I suppose I should look at the bright side here and recall that last year we had no Opening Day at all until June. Yet that one was 100% closed off and no one was allowed in the stadium the whole season.

This is still crap.

When the Detroit Tigers open their season each and every year at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit, it is truly a local holiday. No matter how cold the weather is, hundreds of thousands of people in the whole state take some time to tune in to the game that reminds us summer is around the corner. The atmosphere in and around the ballpark is incredibly special and it is always a sellout and a must-get ticket to have.

This year, the scalpers are gonna make a killing. According to a local report, only 1,000 people will be allowed into the stadium and the place holds 42,000 people.

That is just about 2% capacity.

Outside.

Because of data and science.

From WWJ News Radio…

Some Republican lawmakers gathered in front of Comerica Park on Monday to highlight what they call ridiculous capacity limits in place ahead of Detroit Tigers Opening Day,

Under coronavirus-related rules set by the state health department, the capacity limits stands at 1,000 fans for the Tigers home opener against the Cleveland Indians, set to take place Thursday, April 1.

The stadium, equipped to hold 41,000 people, is typically filled on Opening Day, which is traditionally celebrated as a holiday in the city — with tailgates, parties, and packed bars downtown the norm.

The order for only 1,000 people in the ballpark is not an executive order from the Governor but from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Essentially, this is a backdoor executive order so the Governor can look somewhat clean in this.

Not working though.

How can any data or science show that in a stadium that is an open-air one, you can only be safe if you have 1,000 people in it for a baseball game? As I wrote earlier this month the Texas Rangers will be allowing full capacity and asking that masks be worn. Texas Rangers Will Have Full Capacity for the 2021 Baseball Season, but Will Masks Be Enforced?

Is the data and science in Texas that radically different or is it the people who are interpreting it?

The incredibly amusing thing about this is that the Tigers are owned by the family of Mike Illitch who was the founder of Little Caesars Pizza. The widow of Mike Illitch is part owner of the Motor City Casino which is about 3/4 mile away from Comerica Park. The casino can hold (COVID legal) 3,000 people out of 15,000 capacity but an open-air ballpark can only hold 1,000 (COVID Legal)

One is outside and one is inside.

Science and data?

Way past time for the Michigan GOP to stop holding cute photo ops and start doing anything that their powers given to them by the Michigan Constitution allow. That might include issuing subpoenas for those analyzing the science and data to come forward and explain the ballpark to the casino rule.

Also who in the hell is approving this nonsense?

Way past time to start holding these false prophets of doom accountable and make them answer questions from experts who aren’t terrified of their own shadow.

The sooner that happens, the sooner more people will be able to head out to a ballgame here in Michigan and enjoy the yell of PLAYBALL and get some Vitamin D in the sunshine.

Although in Michigan, that usually doesn’t happen until June.