The New York Yankees and Mets will allow a limited number of fans in stadiums starting April 1, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced on Thursday.
The governor said fans wanting to watch a game from the stands will have to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test or a completed vaccination series prior to entry.
“As New York’s COVID situation improves, we’re giving New Yorkers the opportunity to cheer on the Yankees and Mets in person as long as they stay safe,” Cuomo said in a statement.
Both ballparks will be capped at 20 percent capacity. Citi Field, home of the Mets, will allow 8,384 fans in the stands, and Yankee Stadium will host about 10,850 spectators.
Vaccinations will continue to be administered at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field during the MLB season, the governor noted.
The requirement for proof of a negative test or vaccination appears to be the first of its kind for MLB ballparks, according to CBS Sports’s MLB attendance tracker.
Cuomo, however, said that the New York State Department of Health will reevaluate this guideline in May, and if the state’s public health situation continues to improve, it may be “discontinued” later that month.
In addition to the testing and vaccination guideline, fans will also be required to wear face coverings, social distance and have their temperatures checked.
“We thank Governor Cuomo and the state’s Department of Health for their efforts in this significant step in New York’s recovery from COVID and look forward to continuing to work with them as capacity restrictions and testing requirements hopefully ease in the months ahead – to allow as many fans as possible to have a safe and great time with us,” Mets owner, chairman and CEO Steve Cohen said.
The Yankees home opener is April 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Mets’s first home game of the season is on April 8 against the Miami Marlins.
According to CBS Sports, more than 15 MLB teams are opening their doors to spectators this season.
In addition to the ballparks, Cuomo also announced that smaller, regional sports venues that hold 1,500 people indoors or 2,500 outdoors can also reopen at a limited capacity. These locales will be capped at 10 percent indoors and 20 percent outdoors, and they will also institute the testing and vaccination requirement, as well as mandatory masking, distancing and health screenings.
Large outdoor performing arts venues, including stadiums, that hold more than 2,500 people also received the green light to reopen at 20 percent capacity starting in April.
These 20 percent capacity openings are an expansion from February, when Cuomo announced that sports and entertainment events in major stadiums and arenas with a volume of 10,000 or more could reopen at 10 percent capacity.
This news comes just over one week after Cuomo announced plans to expand indoor dining capacity on March 19 to 50 percent throughout the state.
As of Thursday, New York has recorded more than 1.7 million coronavirus cases and 48,686 deaths, according to The New York Times.