Plans the Rochester Red Wings had been working on for how to partially fill Frontier Field with social distancing just “went into the shredder” on Wednesday, according to Wings GM Dan Mason. Frontier Field will be fully open for people who can prove they are vaccinated against COVID-19 on opening day, May 18th.
That’s according to a special waiver from the state, allowing the Wings to implement new state guidance a day early. The Wings credit Chamber of Commerce CEO and Former Lt. Governor Bob Duffy with helping them get the waiver, and also Monroe County Executive Adam Bello.
Governor Andrew Cuomo told a press conference that Major League Baseball stadiums in New York would be entirely open for vaccinated fans on May 19th. Later, they said that guidance also applied to the minor leagues and other stadiums around the state. Fully vaccinated people can sit in regular sections next to each other as usual. Un-vaccinated people must sit in a special section and maintain six-foot social distancing. All fans must wear masks in the stadium and the team store.
The Red Wings have put together such a seating plan, although Mason says it’s a “bit of a jigsaw puzzle.” He says “things just got a whole lot easier for our fans…and that’s a great thing for our community.”