Fans at opening day? Fans at Opening Day! (confirmed)

[Squirmin' for Yermin]

2 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

People are burning masks in protest and otherwise throwing fits about wearing a little paper or cloth over their mouth. Asking proof of vaccination will only cause more confrontations. No, I wouldn't want to be one to demand such proof. Don't need the grief from some jerk.

Wouldn't this be a HIPA violation too?

[ThirdGen]

The vaccination cards are hand written on a piece of cardboard.  In many cases people are writing the name and DOB themselves.  With my limited photoshop skills I could create hundreds of them per day.  And they can be transferred from person to person easily.  There simply is no practical way to have people prove vaccination status reliably on entry. It would be pointless theatre designed to act as though it provides safety without having any actual impact.

[South Side Hit Men]

2 hours ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

If we are worried about anyone, it should be those over 60/70.

Coupled with people overweight (BMI 25-29) or obese (30 +).

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/08/covid-cdc-study-finds-roughly-78percent-of-people-hospitalized-were-overweight-or-obese.html

Quote

About 78% of people who have been hospitalized, needed a ventilator or died from Covid-19 have been overweight or obese, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a new study Monday.

 

[NWINFan]

1 hour ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

Wouldn't this be a HIPA violation too?

Probably would be. I will be getting my second vaccination next week, but I have another medical condition that compromises my immune system. I will not pry into people's privacy. If I get the sense someone is not careful, I will stay away from that person. I am glad fans are being let back in, but I am not in a hurry to go out to the ballpark. Eventually I will, but I will still be careful on my own.

[bmags]

33 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

Probably would be. I will be getting my second vaccination next week, but I have another medical condition that compromises my immune system. I will not pry into people's privacy. If I get the sense someone is not careful, I will stay away from that person. I am glad fans are being let back in, but I am not in a hurry to go out to the ballpark. Eventually I will, but I will still be careful on my own.

Vaccinations have some public health workarounds, that's why some orgs can require employees/schools require proof of vaccinations.

[hogan873]

2 minutes ago, bmags said:

Vaccinations have some public health workarounds, that's why some orgs can require employees/schools require proof of vaccinations.

Certain vaccinations are required for school attendance and even by some employers, as you said.  I don't see sports teams or concert venues requiring (or even being able to require) proof of COVID vaccination.  However, by the time every person who wants to vaccinated is vaccinated, we can't let the anti-vaxxers keep everyone else from getting back to normal.  You don't want the vaccine, don't go to a game or take your chances.

[Perfect Vision]

2 hours ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

Wouldn't this be a HIPA violation too?

HIPAA only applies to health care providers, health care plans, and health care clearinghouses.  Any disclosure of health information by anyone outside of one of those three categories or their agents does not constitute a HIPAA violation (but could other privacy law).

[The Beast]

4 hours ago, NWINFan said:

People are burning masks in protest and otherwise throwing fits about wearing a little paper or cloth over their mouth. Asking proof of vaccination will only cause more confrontations. No, I wouldn't want to be one to demand such proof. Don't need the grief from some jerk.

If it is an app that is tied to a database that proves someone is vaccinated, that shouldn’t be a problem. You could even tie it to tickets and people could get things scanned at once. It’s not impossible.

4 hours ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

Wouldn't this be a HIPA violation too?

Not necessarily...it depends on the information being shared.

4 hours ago, ThirdGen said:

The vaccination cards are hand written on a piece of cardboard.  In many cases people are writing the name and DOB themselves.  With my limited photoshop skills I could create hundreds of them per day.  And they can be transferred from person to person easily.  There simply is no practical way to have people prove vaccination status reliably on entry. It would be pointless theatre designed to act as though it provides safety without having any actual impact.

That’s just not true, read about what I wrote above. It’s not theatre either. It protects everyone involved, including the health of fans and employees and the owners from liability.

2 hours ago, hogan873 said:

Certain vaccinations are required for school attendance and even by some employers, as you said.  I don't see sports teams or concert venues requiring (or even being able to require) proof of COVID vaccination.  However, by the time every person who wants to vaccinated is vaccinated, we can't let the anti-vaxxers keep everyone else from getting back to normal.  You don't want the vaccine, don't go to a game or take your chances.

Why not do what I described until herd immunity with vaccines is reached?

[margiss]

22 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Brooks Boyer was on the radio broadcast. Over 8,000 tickets for per game to start. Seats will be assigned in 1-6 seat pods. 

Tickets will only be released for sale for the first home stand (7 games).  Future homestands will be released on a staggered basis for now.

General public tickets available if any left after season ticket holders are accommodated.

Can anyone confirm the impacts related to season ticket holders?  Can season tickets opt out to open tickets for others?  Do they have to opt in to be 'accommodated'.  Any help would be appreciated.

[palehose1]

6 minutes ago, margiss said:

Can anyone confirm the impacts related to season ticket holders?  Can season tickets opt out to open tickets for others?  Do they have to opt in to be 'accommodated'.  Any help would be appreciated.

Per the email I received from my rep- I am a full season ticket holder since 1991. I was told I am in the "highest tier".

"As a valued Season Ticket Holder, you will receive priority access to available tickets based on tenure and ticket package type.

You will have the opportunity to secure a pod of tickets for the seven-game Opening Homestand (April 8-15), including the home opener on April 8. In the coming days, your White Sox Sales Representative will e-mail you additional details on timing, what to know and what to expect.

Pods for future games will be made available at a later date as capacity announcements will be made on a homestand-by-homestand basis."

So I am speculating that if we don't buy they will go back to the general pool for distribution. Given the scarcity of tickets, at least early on, I don't think too many people will opt to NOT buy the tickets- demand should far exceed supply. As vaccinations go up, the allowable base of 20% will also rise. Supposedly once the Chicago teams work out the logistics and procedures the next step is 30% of capacity (about 12,000 tickets).

[ThirdGen]

30 minutes ago, The Beast said:

 

That’s just not true, read about what I wrote above. It’s not theatre either. It protects everyone involved, including the health of fans and employees and the owners from liability.

 

If I read it correctly, you are suggesting linking ticketing systems to a CDC vaccination database that doesn't exist, and somehow relinking to the non existent database any time the ticketholder changes (via stubhub or ticket transfer).  If I purchase 4 tickets, how does the database know who is using the other three?  How does it even know I'm actually using one of them.  And the only way I could imagine linking identities across medical records and ticketing systems would be to require SS #'s, which is a nightmare.

And, to complicate things, none of this exists or is in process.  Vaccination data is held in thousands of disparate databases, not centralized.  Ticket data is in numerous databases.  And the person at the gate is lacking medical training.  Opening day is three weeks away.  It would take years to develop the systems you want.

I agree it would be awesome if this could be done.  Its totally impossible, and doing something half-assed like requiring people to flash their Covid vax cards to an 18 year old kid at the turnstile would just give a false sense of security.  Better to concentrate resources on enforcing distancing and masks in the park itself

[hogan873]

13 minutes ago, palehose1 said:

Per the email I received from my rep- I am a full season ticket holder since 1991. I was told I am in the "highest tier".

"As a valued Season Ticket Holder, you will receive priority access to available tickets based on tenure and ticket package type.

You will have the opportunity to secure a pod of tickets for the seven-game Opening Homestand (April 8-15), including the home opener on April 8. In the coming days, your White Sox Sales Representative will e-mail you additional details on timing, what to know and what to expect.

Pods for future games will be made available at a later date as capacity announcements will be made on a homestand-by-homestand basis."

So I am speculating that if we don't buy they will go back to the general pool for distribution. Given the scarcity of tickets, at least early on, I don't think too many people will opt to NOT buy the tickets- demand should far exceed supply. As vaccinations go up, the allowable base of 20% will also rise. Supposedly once the Chicago teams work out the logistics and procedures the next step is 30% of capacity (about 12,000 tickets).

I am not a season ticket holder, and I received an email with a link where I can sign up for notifications when (if) tickets are available for games after season ticket holders have had an opportunity to buy.  I don't expect tickets to trickle all the way down to the general public, but you never know.

[Dick Allen]

3 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

I am not a season ticket holder, and I received an email with a link where I can sign up for notifications when (if) tickets are available for games after season ticket holders have had an opportunity to buy.  I don't expect tickets to trickle all the way down to the general public, but you never know.

Especially if people are willing to pay the current prices on Stubhub.

[ThirdGen]

5 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

I am not a season ticket holder, and I received an email with a link where I can sign up for notifications when (if) tickets are available for games after season ticket holders have had an opportunity to buy.  I don't expect tickets to trickle all the way down to the general public, but you never know.

Based on the way the email is worded I'm guessing that not all partial season ticket holders will even be offered tickets.

[Balta1701]

5 hours ago, NWINFan said:

People are burning masks in protest and otherwise throwing fits about wearing a little paper or cloth over their mouth. Asking proof of vaccination will only cause more confrontations. No, I wouldn't want to be one to demand such proof. Don't need the grief from some jerk.

If there's a place where people probably shouldn't throw their anti-whatever hissy fits, its at a ballpark or stadium where security is literally standing right there.

[The Beast]

3 hours ago, ThirdGen said:

If I read it correctly, you are suggesting linking ticketing systems to a CDC vaccination database that doesn't exist, and somehow relinking to the non existent database any time the ticketholder changes (via stubhub or ticket transfer).  If I purchase 4 tickets, how does the database know who is using the other three?  How does it even know I'm actually using one of them.  And the only way I could imagine linking identities across medical records and ticketing systems would be to require SS #'s, which is a nightmare.

And, to complicate things, none of this exists or is in process.  Vaccination data is held in thousands of disparate databases, not centralized.  Ticket data is in numerous databases.  And the person at the gate is lacking medical training.  Opening day is three weeks away.  It would take years to develop the systems you want.

I agree it would be awesome if this could be done.  Its totally impossible, and doing something half-assed like requiring people to flash their Covid vax cards to an 18 year old kid at the turnstile would just give a false sense of security.  Better to concentrate resources on enforcing distancing and masks in the park itself

I’m admittedly not sure if the CDC keeps track of people they have vaccinated to the extent that I think they do. I’m just pointing out it doesn’t come down to flashing vaccination cards, that doesn’t work. I didn’t get so far to think about resale with StubHub. I thought it might be possible that the CDC would get centralized reporting but I guess not.

Hopefully they do enforce social distancing and masks and if people don’t follow the rules in the park, I hope security escorts them out and the fans in the section sarcastically cheer just like when some drunken or offensive idiot gets escorted out. We’ve all seen it happen in those circumstances before.

Edited March 9, 2021 by The Beast

[ThirdGen]

1 minute ago, The Beast said:

I’m admittedly not sure if the CDC keeps track of people they have vaccinated to the extent that I think they do. I’m just pointing out it doesn’t come down to flashing vaccination cards, that doesn’t work. I didn’t get so far to think about resale with StubHub. I thought it might be possible that the CDC would get centralized reporting but I guess not.

Hopefully they do enforce social distancing and masks and if people don’t follow the rules in the park, I hope security escorts them out and the fans in the section cheer just like when some drunken or offensive idiot gets escorted out. 

I'd be in favor of a one year ban for anyone who gets tossed for this.

[South Side Hit Men]

A few pertinent points from the Athletic article regarding I haven't seen mentioned (some or all of this may also be on the White Sox website):

1. Tickets are sold in pods (1-6 seat pods White Sox vs. 1-4 seat pods Cubs), which has been discussed. What hasn't is the fact that at least initially, tickets resold must be in the same capacity. If you purchase a pod ticket for 4 seats, it is good for up to four people, but you cannot split it and say use two and sell the other two. Whoever shows up to the park with the ticket can bring in up to the designated total of guests on that ticket, and that is the only use allowed.
2. Masks not meeting the clubs requirements (see further on the website) will not be allowed, the team will provide fans without a compliant masks with a disposable mask. 
3. There will be no tailgating allowed in White Sox parking lots.
4. Food will be offered in individually wrapped options. There will be no $1 Hot Dog Wednesdays, at least at the start of the season.

[greg775]

5 hours ago, ThirdGen said:

I'd be in favor of a one year ban for anyone who gets tossed for this.

That almost has to be the penalty, announced a couple times a game or every inning for the first home stand. If ejection isn't the penalty, the folks drinking heavily will in no way have their masks on.

[The Grinder]

I have seen Facebook posts from cub fans stating we been social distancing for years and at 25% capacity since the 70's.

Their obsession with us and the attendance issues continues 

 

 

[yesterday333]

3 minutes ago, The Grinder said:

I have seen Facebook posts from cub fans stating we been social distancing for years and at 25% capacity since the 70's.

Their obsession with us and the attendance issues continues 

 

 

Haha haha “their obsession” I’m from Montana so I have nothing against the Cubs. But this board and our fans in general are just as obsessed. I roll my eyes daily at posts here about the Cubs and the inferiority complex a lot of fans seem to have with them. But sure it’s them that have issues.

[KrankinSox]

1 hour ago, The Grinder said:

I have seen Facebook posts from cub fans stating we been social distancing for years and at 25% capacity since the 70's.

Their obsession with us and the attendance issues continues 

 

 

Not that it really matters, but is it possible we outdraw the Cubs this season?

Here's my logic:

If both stadiums are at the same limited capacity for the first few months of the season, then it's possible both teams are "selling out" every game at the limited 8k or so fans to start. Then, later in the season, if both stadiums are at full capacity or close to it, it's possible we could be outdrawing the Cubs in August/September if we are in the pennant race and they are faltering.

[The Grinder]

20 minutes ago, KrankinSox said:

Not that it really matters, but is it possible we outdraw the Cubs this season?

Here's my logic:

If both stadiums are at the same limited capacity for the first few months of the season, then it's possible both teams are "selling out" every game at the limited 8k or so fans to start. Then, later in the season, if both stadiums are at full capacity or close to it, it's possible we could be outdrawing the Cubs in August/September if we are in the pennant race and they are faltering.

Without looking, is Wrigley capacity about the same as ours? Both around what 38K?

[ThirdGen]

27 minutes ago, KrankinSox said:

Not that it really matters, but is it possible we outdraw the Cubs this season?

Here's my logic:

If both stadiums are at the same limited capacity for the first few months of the season, then it's possible both teams are "selling out" every game at the limited 8k or so fans to start. Then, later in the season, if both stadiums are at full capacity or close to it, it's possible we could be outdrawing the Cubs in August/September if we are in the pennant race and they are faltering.

Ricketts has commented multiple times (when seeking renovation approvals) that 50-60% of the fans at a typical Cubs game are from out of town.  With travel still down significantly, and convention business non-exisitent the Cubs lose a significant amount of their actual attendance.  Now lots of those tickets are sold to brokers, so its possible the attendance numbers could still be high with just a ton of empty seats.

For some reason I thought the Cubs fans would stop obsessing with how wonderful they are by buying lots of tickets and focus on the field after finally winning a World Series, like fans of the other 29 teams.   Guess the allure of the mythical attendance trophy the Cubs must send them every year is still important to them.

[SonofaRoache]

48 minutes ago, The Grinder said:

Without looking, is Wrigley capacity about the same as ours? Both around what 38K?

Wrigley is 41,649.