For the first time in over a year and a half, the Pittsburgh Pirates will welcome fans back inside PNC Park.
When fans walk through the gates beginning with the home opener on Thursday, they'll notice plenty of changes, some planned, others implemented due to the pandemic.
Masks, social distancing and other COVID protocols are going to be in place to keep fans safe.
Pirates president Travis Williams says they are expecting somewhere between 8,000 to 9,000 fans to start the season and are working on having some sections with more fans later on in the season for those who have been vaccinated.
In addition to the new protocols, there are also updates being made to several locations and menu items around the Park.
The TLC chicken sandwich, previously available on the Club Level will now be available in the section 117 market.
Chickie & Pets's fries will now be available at three locations, 115, 310 and the original in Pop's Plaza.
For fans looking for a discount, Bucaroos family value items will now be available at 146 on the Riverwalk and in section 307.
The ballpark will also be completely cashless in 2021, with two reverse ATMs available that will transfer cash into a gift card.
Williams says money not used in the ballpark can be used outside of PNC Park.
Getting alcohol will also be easier than ever. Fans will pick what they want out of a refrigerator, place it on a sensor and then pay using a POS system.
Additionally, a sensory room has been installed at PNC Park for fans dealing with sensory overload. Those include fans with autism, dementia, PTSD and other conditions.
A nursing pod has also been installed and will be available behind section 131.
Tickets will be digital and available on the MLB Ballpark app. Your ticket will also tell you which gate you need to go through to get into the park.
More information about your return to PNC Park can be found below.
