Name: Cuomo: Yankees, Mets can welcome fans in the stands this season
Brand: nydailynews.com
SKU: nydailynews-com-877
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Cuomo: Yankees, Mets can welcome fans in the stands this season

preview

AdvertisementBy New York Daily NewsMar 18, 2021 at 12:58 pmALBANY — Get ready for some peanuts and Cracker Jacks — and COVID rapid tests.A handful of baseball fans will be able to attend Opening Day and subsequent home games at both Citi Field and Yankee Stadium this season, Gov. Cuomo announced Thursday.AdvertisementThe governor, embroiled in a mounting sexual harassment scandal and facing an impeachment investigation, was in a jovial mood as he was joined by Mets and Yankees brass as well as pitching stars Al Leiter and CC Sabathia during a press briefing at his Manhattan office.“We’re going to play ball, and we’re going to play ball with a crowd,” Cuomo said as he unveiled the latest rollback of COVID restrictions. “Getting out of the house, getting out of the apartment, getting out of this entrapment we’ve been in and going to a game and getting outside — hope springs eternal. We’re going to win.”AdvertisementThe governor said professional sports in large outdoor stadiums can reopen at 20% capacity beginning April 1, meaning around 8,000 fans can attend Mets home games in Queens while about 10,000 diehards can cheer on the Yankees in the Bronx.Indoor sporting events will be allowed to operate at 10% capacity.Both teams played to empty stands all last season as the pandemic raged and New York maintained strict capacity limits on large events and gatherings.Fans will have to take a rapid test in order to attend games and share negative results or proof of vaccination. Other coronavirus safety measures such as masks, social distancing and temperature checks will also be in place.The Yankees will open their season at home on April 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Mets host the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on April 8.Seats at both sites will be sold in clusters ranging from one to six seats. Each group will be separated from other pods by at least 6 feet. All transactions at the stadiums will be cashless, including parking, ticket windows, concession stands and retail stores.All fans older than 2 will be required to always wear a face mask while in the ballparks, except when eating or drinking at their ticketed seats.”I know we’re going to start on the road, but once we get home and we have that 20%, that’s just going to be outstanding, just to hear the support live again,” said Mets manager Luis Rojas. “That’s something that we’ve missed very, very much. It’s going to mean a lot to everybody.”AdvertisementCuomo, who sported a reversible mask bearing both Yankees and Mets logos, repeated several times during the briefing that he and his family are fans of “New York sports.”No mention was made of the allegations against the governor and press were not allowed to ask questions. A day earlier, Cuomo announced he will no longer comment on issues related to the harassment claims as the Assembly conducts its impeachment inquiry and Attorney General Letitia James’ office oversees an outside probe.There is also an ongoing federal probe into the Cuomo administration’s withholding of data related to COVID deaths in nursing homes.The embattled governor has repeatedly resisted calls for his resignation, emanating from both sides of the aisle as more than seven women have come forward with claims that Cuomo led a toxic workplace, repeatedly made inappropriate comments and even groped and kissed staffers. He has denied touching anyone inappropriately.In recent weeks, as political pressure mounted, the governor has attempted to steer public discourse back to reopening the economy and rolling back COVID restrictions.“I’m very excited about the news today,” the governor said. “It has been a long dark winter. It’s been a long dark year, it’s been the darkest experience we’ve gone through in generations. Let’s be honest, you’d have to go back to World War II to have an experience of this magnitude, and this death, and it’s been difficult in a lot of levels.”AdvertisementAs a sign that the city is not clear of the pandemic’s grip just yet, Yankee President Randy Levine said the Bronx stadium will continue to serve as a state-run vaccination site during the season.“We’re going to work it because, in our opinion, that is bigger than baseball,” Levine said. “Yankee Stadium is ready.”In a statement, the Yankees said they are hopeful that testing requirements and capacity limits will be scaled back further by mid-May.Cuomo also announced that outdoor venues with 2,500-plus seats can begin hosting live concerts and shows at 20% capacity. He said as COVID rates improve, capacity will continue to increase.“I think you’re going to see the capacity increase and the testing requirements decrease as we get more evidence, but we want to start safe and smart,” the governor said.Starting on March 29, statewide travel for sports and recreational activities will be permitted. Previously, travel for sports was limited to contiguous counties and regions.AdvertisementSo far, New York has administered about 7 million COVID vaccine doses, and about 12% of the population has been fully vaccinated.The governor, who received a one-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson shot on Wednesday at a Harlem appearance that had all the markings of a campaign event, joked about arm wrestling Sabathia as he called on New Yorkers to get immunized.Cuomo predicted that the state will see more reopenings and greater flexibility “across the board” as vaccinations continue to rise and cases fall.“And that’s only because we have been smart,” he said. Advertisement

AdvertisementBy New York Daily NewsMar 18, 2021 at 12:58 pmALBANY — Get ready for some peanuts and Cracker Jacks — and COVID rapid tests.A handful of baseball fans will be able to attend Opening Day and subsequent home games at both Citi Field and Yankee Stadium this season, Gov. Cuomo announced Thursday.AdvertisementThe governor, embroiled in a mounting sexual harassment scandal and facing an impeachment investigation, was in a jovial mood as he was joined by Mets and Yankees brass as well as pitching stars Al Leiter and CC Sabathia during a press briefing at his Manhattan office.“We’re...

public

Deesha Thosar

Denis Slattery

NY's Hometown Paper 🍎 Breaking news, national (with a NY lens), sports, politics, entertainment NYC & beyond | About http://bit.ly/nydnmedia1, ➡️ http://bit.ly/nydnsubscribe

Cuomo: Yankees, Mets can welcome fans in the stands this season

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS