Dodgers: New Vaccinated-Only Seating Could be Pathway to More Fans at Dodger Stadium

The Dodgers introduced a new, vaccinated-only section of seating at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night, keeping in line with the club’s goal of getting more fans in the stands as the season progresses. And, more importantly, as covid positivity rates continue to decline in California.

Ahead of last night’s ballgame, team president Stan Kasten spoke with SportsNet LA and discussed his outlook for Dodger Stadium and the vaccinated-only sections, located in Loge 166 and 168.

It’s kind of a pilot program that we’re starting tonight with about 500 tickets. But if it goes smoothly, as it appears it is going, we expect to expand this starting with the next homestand as another marker on the road to our return to normal which we hope is some time in June.

In the early goings of the season, the ballpark had operated at about 27% capacity or about 15,000 fans in the stands. Now on this current homestand, not only have more of the new amenities at the ballpark have been opened to fans, Saturday night’s vaccine-only section acted as a test drive to additional capacity by the time the Dodgers return to LA starting May 11th.

Dodgers 2021 Schedule

Of the other topics Kasten covered, he also revealed that the team is “very close” to reaching 85% vaccination threshold for tier 1 club members, which would relax some covid protocols for players and staff.

Additionally, the team president told SNLA that while the organization has some “things on the drawing board” in terms of potential continued renovations at Dodger Stadium, they’re not “big things.” Anything else done after last year’s $100 million renovation would be with an eye on LA hosting the MLB All-Star Game in 2022.