As the coronavirus pandemic rages across the country, Major League Baseball has decided to let more fans watch the playoffs live.
The league will make 11,500 tickets available for each game of the National League Championship Series and the World Series, it announced Wednesday. Both series will be held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex., home of the Texas Rangers.
MLB said it has received “all the appropriate approvals” in order to allow fans in the stadium, which will include up to 10,550 fans spread throughout the ballpark and 950 in Globe Life Field suites.
Mask wearing is mandatory except when eating or drinking, and the league will instill some social distancing measures — people will be separated six feet from each other and 20 feet away from the field, dugouts and bullpens — during the games. Also, hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the park.
On the same day MLB’s decision to sell tickets was announced, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported the highest amount of hospitalizations (898 COVID-19 patients) in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (which includes Globe Life Field) since August.
MLB is the third major American team sports league to allow fans at the stadium. MLS allowed fans in attendance in August. The NFL’s Chiefs kicked off their Super Bowl defense with a small collection of fans at Arrowhead Stadium.
A fan in attendance at Arrowhead tested positive for the virus during the kickoff, prompting the Kansas City Health Department to direct 10 people at the stadium to quarantine after potential exposure to the coronavirus.
