Dodgers working with state officials to allow fans to attend opening day
When the Dodgers play their first home game as the defending World Series champions, they hope fans will be there.
The Dodgers are working with the governor’s office and local public health officials on proposals that call for Dodger Stadium to operate at limited capacity at the start of the season, team president Stan Kasten said in a video sent Friday to season-ticket holders.
“I hope, by opening day, we are finally going to have some fans in the park,” Kasten said in the video. “I don’t think it will be a full stadium just yet. But I do believe sometime during this season, the way things are looking, we will have a full stadium again.”
Justin Turner speaks publicly for the first time since the Dodgers won the World Series and he celebrated despite testing positive for COVID-19.
The proposal could require the state to modify its current guidance, which allows a team to sell to 20% capacity if its county is in the orange tier, indicating moderate spread of the coronavirus, and 25% capacity if the county is in the yellow tier, indicating minimal spread. Los Angeles County currently is in the purple tier, indicating the virus is widespread.
The Dodgers could sell 11,200 seats at 20% capacity and 14,000 seats at 25% capacity.
The league’s health and safety protocols mandate socially-distanced seating, sold in groups or “pods,” with fans required to wear a mask at all times when not eating or drinking at their seats. The protocols do not mandate temperature checks or require fans to show proof of a negative test for COVID-19, or of vaccination.
Kasten said he is looking forward to welcoming fans back to the ballpark this season. The Dodgers played before a small crowd in winning the World Series and National League championship series in Arlington, Texas, last season, but fans were not allowed in for games at Dodger Stadium.
“This has always been the most beautiful place ever built to play or watch the game of baseball,” Kasten said. “I think we will appreciate it in a way we never did before.”
The Dodgers home opener is April 9 against the Washington Nationals.
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