Matt Loede
Videos by OutKick
The state of Ohio is set to finally have fans in the stands again for Major League Baseball. Ohio governor Mike DeWine stated today that he expects stadiums around Ohio to be about 30 percent full.
Gov. Mike DeWine said he expects baseball season to start with 30% capacity for fans in stands
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) February 22, 2021
The two MLB stadiums in Ohio are Progressive Field (home of the Indians) and the Great American Ballpark (home of the Reds).
Progressive Field’s capacity for the Tribe sits at 35,041. That means that at 30 percent, you can expect to see about 10,512 in the ballpark cheering on the defending AL Central champion Indians. The team is changing their nickname following the 2021 season.
As for the Reds, their home capacity is at 42,319, which means at 30 percent, you are looking at 12,695 fans in the stands.
Going back the last four seasons with fans in the stands starting in 2019, the Reds have averaged the following each season:
2019 – 22,329
2018 – 20,115
2017 – 22,677
2016 – 23,383
Cincinnati has struggled the last couple seasons, winning 68, 68, 67 and 75 games from 2016 to 2019.
The Indians’ average home attendance has been a little more up and down, as the team got an upswing in ticket sales after making a surprising World Series run in 2016, and drew well for the market in both 2017 and 2018 before leveling out a bit in 2019:
2019 – 21,465
2018 – 24,083
2017 – 25,285
2016 – 19,650
How the Reds and Indians distribute tickets to season ticket holders and whether such ticket distribution will happen prior to the two teams’ opening home games in April remains to be seen.
According to reports, fans will be required to wear masks while in the ballparks.
The “required to wear masks” is the dumbest part. If you are eating or drinking you do not have to wear it. I went to a Cowboys game in October and just held a beer in my hands at all times and didn’t wear a mask once.
Also with baseball, what will they do about sunflower seeds? I am technically eating (based on the rules, no mask needed), and also spitting. Coronabros are going to try to cancel seeds next watch out
DeWine is an asshole.
And that’s on a good day
30%… that is much higher than the efficiency with which DeSwine operates. He is an embarrassment to Ohio. The only science he follows is the Science of Political Experience.
Just fill the stadium ignore these tyrannical Govs and he’s supposed to be a republican fucking rino
Can’t Ohio recall Governor Elton John?
Isn’t that more than either team draws anyways?
I say at least 50%. Early season MLB games (outside of opening day) generally do not draw as much of a crowd. So basically, 50% would bring things back to normal for a while.