On Thursday, the Cardinals announced that in coordination with the City of St. Louis and Major League Baseball, they’ve been approved to reopen Busch Stadium to fans in time for the team’s April 8 home opener. The ballpark will operate at 32 percent capacity to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“We are excited to have our fans back in the stands for the upcoming season,” said Bill DeWitt III, the team’s president, in a press release. “We thank Mayor Lyda Krewson’s office, Health Director Dr. Fredrick Echols, and the City of St. Louis Health Department for partnering with us to develop a comprehensive reopening plan that complies with all City health directives and the League’s Return-to-Play Protocols.”
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COVID-19 data from the city shows a positivity rate of 4 percent over the past two weeks. Reported new cases have declined over the past month.
The Cardinals have put together protocols to continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Those include:
- Socially-distanced seating: Guests will be seated in pods of four or less with a minimum distance of 6 feet between seating pods in all directions.
- Masks required: Masks will be required at all times in all areas of the stadium, including the seating bowl, unless guests are actively eating and drinking.
- Mobile-only ticketing: All game tickets will be delivered via the MLB Ballpark app, ensuring a touchless entry into the ballpark. Tickets for this season will go on sale soon.
- Cashless transactions: Concession stands, kiosks, and other retail transactions made in the stadium will be cashless and only offer credit and debit payment options. Debit cards will be available for purchase using cash with no service fees at a limited number of locations inside the stadium.
- Designated entry gates: Guests will be directed to enter and exit the stadium through one of six designated entry gates to expedite the process and limit crowding at any one entrance. A designated entry gate will be noted on each ticket. Guests will not be permitted to exit and re-enter the stadium.
- Bags not permitted: To reduce contamination and ensure touchless entry, bags will not be permitted to be brought in to Busch Stadium, except for medical or diaper bags.
- Hand sanitizer: Hand sanitizer dispensers will be widely available throughout the ballpark.
- Staff health screenings: All full-time employees and event staff will be subject to health and temperature screenings before entering the stadium.
The Cardinals will play the Milwaukee Brewers on April 8.
