There were some collective groans when MLB announced teams would be installing metal detectors at ballparks over the next two seasons, but so far the impact seems to be minimal.
We’ve experienced metal detectors several times this season, most recently at Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game at Target Field. Like most attendees, we hit the ballpark early to avoid the lines. But when we arrived at Gate 34 there was not a line at all at the gates, and moving through the metal detectors was no problem. (The same, we heard, was true at Gate 29. These two gates are two of the main entrances to Target Field.) The routine is pretty basic: change, keys, phones and other metal objects must be removed from your pockets and moved separately while you walk through the metal detectors.
The Philadelphia Phillies are implementing metal detectors today, and team officials there don’t expect a huge fuss, per CSNPhilly.
One reason why the metal detectors may be less intrusive than anticipated: fans with purses and backpacks were already being checked before any metal detectors were on the scene.
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