Physical Distancing Now Optional In Ontario

- jim Young

Well maybe not everywhere in Ontario, but apparently it is at Rogers Centre during the Blue Jays Baseball

Games.

With a seating capacity of 49,282 and attendance limited to 15,000 fans you would think physical distancing would not be a problem.

That ratio works out to about 1 fan for every 3.3 seats which should allow everyone to be physically distanced by the required 2 metres for any given game. Pods of up to 4 people in the “physically distanced” seats are available to accommodate fans living in the same household so this should provide a little extra room just to be safe.

However not ALL the seats at Rogers Center are being put to use. 

One-third of the seating available for sale (100L and 200L outfield and bases) is allocated to the optional “physical distancing” seats. 

The remaining two-thirds of the seats available for sale (100L and 200L infield and TD Clubhouse) are designated as “standard seating”. 

The other sections are closed and remain empty.

That’s 10,000 people that are not being REQUIRED to physically distance themselves from other fans, vaccinated or not.

Of course those 10,000 fans are the ones that are willing to ante up with the big bucks and pay anywhere from $45 to almost $500 per seat.

The remaining 5,000 fans in the “cheap seats” only have to pay $28 to almost $70 per seat. (Ticket prices based on single seat sales.)

On the plus side, while the view may not be as good, it will cost fans less to remain safe.

What’s the purpose of limiting the capacity of the fans if you’re going to jam the majority of them together anyway? Of course you know the answer to that is “money”.

To be fair, fans in the “standard seats” are still required to wear face masks unless they are eating or drinking. However, it’s obvious from watching any of the games on television that there doesn’t seem to be a concerted effort at enforcing that rule.

In a restaurant where you remove your face mask to eat or drink, at least you are physically distanced and protected by plastic barriers from other guests.

So if you’re willing to fork out the big bucks for the better seats, Rogers Centre doesn’t really care if you’re practicing physical distancing.

What’s the purpose of limiting the capacity of the fans if you’re going to jam the majority of them together anyway? Of course you know the answer to that is “money”.

Beginning September 13th Rogers Centre will be effectively requiring a Vaccination Passport to gain entry to a Blue Jays Game.

Unvaccinated fans will be required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 Test within the past 48 hours just like they have to show proof that they don’t have Ebola, Bird Flu, Hanti-Virus, Sars, West Nile, Norovirus (stomach flu), Meningitis, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia or any other highly contagious disease. 

Except that of course, they don’t.

Ontario remains in Step 3 with no end in sight for the near future. And even when we exit Step 3, the requirements for the wearing of masks and physical distancing will remain in force - with or without proof of vaccinations.

Rogers Centre obviously has already been granted a pass on at least the physical distancing rules. What pass are they in line for by requiring proof of vaccination?

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The "Physically Distanced" Seats (Cheap Seats) at Rogers Centre for a Blue Jays Game.

The "Standard" Seats at Rogers Centre for a Blue Jays Game do not require physical distancing.

You can see the sections at the top that are closed and not available for sale at Rogers Centre for a Blue Jays Game.