Off-Topic Forum

Has anyone attended an MLB game this year? I'd love to hear about your experiences and how it might've been different from pre-pandemic games. I haven't been to one yet, but will go to several in June and July.

I usually go to about 20 or so a year, mostly on trips to New York to see the Yankees, Mets and whoever they're playing. In addition, when my dad retired about 15 years ago, I've taken a trip with him to various cities where we go to a bunch of games, visit touristy things like history museums, and eat way too much food. While dad is not a huge baseball fan, he seems to enjoy being there with me. I joke that his favorite part is the fourth inning. That's when he'll say he hears a helmet cup of ice cream calling his name, and he'll go get some.

This year, dad can't go because he's getting over an illness and figures he should stay close to home. We might take an abbreviated trip of two or three days to Atlanta in August. Not sure yet. In the meantime, he has encouraged me several times to go somewhere I'd like to go. Because of the pandemic, hotel rooms are much cheaper than usual, so I figured I could pick somewhere that ordinarly would be tough to swing financially. I picked a week in June to San Francisco to see the A's, then the Giants. Dad and I went to San Fran in 2010. Even so, I won't be able to go. (If you live in California, you've figured out why already.)

The state of California won't let teams sell tickets to someone with an out-of-state address. As far as I know, the rest of the country is more than willing to take my money.

Anybody else like to take baseball trips? Or, go to games if you have a team close by? 

I haven't been yet this year, really waiting on prices to come down to a more reasonable level as teams start opening up tickets.  I enjoyed your story though.  My mom is a big baseball fan and we go to a Cardinals game together every year.  It's her birthday gift to me and my Mother's Day gift to her.  Last year was the 1st year we've missed a game together since 2000.

I drag my family to at least 1 baseball game most years during our vacation.  2019 we went to San Diego and LA Dodgers (I couldn't justify dragging them to a 3rd game in Anaheim).  Not always Cardinals games, but we try to make it work out that way.

Ohio is dopping most covid protocols as of June 2nd. The Reds will have full capacity that day. My son lives there and we are going to the afternoon game (vs the Phillies). I call it Opening Day 2.0. I will keep you posted.

I have already been to 5 Angel games this year with another set for this Friday night. I love not having everyone crammed into seats everywhere as we are only at about 1/4 to 1/3 full (that could soon change by going up to 2/3 capacity as soon as tonight as California has moved Orange County into the least restrictive of the tiers).  I know that all concessions and shops have gone to cashless payments as well as parking.  They still require masks while sitting but allow them off while eating/drinking. Most people I have seen just don’t wear them while sitting though.   

I made my way to Fenway on April 6th.  Seating was about 1/8th capacity at the time.  It was weird being surrounded by so many empty seats.  Had much more of a minor league feel in the stands, but the game is still the game.  It still got really loud, and the Sawx won in the 12th inning.  My biggest concern was finding a place to eat outside the stadium before we went in, but it was fine.  Dragged my 14 year old daughter with me, and now she's hooked!

I went to the Braves home opener (at 30% capacity) and then went again last week (100% capacity). I very selfishly loved it at 30%. Traffic, getting in and out, concessions, everything was much easier. I took my 5 year old and felt much batter about her experience than usual. Took my 9 year old to the full capacity and it was back to the usual experience (for better and for worse). I have season tickets and have not noticed any restrictions around who could or couldn't buy my tickets, even when we were at 30%. There are still signs up about masks being required, but it only seemed to be being enforced when entering the stadium. 

Only two Triple A games in Trenton.   Limiti was 15% capacity.    Odd thing is that Trenton Thunder is no longer a Yankees AA affiliate as they moved it to Somerset NJ  (so much for MLB caring about the old citiies).   Trenton lucked out and got the Buffal Bisons (Toronto) for one year.

I went to see the Brewers play the Pirates in April.  25% capacity.  Kind of reminded me of going to low atttendance games at County Stadium back in the day except I had to wear a mask most of the time.  It was great to be back.

I went to the Cardinals home game against the Mets on May 3rd

Attendance was around 12,500, but I don't know the capacity of that

The game itself was pretty good, but it went scoreless after the 4th until the rest of the game...also there was a blackout for some reason

I live in Tennessee, so seeing a team from the majors is hard to come by.

My wife and I had planned to begin seeing a few minor league games featuring the Jackson Generals (about an hour away from our home), but they have been cut from MLB support, and are no longer there.

The minor league Nashville Sounds are still there, but Nashville is two hours away.

So, probably no in-person baseball for us this year.