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Cubs fans can expect a different experience Opening Day due to COVID

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Published  March 25, 2021 9:47pm CDT
Cubs
FOX 32 Chicago

Cubs fans can expect a different experience Opening Day due to COVID

There is just a week until Opening Day at Wrigley Field, and fans should expect some changes.

CHICAGO - There is just a week until Opening Day at Wrigley Field.

This season, however, will have limited capacity, which means higher ticket prices and the pandemic means a different experience for fans in the ballpark.

"I would expect the majority of fans to be season ticket holders. Not all. But the majority," said David Cromwell, Cubs VP of Operations.

Only 8,200 fans will be allowed in the ballpark. If you are among the lucky, expect changes from what you are used to.

  • Gates open 90 minutes before opening pitch instead of two hours
  • Tickets will all be digital, you'll scan them at self-service portals
  • New metal detectors allow multiple people to go through at the same time and you will not have to empty your pockets
  • Pod-seating in groups, socially distanced from other fans
  • Masks required whenever you are not in your seats, actively eating or drinking.

"We have gone to a fully cash-less Wrigley Field, whether that's parking, concessions, retail or 50-50 raffle," Cromwell said. "We've gone completely cashless in all of those areas."

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In addition, you will enter the ballpark at an assigned gate based on your pod location.

"We've completely revamped our entry process. All designed to certainly with health and safety top of mind and having a more limited contact or completely touchless experience," Cromwell said.

Opening day ticket prices averaging above $300 each, but brokers expect that to drop significantly as the season progresses.

"With at least baseball, there's a lot of games. So that demand and supply will definitely go down, bigtime," said Max Waisvisz of GoldCoast Tickets. "And what you're seeing right now is reaction: no one's gotten to be able to go to anything! And now that they can go to something? they want to."

Ticket brokers expect demand for concerts at Wrigley to be sky-high as well, but at Thursday’s meeting, the team would not officially confirm any concerts on the books, saying it is too early to speculate on any events there, outside baseball.