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Citi Field and other sporting arenas are finally opening so you can take in a game with hotdog in hand.
Beginning April 1, professional sports in large outdoor stadiums that hold 10,000 people or more will be allowed to reopen at 20% capacity and smaller, regional sports or arts venues that hold 1,500 people indoors or 2,500 people outdoors can also reopen, though initial capacity will be limited to 10 percent indoors and 20 percent outdoors.
This means about 8,492 fans can attend the Mets’ home opener against the Miami Marlins on April 8 and similar numbers at the Yankees' home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1.
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This is a huge step in the reopening of New York City—it'll be the largest crowd at these stadiums since fall 2019. Of course, there will be certain requirements in order to attend. You must:
- show proof of a recent negative test or completed vaccination series prior to entry
- wear a face covering
- social distance
- and do a health screening.
Other new rules include a new ticketing process—paper tickets will not be accepted. Instead, all tickets will be delivered on the MLB Ballpark app on mobile devices. Concession purchases will also all be cashless. You can use your credit/debit card or mobile payment methods. Stadium workers will also sanitize the ballpark after every game and will disinfect high-touch areas during games.
Separately, Yankee Stadium has set up "ticket pods," which are seating areas for their first 11 home games in April.
"We can’t wait for those days to get here," Mets' manager Luis Rojas said. "I know we start on the road, but once we get home and we have that 20 percent, that’s just going to be outstanding. Just to hear the support live again, that’s something that we’ve missed very, very much. So that’s going to mean a lot to everybody."
"The entire Yankees organization—and especially our players on the field—feed off the energy that our loyal and dedicated fans bring to Yankee Stadium," said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. "Our fans have made our home a preeminent worldwide attraction, and their excitement is the catalyst for the championship goals we set every season. We are thrilled to be able to have them back in 2021 and promise them the highest standards for health and safety this season and beyond. We are fully committed to providing a world-class experience at Yankee Stadium in every respect."
This is great news for New Yorkers and the sports teams and further changes could be made depending on how the first month of games goes. The state's Department of Health will be evaluating the situation and if the health situation continues to improve, certain rules may be discontinued in mid-May. Capacity may also increase as the positivity rate goes down.
Of course, vaccinations will continue to be administered at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field during the MLB season.
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