With the MLB season starting up again and allowing fans into the stadium, it left me wondering what Camden Yards (Orioles stadium) would look like coming out of a pandemic. So I went to the  Orioles vs. Athletics game a few weeks back. 

One of the first and major things when you go to a game is getting the tickets. When me and my mom looked at the website before we left to go to the stadium, there were some changes this year that they put in a big orange box for you to look at. One of the changes was that the stadium would only open up an hour before game time. This means that the normal two hours before game time won’t be allowed. Normally during this time fans have the opportunity to watch players take bp (batting practice) which can really connect the players and fans, and it always make someone’s day to get a baseball. Another major thing is no type of bags are allowed except very small purses/pocketbooks. Water bottles and food are also not allowed in the stadium. Cash is not allowed during the games as well as any type of paper tickets. All types of purchases will have to be done by any type of debit or credit card or any type of Apple Pay type methods. Masks are mandatory at Camden Yards. This means that Bandanas/Gators are not allowed. But, no need to worry because a worker at the stadium will offer you a regular mask for you to wear before you enter the stadium.

When my family and I arrived at the stadium around 65 minutes until gates opened, we were able to get very close parking which was nice. Once you arrive at one of the three gates that they open up to the public, you wait in a socially distanced line where workers will come around and ask if anyone needs a mask and to get ride of any type of food and drinks. Once the gates opened up to fans, we were able to get checked through security and allowed into the stadium.

Many fans like me and my family wanted to get food so that’s what we did. Many food options were still open, especially the one and only Boog’s Barbeque. Normally, there would be different types of areas for people to eat all across the stadium, but in order to keep social distancing, these areas are closed and fans will have to eat at their seats. As your walking to the seats, the workers and markers across the floor try and keep fans from being congested with one another. Once you reach your seats you’ll find that there have been some changes, effective until June 1st. The seating arrangement is set up so that there can be proper social distancing. This is set up so that seats that aren’t open are zip-tied so no one can sit in them. The seating arrangements work like this: one row has four seats in the middle open and then the next row has two seats open on the edge of the row, and it just goes on. When you’re in your seats, you can take off your mask while eating or drinking. For stores or any type of indoor areas, you have to wear your mask and there is a limit on how many fans can enter the area at a time.

After all of this, you can just sit back and enjoy the game since the Orioles will go ahead and win the ball game.