The Baltimore Orioles announced today that fans WILL BE ADMITTED to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota for spring training games. It will be limited to 25% of capacity, however fans will be allowed to purchase tickets for spring games. Each home game will be limited to 1,833 fans, and tickets will be sold in “pod seating,” so as to allow people to socially distance.
Nothing has been announced in the way of fan admission for regular season games, however that 25% capacity number shouldn’t necessarily tell us how many fans will be admitted come April. First off, every locality is different. That number’s based on where Florida is in terms of COVID right now. However Oriole Park at Camden Yards is also a much bigger facility than Ed Smith Stadium. It may well end up being that the Birds can get away with allowing 40 or 50% capacity in Baltimore.
The Orioles also announced all of their game times yesterday. There are a few changes from years past; Monday-Thursday home games will begin at 6:35 PM as opposed to 7:05 in April, May, and September. I suspect this is being done to allow the games to end earlier for kids in school. Exceptions to this rule: Thursday, April 15th vs. Seattle (1 PM), Thursday, April 29th vs. NYY (1 PM), Thursday, May 20th vs. Tampa (12:30), and Thursday August 16th vs. NYY (1 PM).
During the summer months (June, July, August) the mid-week games will revert back to the 7:05 start time. All Friday games will begin at 7:05, as will most Saturday games over the course of the season. However select Saturday games will begin at 4:05, and all Sunday home games will begin at 1:05 PM.
Birdland Crush 