PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pens CEO and President David Morehouse says they are thankful and excited to provide fans with a night out as it was announced 2,800 fans can start attending Penguins games as of tomorrow.
“You’ve seen the signs around the city that say ‘we’re back’,” Morehouse said Monday. “Well now we are back and we are open.”
It’s been since March 8, 2020 that the team had general fans at PPG Paints Arena. They arrive just in time for the team to play three straight home games against the Flyers starting Tuesday night.
“I think there is going to be high demand for these tickets,” Morehouse said. “People have been waiting a long time to be able to come to games. Just the games we’ve had a limited number of fans in, many have come up to me to say it’s the first night out they’ve had out in a year.”
It will be a different experience than then. People will wear masks sitting in pods of two or four and most everything will be a touchless experience. From the restrooms, to mobile ticketing and parking, to cashless grab-and-go concession stands, plus gate and time of arrival assignments (to keep gates from getting crowded).
“This big document that we put together boiled down to two things that UPMC doctors and the PA Health Department told us-masks and washing their hands,” Morehouse said. “That’s the two most important things to keep the building safe.”
Season-ticket holders will get the first shot at tickets and Morehouse doesn’t think he’ll have an issue selling them.
“I think there is going to be high demand for these tickets,” Morehouse said. “People have been waiting a long time to be able to come to games. Just the games we’ve had a limited number of fans in, many have come up to me to say it’s the first night out they’ve had out in a year.”
The Pens were the only pro sports team to receive a $4.82 million loan under the Paycheck Protection Program for COVID-19. That would speak to their financial situation and Morehouse said getting 2,800 fans is not going to alleviate those issues, but is a move forward.
“The economic impact of this is great and I think it’s the first step back to normality,” Morehouse said. “We continued to get more and more people vaccinated. As we prove to the league and the country that we can open our building to 2,800 fans and keep them safe. I think it will be a lot quicker that we can open all of those other economic doors.”