Editor’s note: With a national hodgepodge of state and local government regulations surrounding COVID-19 mitigation, most teams face a variety of issues when planning for 2021. This begins a series on how teams are preparing for 2021.
After sitting out the 2020 season, the Duluth Huskies (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) are planning on socially distanced play at Wade Stadium this summer, with limited crowds and scaled-back concessions.
According to owner Michael Rosenzweig, the Huskies will welcome no more than 900 fans per game to The Wade based on current health guidelines. The ballpark will be divided into six sections of no more than 150 fans per section, each with its own entrance into the ballpark. There will be additional porta-potty facilities on site, and the ballpark will be cleaned and sanitized after each game based on the requirements put in place by local government come season’s start.
No wandering the ballpark, as fans will have to remain in their designated sections at Wade Stadium. To cut down on concession lines, food ordering via smartphone app will be offered.
“Every seat will have a seat number and section number,” Rosenzweig said via press release. “We are working with FanFood to set up an app that fans can download at the ballpark to place an order and pay using their phones to have delivered right to their seat.”
Concessions will also adjusted as well: no fountain drinks for the season, and no draft beer, either. Instead, bottled and canned beverages will be on the menu.
As with all cases of teams prepping for 2021, these plans are tentative and could change as get closer to the late-May opening of the 2021 Northwoods League season.