. “That is somewhat of an unknown. We are hopeful there is an appetite, we think there will be pent-up demand, but we also know people want to feel safe.”
