Right now the country is in a difficult position between protecting folks from the COVID-19 virus and trying to return to some semblance of normalcy after more than a year of social distancing. The corresponding isolation has been tough on a great many people, not just for the health related issue, but the lack of camaraderie and communication with friends and family.
The greater distribution of the vaccines that are designed to provide some degree of prevention from greater illness is helping to fuel some cautious optimism that it may be permissible to once again start sitting together and interacting with others. While there is no national policy in this regard, each state and businesses within the states are making their own determinations regarding what is acceptable or not acceptable when the numbers of cases have started to hold steady or decrease.
One of the primary decisions for the owners of sports teams, event arenas and other places where large crowds once gathered is whether or not it is now time to reopen the gates. If so, how many seats will be sold? How far apart must folks sit from one another? What implications and requirements will be thrust upon the would-be viewing public who choose to attend?
At one end of the spectrum you have the Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas that houses the Texas Rangers. They have already announced that upon opening day they will attempt to sell the full 40,500 capacity to fans who want to see the start to a semi-normal baseball season. I’m not here to debate whether that decision is a good one or a bad one. However, it is expected to be something of an exception to the rest of the baseball owners.
In New York they’re taking a far more cautious approach with the governor announcing an approval to allow 20% capacity for fans. In Citifield that means there will be 8,492 fans allowed to grace the seats at the stadium. Yankee Stadium has a higher seating capacity, so its 20% will be 10850. One would think that given the 80% emptiness of the stadiums, seating will be spaced out so as not to defeat the purpose of social distancing.
All around baseball the team owners are having to wrangle with this issue of making it possible for fans who want to see the games (and bring them revenue), while also not making an environment that will create a greater probability of the virus spreading. If you go to one extreme like the Rangers you will likely have the latter issue to contend with. If you go to the lesser capacities like the New York teams, then it’s the incoming revenue that will be the primary concern. Either way, it’s a tricky road to take and one which will be flagged with critics who take one side much more strongly than the other.
Of course, baseball is not alone in this challenge of revenue vs. pandemic control. Indoor arenas for basketball and hockey will have to do the same ticket sales dance, as will the owners of the NFL franchises. Restaurants, movie theaters and other tightly-packed venues must figure out their own paths as well.
As an analogy, I was thinking about the post-9/11 period in which the ballparks were closed for a few weeks until some order was restored. That first game back for the Mets seemed almost surreal until Mike Piazza hit his game-changing home run. All of the sudden, for a brief moment, life felt normal once again. I have a feeling people attending the games around the country will also not feel completely right about it, but once the strikes are thrown and batters cross home plate they will soon forget any misgivings about their decision to drive there to see games in person.
Play ball...and hope for the best for everyone.
3 comments:
NY is trying out something called Empire Pass, where you register and it shows if you've either been vaccinated or tested negative. Smacks of Bog Brother - I don't like it at all. Of course it is optional - for now.
If the vaccine truly works, that plus the change of season should cause this virus to virtually evaporate within a month or so.
Anyway, Texas seems to be rushing it - if I were them, I'd have done 20% for the first month, then expanded it to whatever seemed appropriate to them.
They of course are from your state of Texas, Reese, and with droves and hordes of COVID positive migrants freewheeling across the southern border daily, so I guess the virus won't evaporate after all. What was I thinking. To allow (and even encourage) this during a pandemic, one we seemed to almost be ready to vanquish, is inexplicable.
Corona, Queens, where the Mets play, was an absolute hot bed of COVID due to migrants over the past year. Perhaps the worst spot (outside of nursing homes) in the entire country. This new horde will be settling in many places, among them NYC, Corona, and Long Island in very high numbers. While most of NYS COVID numbers have dropped a lot oand steadily over the past several weeks, NYC and LI have plateaued for a month - and which is more aof a factor, sick migrants or variants, you can take your pick. The migrant surge has been under way for about 10 weeks now, so no doubt many have found their way up here already, with more arriving daily in Port Authority. It is amazing when one thinks about it, since such a high % of people in NYC had already been infected and have immunity, or been vaccinated.
I am more than spitting mad about all this. The virus still kills people, and if you could ask Randy Tate, he'd tell you exactly that - except it recently killed him, so he is not available for comment. Why stoke the fire with new sources of the virus that could be cut off at the pass, so to speak?
It's not just baseball - it is life back to normal. An 82 year old friend just told us yesterday evening she had gotten tested positive for COVID. It is still real, even if declining (in most places at least).
Tom, you summed it up very well.
Gus, thanks. I don't know your circumstances, but I have been working from home for 13 months, living carefully for all that time. We don't need totally unnecessary setbacks. I am in really good shape, but almost as old as Randy Tate, and seeing him die of COVID is a vivid reminder of the reality of this thing. With politicians of all stripes, and not to get political here, except that it also affects the 2021 season, don't watch their lips move - just see what they actually do (or don't do).
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