Although the Unified Government Commission lifted the capacity rules for events on Thursday night, the Kansas City Monarchs announced today that they will open the season with 50 percent capacity.
As of this time, the team is sticking with the 50 percent capacity, although it is possible that could change in the weeks to come, said Elliott Scott, working with public relations for the Monarchs.
The Monarchs will be playing at Legends Field, at the former T-Bones stadium, 1800 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. Opening day is scheduled for May 18, he said.
Making sure everyone is safe is a priority for the Monarchs, Elliott said.
The Monarchs baseball club has worked with the Unified Government and state health officials on safety protocols to safely open this season, according to the spokesman. The team also has worked with the American Association of Professional Baseball to implement stadium protocols based on public health recommendations, including guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.
The team anticipates to have greater capacity as the season progresses, and plans to increase the number of attendees each month, based on updated guidelines and improving conditions.
At each game, fans will be seated in socially distanced pods, and face coverings will be required, according to the spokesman.
“As we look forward to our 2021 season, we want our fans to know that their health and safety, along with that of our players, coaches, and event staff, is – and always will be – priority number one,” Monarchs owner Mark Brandmeyer said in a statement. “We are committed to creating a world-class experience on and off the field and can’t wait to see folks in the stands for opening day.“
Like each player on the team, fans play a key role, according to the spokesman. Because these protocols require everyone’s cooperation and teamwork, the Monarchs have implemented these guidelines to help make this a successful season for all guests, the spokesman stated. The team encourages fans to visit the Monarchs website for more specific information and policies related to game attendance before heading to the field.
The KC Monarchs have several promotions in store for the 2021 season including: skydivers on Fridays and Family Sunday Fundays where Kids Eat Free (ages 10 and under) — and five Sundays where dogs are welcome at the park. For 2021, 65 percent of all Monarchs home games fall on a weekend date (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) including action packed holiday weekends when the team plays Memorial Day (May 31) versus Sioux Falls, Father’s Day (June 20) also against Winnipeg and Fourth of July weekend (July 2-4) versus rival Lincoln. More promotions will be announced soon through the Monarchs website and social media platforms.
Elliott said fan interest has been “super strong” since the launch of the Monarchs brand. They are seeing a lot of movement now with season ticket sales, he said. Single game tickets haven’t gone on sale yet.
The club has been focused so far on getting the stadium to where they want it, and Elliott said he thinks everything will get up to speed fairly quickly.
The Monarchs have a schedule and promotions information listed on the website at www.monarchsbaseball.com and on Facebook under Kansas City Monarchs Baseball. For ticket information, call 913-328.5618 or visit monarchsbaseball.com.