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MLB fans return in 2021: Tracking every baseball team's attendance plan for upcoming season

Mar. 17, 2021
MLB fans return in 2021: Tracking every baseball team's attendance plan for upcoming season

Major League Baseball 2021 Opening Day is scheduled for April 1. The plan -- as of now -- is for a full 162-game season, with a few rule changes from the abbreviated 2020 campaign sticking around, including seven-inning doubleheaders and a runner on second to start every extra inning.

Because of the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fans weren't permitted to attend MLB games last season until the very last rounds of the playoffs. The league required fans to wear masks (unless eating or drinking) and sold tickets to "pods" of fans. Roughly 11,500 fans were allowed at each postseason game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas last year for the NLCS and World Series.

MLB outlined guidelines for allowing fans back into ballparks this year, and at this point, social distancing and mask wearing will be enforced but no vaccine checks or negative COVID-19 test results will be required. The guidelines are dependent on adhering to the teams' local government guidelines and restrictions.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred informed teams that they could permit fans to attend games, beginning for the spring training exhibition games. However, to start the regular season, fan attendance for the 2021 MLB regular season won't be universal, so here at CBS Sports, we decided to keep track of each club's decision and latest status regarding fans in their ballpark. Below is every team's latest attendance plan (at least to start the season). The plans figure to change as more Americans receive COVID vaccines and local governments alter gathering guidelines.


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