VenuesNow (04/01/21) Muret, Don

Major League Baseball (MLB) concessionaires are stepping up hiring and bringing back furloughed managers and hourly workers in a push to restore stadium attendance as the pandemic winds down. Most teams are limited to capacity between 8,000 and 12,000 attendees to start the season, while the Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros were both approved for 50% capacity. On-site general managers for concessionaires were generally retained at MLB parks over the past year, in part to help feed teams, according to officials from Aramark, Centerplate and Delaware North Sportservice. Salaried supervisors who were let go are coming back, although they may fill other positions until capacities expand and they can resume their old jobs. There are lingering questions about how things will unfold over the season with ballpark attendance, which will dictate the level of service delivered for general concessions and premium dining. Cold weather and school schedules are long-time drivers of reduced attendance at MLB games in April and May, so clear trends may not emerge until summer. Moreover, restrictions vary widely in terms of ballpark capacity, which can complicate concessionaires' ability to formulate the right mix of game day workers and full-time supervisors. As a result of the pandemic, food providers are not only reconnecting with part-time workers, but are also enrolling them in virtual training programs tied to new health and safety guidelines.

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