Angels to allow fans in Anaheim by opening day

With revised California guidelines announced by Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday, the Angels are expected to be able to have a limited number of fans in Angel Stadium in Anaheim by opening day.

At the moment, Orange County is in the highest, purple tier, identified by the state as having widespread COVID-19 based on new cases, positivity rates, and intensive care units available for use. Based on that tier, the Angels wouldn’t be able to allow more than 100 fans to games. But the county is expected to be in the next tier down, the red tier, defined as between 4-7 new cases per 100,000 people, and a positivity rate between 5-8 percent.

The red tier would allow for 20-percent capacity at outdoor venues, which for Angel Stadium would be just over 9,000 fans. As the county improves its tier, stadium capacity could increase to 33 percent, then 67 percent.

“Angels Baseball is grateful that the office of the Governor, state and local health officials, Major League Baseball, and the five MLB teams in California worked closely to develop plans that safely allow fans into our ballparks for the start of the 2021 Season,” Angels president John Carpino said in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome fans back safely to the Big A.”

The Angels open their season with a six-game homestand against the White Sox and Astros beginning on Thursday, April 1, the first time the Angels have opened at home since 2016.

The team says that information on purchasing tickets will be revealed once the state of California finalizes its guidelines.