With California meeting a requirement of having administered 2 million doses in specifically identified communities, Los Angeles and other counties in the state have been approved for more opening of their respective economies.
By Sunday, those counties will be moved into the red tier. As defined by the California Department of Public Health, that is defined as four to seven new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases per 100,000 residents.
The improvement is going to allow the Dodgers to welcome 11,200 fans — 20% capacity of Dodger Stadium — along with selling food and drinks. Had L.A. County remained in the red tier, the Dodgers would have been limited to 100 fans and no concessions.
“On behalf of the Dodger organization and its fans, we want to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Governor Newsom, his staff and the many others who have worked tirelessly on these revised guidelines which provide a blueprint for California outdoor sports venues to re-open to fans,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said at the time the team was approved for some fans.
“Like the Governor, we’re optimistic that California will continue to make progress in the fight against COVID-19 and that we can safely host fans to start the season. Safety is paramount, and the Dodgers continue to work with local officials and Major League Baseball to finalize protocols to protect players, fans and staff.”
At the time of the statement, the Dodgers additionally said they planned to announce health and safety protocols for fans as well as a ticket policy for reduced capacity at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers open the 2021 regular season on the road before playing their home opener against the Washington Nationals on Friday, April 9.
Rockies approved for more fans
Opening Day for the Dodgers has them facing the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field for the start of a four-game series. The Rockies were approved to host 42.6% of capacity by the start of the season, which amounts to 21,363 fans for home games.
“We couldn’t be happier to be inviting Rockies fans back into Coors Field,” Rockies COO Greg Feasel said in a statement.
“It took a lot of hard work from a lot of people, and we thank the State of Colorado, the City and County of Denver, and their health officials, along with MLB for partnering with us to ensure that our thorough and detailed plan complies with all health and safety measures.”
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