'One We'll Probably Never Forget': Phillies To Welcome Fans Back At Citizens Bank Park After 18-Month Drought
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With new, looser COVID-19 restrictions, a limited number of Philadelphia Phillies fans will now be welcomed at Citizens Bank Park for games, after more than a year. The Phillies miss their fans and the fans miss baseball.
"I've been through a number of opening days and I probably can't tell you a whole lot of specifics about most of them," Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. "This is one we'll probably never forget because of what we've been through the last year."
While it won't be a packed yard, the Phillies are still ready to have a crowd at 20% capacity.
"Eighty-eight-hundred isn't 45,000, but 8,800 is a great number to start with," Phillies Executive Vice President Dave Buck said.
It's being called a soft opening, with 19 games going on sale initially. They'll be available for season ticket holders first, and on March 12, the Phillies will open up sales to the public.
Opening day will be different.
"It'll be way scaled back and that's not great, but at the same time, we're going to use it in the first six games as six opening days," Heck said. "We're not going to be able to put all season ticket holders in 8,800 seats. So, if you say, 'OK, let's have six opening days, the same kind of vibe there, it'll go well.'"
But the message is clear -- everyone is ready for baseball to begin.
"We're back!" Heck said.
Masks will be mandatory inside the ballpark and ushers will be going around to make sure everyone is adhering to the protocol.
On April 1 at 3:05 p.m., the Phillies will take on the Atlanta Braves, and for the first time in 18 months, fans will be in the stands.
