Texas fans filled the Globe Life Field to witness the match between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers, in what will be the sporting event with the most crowds since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in March 2020.
The team allowed 40,158 fans for the first home game of the season.
Given the sheer number of fans who flocked to the site, it was impossible to maintain a social distance, the extreme measure that world authorities, including the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have asked the population to fight off infections , which left millions of deaths worldwide.
The organization decided that the retractable roof of the stadium should be left open all day as a ventilation measure, another recommendation from health authorities around the world.
Fans also flocked to the food and souvenir stands, in the stands and at the stadium’s entrances and exits.
The Rangers are the only team that allows fans to access 100% of their stadium capacity. The decision is a result of measures taken by the state government to ensure contamination statistics go down.
The determination was criticized by Joe Biden, President of the United States, who labeled it “irresponsible”.
Despite the situation in 2020, Texas fans had already taken to the stadium with limited tickets during the short season playoffs in the Major Leagues.