The Macon Bacon have postponed the start of the 2020 season until July 1st when they will take on their Coastal Plain League archrivals the Bananas in Savannah. The Bacon’s first home game will be on Thursday, July 2nd at Luther Williams Field. As part of the revamped schedule, the Bacon will play 28 home games, including 14 Friday or Saturday night games instead of the originally scheduled 25 games.
“Baseball is America’s Pastime. Going to a ballgame, bringing your family, and having a hot dog, soda, beer, and ice cream is something we want everyone to look forward to,” said team President Brandon Raphael. “The Macon Bacon are incredibly community-focused. And we look forward to being a rallying point for the people of Middle Georgia this summer. Two months from now, the sizzle will be back at The Skillet.”
The team has also announced a full slate of promotions including four fireworks shows beginning with the Fourth of July, Military Appreciation Night on Friday, July 1oth, and the Allman Brothers Tribute Night on Friday, July 24. The Bacon plan to recognize doctors, nurses, and first responders for their tremendous efforts over the last few months with Essential Heroes Night on Friday, August 14th.
“This night is about celebrating everyone that has been on the front lines helping our Middle Georgia community,” said Raphael.
New Guidelines Impact Luther Williams Field
The Macon Bacon will be working closely with state and local officials to ensure proper guidelines for social distancing and ballpark cleanliness and sanitation are being followed. Seating capacity at Luther Williams Field will be reduced from nearly 3,300 seats per game to roughly 1300 seats per game in order to maintain appropriate space amongst attendees.
Season ticket holders, 10 & 5 game plan holders, and group ticket buyers who have already committed to the 2020 season will be notified by email explaining the process on how seating will change to work with the social distancing guidelines. Each account will receive a phone appointment time where our sales staff will discuss their seating options and how the capacity reduction will impact tickets The calls have been scheduled based on seniority, taking care of the team’s longest-tenured accounts first.
Because of the substantial reduction in capacity and the high volume of advance sales the team has already received, Raphael indicated the team is essentially about 70% sold out for the season.
“This will be an unusual year for us based on the capacity we have right now. With our advance sales so high, it’s entirely possible to expect every game to be sold out,” Raphael commented.
Right now, there are a limited number of tickets still available for the All-You-Can-Eat 5 & 10 game plan. Single-game tickets will go on sale in mid-June. Fans can order packages or join the team’s priority list for advanced single-game tickets by going to www.maconbaconbaseball.com or calling the team’s office at 478-803-1795 during normal business hours.
Keeping the Ballpark Clean
• Food Service/Distribution: All food will be prepped and handed out in a safe and sanitized manner with all gameday concessions staff members wearing masks and gloves.
• Social distancing guidelines: The recommended six-foot spacing will be established and followed any place in the ballpark where there are opportunities for crowds to congregate, such as concession lines, the Kids Zone, and entry into the ballpark. Floor markers and other signage will be placed in all appropriate areas to ensure proper social distancing.
• Contactless Interaction: The team also plans to install plexiglass shields and alter payment protocol to provide as much contactless interaction as possible at the concession stands and merchandise store. Hand sanitizers will also be installed throughout the ballpark for customer use.
• Restrooms/Common Areas: Restrooms and common areas will frequently be cleaned and sanitized throughout the game with additional cleaning staff regularly monitoring bathrooms, concession stands, condiment stands, and other areas where fans are engaged.
Other adjustments and changes will be addressed as state and local guidelines are altered over the next few months.