For the first time since 2019, a major league ballpark was packed with fans.
The Texas Rangers had their home opener on Monday at their new Globe Life Park (which opened last year without fans) and marked the first sporting event that allowed for full capacity seating despite still being in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Rangers have faced some criticism of their decision to do so, which included President Joe Biden, but they've also received some praise.
The Rangers allowed 100% capacity for the game, but the club did offer "distanced seating" in certain sections of the stadium.
“We were very encouraged that the governor’s office has given clearance for us to fully open Globe Life Field at the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season,” Rangers president of business operations and COO Neil Leibman said in a statement earlier this month. “We’re fully confident that we can do this is in a responsible and safe way. There is so much pent-up demand for people wanting to go to events in a safe environment.
“They want to watch baseball, and they’d like to watch it in the new stadium with the roof open,” Leibman added. “So, I think with all the protocols that we’re following, we will be extremely responsible and provide a very comfortable environment for somebody to enjoy the game without worrying if we’re going to be a spreader event.”
It was a bit of a surreal sight to see a packed crowd as fans on social media expressed uneasiness about its potential to become a super spreader event.
Footage of fans walking around inside the stadium did show several fans wearing masks. The Rangers said they had been in contact with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health officials on their plan to host fans, and they planned to enforce their policy of having fans wear their masks while not eating or drinking.
And for those who purchased anything at the game, all transactions were cashless and social distancing measures were taken upon entry and exit into the park.
Additionally, the roof at Globe Life Field was open for the game and the club has said they will continue to play under the Texas sky unless rain is in the forecast. It's unknown when the club will re-examine that policy as the temperatures heat up.
Despite the vaccine rollout, COVID cases have been on the rise in the U.S.
Texas only has 16.1% of its population fully vaccinated — which is less than the nation as the whole, which is only 19% fully vaccinated with 32% receiving at least one dose.
However, cases in Texas have been trending downward since the beginning of March, though, even after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted mask mandates and allowed all businesses to open at full capacity.
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