With Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf lifting restrictions on attendance of indoor and outdoor events to 15 and 20 percent of full occupancy, respectively, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates will be opening the gates to fans.
At PPG Paints Arena, which has a capacity of almost 20,000, the Penguins will welcome 2,800 fans at games starting Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, so long as attendees and workers can keep six feet of physical distance.
Season ticket holders will be served first, with the remaining tickets made available to the general public for purchase. Of course, masks and other protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19 will be enforced.
“It is a great day for hockey, indeed, and we are very excited for our fans,” Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse (pictured) said in a statement. “We are grateful to Governor Wolf, Health Secretary Alison Beam and their team for their continuous communication and support. We also are thankful for the help and guidance we received from our partners at UPMC for helping us to prepare a detailed plan for a safe re-opening, as well as County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. We are focused on giving our fans the safest and most efficient experience possible inside PPG Paints Arena — where they belong.”
The Pirates will be allowing fans attend at PNC Park when the Pirates open their season Thursday, April 8 against the Chicago Cubs. Up to approximately 7,600 would be permitted to attend games, though not all of those people will be fans.
Pirates President Travis Williams issued the following statement.
“We would like to thank Governor Tom Wolf, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Mayor Bill Peduto, as well as all of our state, county and local health officials, for their leadership as we navigate through so many unknowns during this pandemic.
All of us at the Pirates have worked extremely hard over the past year with our partners at AHN, Highmark and Major League Baseball to actively prepare for the safe and healthy return of fans to PNC Park. We are thrilled to be able to put those plans in action.
In the coming days, we will announce details around ticket availability, enhancements that have been made to PNC Park, as well as specifics around the fan experience. Most importantly, our fans’ health and safety will continue to be our top priority, and we will have a number of protocols in place to ensure we can all enjoy games at PNC Park in a safe and healthy manner.
Even though our capacity will be limited, Opening Day 2021 will truly be like no other. It will be much more than a game. It will mark a significant step in overcoming this pandemic. We cannot wait to open PNC Park and host our fans for a summer-long celebration of reconnecting with family and friends around Pirates baseball.”
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