By Sacha Aiche
For more than a year, the stadiums have been dormant, closed completely to the public or partially due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
But this Sunday, Texas Rangers fans were able to witness their team's defeat against Toronto (2-6) in a stadium, on the contrary, packed (38,283 spectators).
Globe Life Field is currently the only stadium in the United States that allows an occupancy rate of 100% of its capacity.
A moment of happiness for the fans who were able to rediscover one of the pleasures of pre-covid life.
Globe Life Field is at full capacity today.
The Texas Rangers are the first team to allow 100% capacity since the pandemic began
(via @ SamGannon87) pic.twitter.com/DTtLqx00Zt
- Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 5, 2021
The country most affected by Covid-19, American sport has not been spared by the health crisis.
2020 has been a terrible year for the MLB, the North American Baseball Championship.
Usually the regular season consists of 162 team matches, only 60 team matches could be played last year.
In addition, franchise revenues fell 70% in 2020. The Texas Rangers-Toronto Blue Jays game was seen as an experiment before all US stadiums were fully reopened.
Leading off and playing SS, No. 9, @ Isiahkf11!
pic.twitter.com/R4k4Awx3rD
- Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 5, 2021
End of restrictions in Texas
Many spectators were not wearing masks in the stadium.
In early March, Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced the end of compulsory masks and the total reopening of businesses, believing that the second most populous state in the United States had "the means to protect" its population.
Texas' other baseball franchise, the Houston Astros, will host 50% of its spectators, or 20,000 people in its stadium.
The White House disapproves
Even though Ranger leaders urged the public to wear a mask, many reporters on site noted that this rule was not always applied.
“Let's say there were a lot of people at Globe Life Fields who wore masks….
But many weren't wearing them, ”said Sam Gannon, reporter for
FOX 4
in Dallas on his Twitter account.
As Texas has nearly 70,000 active cases of Covid-19, including 10,000 in Dallas and its metropolitan area, official figures say just under 20% of people over 16 are considered fully vaccinated in the county. of Dallas and neighboring counties.
President Joe Biden called the decision to fully open the stadium as "a mistake and an irresponsible act".
To date 107,515,428 Americans, or 32.48% of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
The full opening of the Globe Life Field could be the first step in the long-awaited return to life before.
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