Little League World Series Will Not Have Fans, Because COVID

The Little League World Series has announced a ban on in-person attendance for general audiences, per the statement released Friday. Admission to the event in Williamsport, PA will be limited to invitees permitted for the 16 teams, with each team being assigned 250 passes to be divvied among close friends and relatives.

The event's mitigating of crowd sizes presents a path forward for the events to continue in the midst of the highly transmissible Delta variant causing a spike in cases nationwide. The 2020 Little League World Series was canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, their first cancelation of the event since its inception in 1947.

The announcement details that the original estimate of 3,000 tickets for general audiences have been retracted. Audiences will be recommended to wear a mask at the outdoor venue, regardless of vaccination status.

President and CEO Stephen D. Keener joined the announcement by adding some sentiments behind the decision — a move also meant to prevent cases among unvaccinated youth, which still remains a non-issue in terms of serious effects among children, per the CDC data.

"The health and well-being of our teams and mitigating their exposure to COVID-19 must continue to be our main priority, as we conclude our World Series events," said Keener.

"We are disappointed that we must rollback our spectators joining us in Williamsport this year, but are eager to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for the 16 teams who will compete in the World Series this summer.” 

The Little League Baseball World Series will take place between August 19-29.

Follow along on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela