It’s been nearly a year since most players took the field in front of living, breathing fans, and, not surprisingly, many found the experience to be a refreshing semblance of normalcy. But, what about the fans themselves? With pandemic-related concerns still lingering, are people actually ready to be taken out with the (possibly infected) crowd?
At the start of the exhibition season, all teams have been granted approval to admit fans at varying percentages of capacity based on state and local guidelines. In terms of available seats, the Cubs will allow the most fans through the turnstiles at 3,630, while the Yankees and Twins are pushing the furthest limit by extending capacity to 28%. At the other end of the spectrum, the Giants will only be admitting up to 1,000 fans per game, or about 9% capacity.
On average, spring training ballparks will admit around 2,000 fans per game, or roughly 21% of available seats. Will this limited supply be sufficient to meet demand, or will Covid fears keep even more seats empty?
If the first game is an indicator, fans appear eager to return to the ballpark. For the 14 games played on February 28, average utilization was over 94%, including seven teams above 99%. The lowest level of capacity recorded was 82.4% at the spring home of the Cardinals, though it’s worth noting that was nearly the same percentage that attended the team’s first exhibition game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in 2020.
Though one game does not a trend make, MLB teams should be encouraged by the initial attendance figures. Covid will probably have some dampening effect into the foreseeable future, but it’s becoming increasingly evident that fans are ready to head back to the ballpark. The big questions, of course, are how soon and to what degree will state and local governments allow them to root, root, root for the home team?
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