Pittsburgh Pirates News: Fans Will Be Allowed At LECOM Park

In a release on Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they intend to allow fans to attend Spring Training games at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. The team plans on allowing 25% of the park’s total seating capacity. Tickets will be sold in pods of two or four people and each pod will be distanced by six feet in the interest of health and safety protocols.

Fans attending games will be mandated to wear masks at all times unless eating or drinking. Upgrades are being made around the park such as touchless faucets, hand sanitizing stations and plexiglass at concession counters. Autographs will not be permitted on site due to social distancing guidelines. There will also be new bag guidelines allowing only medical bags or diaper bags inside the ballpark.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are scheduled to host 17 home games at LECOM Park during Grapefruit League play, with their first being their February 28th matchup with the Atlanta Braves. They open Grapefruit League play the day before against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida.

The first opportunity fans will have at purchasing Spring Training tickets will come this Wednesday at 10 a.m. and will be a presale exclusively for season ticket holders and corporate partners. The presale will go until Sunday, February 7th. Remaining inventory of spring training tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, February 15th, at 10 a.m.

The start dates of spring training however are still tentative barring an agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players Association. MLB has proposed that the start of spring training be delayed by one month, with Opening Day taking place on April 28th. The season would also be shortened to 154 games, and expand the playoffs to 14 teams. The regular season would also extend into the first week of October. It is expected that The Major League Baseball Players Association should return with an answer to the proposal early this week.

For all of the information regarding spring training ticket sales as well as LECOM Park health and safety protocols the Pittsburgh Pirates have set up a spring training section of their website, Pirates.com/spring training.