The Los Angeles Dodgers are averaging more than 15,000 in attendance and have sold-out all 10 games at Dodger Stadium so far this season. Included in that was what team president and CEO Stan Kasten referred to as an “experiment” with fully-vaccinated sections on Saturday.
Such seats were in loge 166 and 168, where social distancing was not required and fans were seated directly next to other parties. Face coverings were still required to be worn in the fully vaccinated-only sections, except while actively eating and/or drinking.
The two sections were reserved for fully vaccinated fans (at least two weeks have passed since receiving their final vaccine dose) and children between the ages of 2 and 15 who can provide proof of having tested negative for coronavirus (COVID-19) within 72 hours of admission. Children under the age of 2 did not need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
The San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are among the teams to establish fully-vaccinated sections this season.
“We consider this one more marker on the road back to normal. That is our hope,” Kasten said. “Every one of these things that we can pull off gets us a little closer to what the governor has pointed to as a forward turn to normal sometime in June. Now, a lot of things have to happen for that to come true, but that’s certainly what we are all hoping for.”
Kasten added if everything went well — which he anticipated being the case — then the Dodgers would explore adding more fully-vaccinated sections throughout Dodger Stadium. “I don’t know about every game, but I don’t know why we wouldn’t,” he said. “Obviously we want as many people in here as possible as quickly as possible.”
One hurdle the Dodgers face is with attendance. While L.A. County being in the orange tier allows for 33% of Dodger Stadium capacity, the required six-foot distancing guideline has limited the team to only selling tickets up to 27%.
“That’s a geometry problem,” Kasten said. “So the only way to get our numbers up are to have sections where there’s no distancing. Like these fully-vaccinated sections. So the more we can do of this, the better.
“It will allow us to reach the numbers that L.A. County has allowed us to have but won’t change the distancing. It’s not just them. It’s the county, the state, CDC.”
Any idea how many more fully-vaccinated sections Dodgers would be able to add next homestand
“I don’t know yet. Let’s get through the experiment. Obviously, we’ll tell you as soon as we know, because we want the word to get out. We just don’t know yet.”
When does Shake Shack at Dodger Stadium open?
The Dodgers opened additional concession stands in the renovated center field plaza and on the field level for their current homestand, and are hopeful to continue expanding the offerings.
“We anticipate maybe more (health guidelines) loosening starting May 11. We don’t know, but that’s what we anticipate,” Kasten said. “We have limited menus, so that makes things smoother and keeps people standing at the concession stand for a shorter amount of time.
“It has gone smoothly. We are hoping May 11 to open up quite a few more stands.”
As for the opening of the new Shake Shack location at Dodger Stadium, Kasten said, “Very soon. It won’t be this week, but very soon.”
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