Dayton Dragons 2021 Opening Day: Changes fans can expect in the stands this year

DAYTON — Even though the Dragons started their season with a six-game road trip that wrapped up Sunday in Michigan, Tuesday is their home opener after COVID cancelled Minor League Baseball’s 2020 season.

There are plenty of COVID precautions in place at the Dragons take the field again, but fans and businesses around the ballpark say they’re thrilled to have baseball back.

“It’s going to be great,” said Dragons season ticket holder, Bill Nicholson. “It’s going to be a little chilly down here tonight but hopefully they’re still playing good ball.”

Nicholson lives in Dayton and says he knows the start of the season is “going to feel a lot different,” because of COVID, but he’s thrilled to have his favorite minor league club back in action.

Here are some of the biggest changes you can expect for watching Dragons games in person at Day Air Ballpark this year:

First, capacity is down to 30% to start the season. That means about 2,600 fans at each game.

Tickets and other ballpark transactions are all digital and touchless.

There are signs to mark the flow of foot traffic and staff has added entrances and exits around the ballpark.

Tickets will be sold in pods and six feet away from other groups.

And when it comes to masking, the Dragons have the same policy their parent club, the Cincinnati Reds, have down at Great American Ballpark: you have to wear your mask unless you’re actively eating or drinking in your seat.

Businesses that are next door neighbors with the Dragons say they’re happy to have the team back too.

“(The pandemic) has been a challenge in the restaurant business for sure,” said Chris Bhai, the General Manager of Brixx Ice Company – the restaurant sits just beyond the centerfield wall at Day Air Ballpark. “But things are really starting to look up,” Bhai said.

Tuesday morning, Bhai told News Center 7 that this April was his strongest month of business since before the pandemic hit – September 2019. He said Brixx sees a boost in business on game days during Dragons homestands.

“Well Dragons season, it’s been almost a couple of years since we’ve been here,” said Bhai. “So we’re so excited to be back. Even at 30-percent, it’s pretty solid numbers for us. And if we get a percentage of the people coming across the street, which typically happens, we’ll be pretty excited. And we’ll get to greet all of our long-term fans and just happy to be back in business.”

A similar story is playing out just behind home plate at Lock 27 Brewing.

“Feels really good,” Lock 27 Executive GM Jennifer Dietrich said about the return of Dragons baseball. “Losing that last year definitely hurt.”

Dietrich says Dragons Baseball means good business at her brewery too.

“We’re excited for just the people coming in and getting pre-game beers and you know maybe some appetizers and things like that,” Dietrich said. “So it’s going to build us back up quickly.”

On the field, the Dragons moved up a class this year after Minor League Baseball’s restructuring this offseason. MiLB bumped the club from Low-A to High-A in 2021. That means fans will see more advanced prospects from the Reds farm system on the field compared to recent seasons.

Just outside the ticket window at Day Air Ballpark Tuesday morning, Bill Nicholson said he hopes the capacity limit gets bumped up at some point this year, too.

“Eventually,” Nicholson said. “Maybe before the season’s over with things will loosen up a little bit and they’ll be able to allow more people in for the games.”

During a visit to Piqua in March, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said ballparks across the state could be back to full capacity by the end of the season. DeWine even mentioned the Dragons by name when he said this to News Center 7 during his visit to Miami County on March 28: “I told Bob Murphy, who runs the Dragons, I told him, ‘Bob, in all likelihood, you’re going to be at 100% capacity.’ So we look for a good summer.”

News Center 7 will keep you updated on how capacity limits at Day Air Ballpark may change throughout the 2021 season.

Cox Media Group