What's next for Dudy Noble Field after Gov. Tate Reeves eases restrictions?
With one sentence on Tuesday, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves caused many college baseball fans in the Magnolia State to rejoice. Reeves held a press conference announcing his latest executive order regarding COVID-19 regulations. To be more accurate, he rolled back many of his prior regulations, and among it all was this:
“There is a 50 percent (attendance) limit on indoor venues," Reeves said. "There are no limits on outdoor venues for colleges and universities.”
Yes, that means it's now possible for Mississippi State's Dudy Noble Field to open up. So what's the plan? How soon will it be possible for more folks to watch the Diamond Dogs? Let's answer a few questions.
What has MSU said?
In a statement on Tuesday, MSU announced it would "optimize capacity at events in the near future while maintaining appropriate health and safety standards." That's a fancy way of saying that Mississippi State is going to let more people in but aren't ready to announce the formal plan just yet. However Cowbell Corner has learned a few details of what MSU is thinking.
(By the way, MSU also said in its release that masks will still be required for all fans "during ingress, egress, and movement throughout the stadium, as well as any time guests are unable to maintain the recommended physical distance from others who are not in the same household or when actively eating or drinking.")
What's a timeline?
While things in some regard will evolve over time, MSU is trying to significantly increase attendance for this weekend's home series against Tennessee Tech, which starts Friday. Previously this year, MSU has been allowing Dudy Noble Field to be around 25 percent of its capacity. Crowds were around 2,500 for all three games against Tulane last weekend. It appears this weekend's games will see many more people get the opportunity to watch the Bulldogs.
What about chair backs?
All chair back seats will soon be made available. A source noted that season ticket holders that originally didn't have the opportunity to get in this season now will have that chance.
What about the rigs in the Left Field Lounge/outfield?
The size is about to double. Previously this season, MSU was allowing four people per rig. That's expected to increase to eight people per rig as soon as this weekend.
What about premium seating?
Per Reeves' executive order, there is still a 50 percent limit for indoor seating. That means the Omaha Club isn't able to open up all the way immediately. And as first reported by 247Sports, suite attendance is expected to operate at 75 percent capacity for now, but could very well be expanded as the season moves along.
What about students?
Student ticket availability is expected to grow by about four times starting this coming weekend and students are likely to get an even bigger allotment in the weeks to come. For this weekend though, MSU is planning for around 750 students, up from the previous figure of around 200.
Can I get general admission tickets?
It doesn't appear so, at least not yet. A lot is still getting ironed out with all this. A source said it's very possible general admission tickets will start being sold in the near future, possibly by the time Southeastern Conference play rolls around.
Again, Mississippi State has made none of this official yet, other than confirming the school would optimize capacity. No information has been released at this writing as to how people can get their hands on the new ticket allotment. But much of it should be made official sooner rather than later. Keep it tuned to Cowbell Corner for the latest.
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