New Stadium Operations Practices Take Effect for 2015
Screening Programs Must Be In Place By Opening Day
As previously announced, Major League Baseball's Stadium Operations Practices for the 2015 regular season require each Club to develop and implement mandatory metal detection screening of all fans prior to entry to each Major League ballpark. Many Major League Clubs already began such a program throughout the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
The screening program will be in effect at 29 ballparks on Opening Day and full fan screening will be phased in over the course of the first month of the 2015 season. The Commissioner's Office has postponed the commencement of the program at Wrigley Field in light of the extensive renovations that are underway.
This procedure, which resulted from a recent study of best security practices and MLB's continuing work with the Department of Homeland Security to elevate and standardize initiatives across the game, will be in addition to bag checks that have been uniform throughout MLB. Fan screening may be conducted by means of hand-held metal detection or walk-through magnetometers. Fans should monitor announcements from Clubs regarding their individual programs and the details of the anticipated practices in each market.
John McHale, Jr., MLB's Executive Vice President, Administration, said: "Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our fans. In the last several seasons, our experiences in many markets and at our jewel events have indicated that fans have a high level of understanding of these efforts. We believe this step will pose minimal inconvenience and ultimately will serve the best interests of fans."