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Rays To Reopen 300 Level, Allow 9,000 Fans Into Tropicana Field

Interior of Tropicana Field
Carl Lisciandrello/WUSF Public Media
The upper-deck 300 level at Tropicana Field will be re-opened for the first time since 2019 to allow for more social distancing for the 2021 season.

The 300 level will be open for the first time since 2019 to allow for more social distancing, as up to 9,000 fans will be allowed into Tropicana Field for at least the first month of the regular season.

The Tampa Bay Rays will allow up to 9,000 fans to attend games at Tropicana Field for the first month of the regular season.

The team will also reopen the 300 upper deck level for the first time since 2019.

The team announced its ticket policy in a release Tuesday, including paperless tickets and COVID-19 measures that will be in place to ensure socially distant seating.

“We are excited to welcome back fans to Tropicana Field for the 2021 season,” Rays President Matt Silverman said in the release. “Although capacity will be limited to start, we are hopeful that conditions will continue to improve allowing for more fans to join us as the season progresses.”

The team closed the 300 level in 2019, reducing capacity by between 5,000 and 6,000 fans, to just under 26,000. This was an effort to create a more "intimate" feeling, Silverman said at the time.

Tickets will be available in socially distant pods of up to six seats. They will be available to the general public starting March 26 and can be purchased through the MLB Ballpark app and on the Rays website, subject to availability.

Fans will be required to wear face masks, and other safety measures will be in place.

In the release, the team said it will install UV lights and revamp its air conditioning units to break down harmful contaminants, including coronavirus.

The team said it will announce plans for future games as the season progresses.

The Rays open the regular season April 9 with a three-game series against the New York Yankees.

I wasn't always a morning person. After spending years as a nighttime sports copy editor and page designer, I made the move to digital editing in 2000. Turns out, it was one of the best moves I've ever made.
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