50% maximum occupancy in MD and Baltimore City

[fansince1988]

According to this article, Camden Yards can increase to 50 percent capacity on May 17. I haven't seen the Orioles make an announcement yet. 

https://www.southbmore.com/2021/05/13/maryland-and-baltimore-city-to-end-most-covid-19-restrictions/

[Redskins Rick]

I thought outsider arenas were losing all restrictions??????????

[Sports Guy]

Orioles are staying as is for now.

With all restrictions being lifted statewide, hopefully by Memorial Day, I hope they get more people in the park and get rid of their archaic and idiotic mask and food rules too.

[SteveA]

The Orioles have been selling socially distanced "pods" for all May games for some time now.   I imagine that they will not open up any May games any further.   That could lead to fans claiming they thought they were buying socially distanced tickets and now suddenly sitting right up against other people.  Whether you feel that way or not, the people that bought those pod tickets might have an issue.   That could open up a whole can of worms.   

Not to mention that due to the "demand pricing" bull--- that they are doing this year, the last few people who bought tickets the Yankee series before the games sold out the 1/4 capacity, paid a ton of money.   I was online the other night and there were just a handful of tickets to Saturday's Yankee game left and the cheapest was $182/ticket.    Obviously I passed.    Imagine if I had bought a few $200 tickets and then they put 11000 more tickets on sale due to the change in rules, and now that the game is not close to a sellout, someone bought the seat next to me for $45.  I'd be pretty pissed!

I assume that when they put June tickets on sale they will sell 50%.   Looking forward to it.   Right now the only May home games remaining are the Yankee series, the Rays series, and the Memorial Day Twins game.    

[Can_of_corn]

36 minutes ago, fansince1988 said:

According to this article, Camden Yards can increase to 50 percent capacity on May 17. I haven't seen the Orioles make an announcement yet. 

https://www.southbmore.com/2021/05/13/maryland-and-baltimore-city-to-end-most-covid-19-restrictions/

Is anyone expecting them to hit 50% capacity?

They weren't selling out at the diminished capacity.

[Sports Guy]

13 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Is anyone expecting them to hit 50% capacity?

They weren't selling out at the diminished capacity.

They will games where they do...although people traveling to Baltimore from wherever will probably be lessened this year.

Either way, just opening up everything would be nice.

[SteveA]

6 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Is anyone expecting them to hit 50% capacity?

They weren't selling out at the diminished capacity.

Actually I think they are very close to selling out the Yankee series.

Plus, going to 50% means a lot more good seats available.   A "sellout" crowd of 11000 socially distanced will include people in the highest rows of the LF upper deck.   Going to 50% means that if you want better seats you now can get them.   The better sections, as well as the better-value mid-tier sections, will sell a lot more seats.

[SteveA]

6 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

They will games where they do...although people traveling to Baltimore from wherever will probably be lessened this year.

Either way, just opening up everything would be nice.

And I hope they allow you to buy a variable amount of tickets again too.   I had 3 people interested in going to Saturday's Yankee game and they were only selling pods of 2, 4 or 6.   The prices were prohibitive anyway because of the demand pricing, but even if there had been reasonable pricing we would have had to buy 4 tickiets, or find someone else to go with us.

[fansince1988]

23 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Is anyone expecting them to hit 50% capacity?

They weren't selling out at the diminished capacity.

Hard to say what people will do. For myself I'd rather go back to the ballpark when things go back to pre-2020. The more the hassle, the more likely I'll watch from home. 

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, SteveA said:

And I hope they allow you to buy a variable amount of tickets again too.   I had 3 people interested in going to Saturday's Yankee game and they were only selling pods of 2, 4 or 6.   The prices were prohibitive anyway because of the demand pricing, but even if there had been reasonable pricing we would have had to buy 4 tickiets, or find someone else to go with us.

Yea that’s annoying.  I paid for an extra ticket a few weeks ago.

[survivedc]

59 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Is anyone expecting them to hit 50% capacity?

They weren't selling out at the diminished capacity.

Prices have been over the top due to limited capacity. I’m not interested in paying $40 for a first row upper deck ticket behind the plate, and I don’t want to pay $20 for LF reserve. Add more tickets, bring those prices down.

[MurphDogg]

The Orioles already announced they were sticking with 25-ish percent capacity for the remainder of the season. They sent out emails to season ticket holders last week letting them now that tickets for June through the end of the year will go on sale no later than May 18, and that season ticket holders would have the same seats for the remainder of the season that they have had in April and May.

I emailed my rep and he said that they are adding a few seats but still staying under 30 percent. I quite enjoy my seats, feel totally safe with nobody else in my row in the second row behind home plate in the upper deck, and don't get any guff from the usher for having my mask off the entire time I am in the seats. Under the current circumstances I would much rather be there than in my normal seats in the front row, surrounded by people and forced (or compelled) to wear a mask.

Hopefully as part of the adding more seats, they will have options for people who go to the game by themselves to not have to buy two seats.

If anyone wants to buy tickets at season ticket holder cost, feel free to PM me and I can grab them and email them and you can Paypal or Venmo me.

[Frobby]

I’m surprised the O’s already decided to stay at 25% the rest of the year.   I am going to my first game this Saturday, and do think I’ll enjoy having nobody immediately behind or in front of me, or in the seats to either side of my pod.    Not so much because of safety, just comfort, not having to angle myself to avoid having my view partially blocked by the people immediately in front, and not having to listen to the inane conversation of the people immediately in back of me.    That said, there’s nothing like being in a big crowd when the game is an exciting one.   

[Yossarian]

5 hours ago, Redskins Rick said:

I thought outsider arenas were losing all restrictions??????????

I think the new CDC guidelines are saying no masks required for outdoor venues and limited indoor use (hospitals, very close quarters, etc.).  That is just guidelines, though.  Rules are put in place by states, counties, and private businesses.  They may or may not follow the guidelines.

[Frobby]

31 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

I think the new CDC guidelines are saying no masks required for outdoor venues and limited indoor use (hospitals, very close quarters, etc.).  That is just guidelines, though.  Rules are put in place by states, counties, and private businesses.  They may or may not follow the guidelines.

Those CDC guidelines are for people who are vaccinated, I believe.