DENVER (KDVR) — Only the Texas Rangers will have more fans in seats than the Colorado Rockies for their Major League Baseball opening days.
Nationwide, most MLB opening days will be hampered by the COVID-19 capacity restrictions in place since last season. Only the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas will allow 100% capacity for opening day, then reevaluate capacity caps afterward. The remainder of the league will average will about 25% capacity.
Coors Field not only has one of the country’s largest ball parks, with a capacity of 50,398 when fully open, but one of the highest capacity restrictions caps as well.
After declaring a 12,500-person cap in February, officials revised the capacity limit to 42.6% in March. This means 21,470 fans will be able to attend the first homestand of the season featuring games against the LA Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Texas parks have the highest percentage of fans allowed.
The Texas Rangers allow 100% capacity for their opener and therefore have the most people allowed at its full 40,300 capacity.
The Houston Astros allow for a 50% capacity, but since Minute Maid Park’s overall capacity is about 9,000 seats fewer than Coors Field, Colorado will have more overall fans.
The Coors Field limit is a fair deal higher than the league average. The 30 ball parks that will host opening days have an average 26% capacity cap.
Capacity restrictions range from the Rangers’ full to the Boston Red Sox’ and Washington Nationals’ 12% limit apiece. Across the league, each stadium will host an average 11,020 fans.
Most teams will continue evaluating restrictions as the season progresses with COVID-19 vaccine success. The Rangers will do this after the opener alone – meaning the Colorado Rockies may have, however briefly, the most-attended games in the league.