LOS ANGELES — For Yoli Moss and her husband Bob, returning to Dodger Stadium couldn’t have come soon enough. She has been a Dodger fan ever since "Fernandomania" in 1981, but didn’t become a season ticket holder until 2020.
"The season we couldn't come," Moss said, referencing Dodgers baseball in 2020. "We were like, 'What's going on?' So we were really excited to get back."
Moss is completely vaccinated and ready for the stadium to be packed again. But right now, there is only one section in the ballpark which feels like the days before COVID struck.
On Saturday the Dodgers debuted an exclusive, sold-out section, filled with 500 fully vaccinated fans.
“I’m very excited,” Moss said. “They’re probably gonna say ‘We’ve got that section, we’re gonna do a little bit more, a little bit more,' and then it is gonna be normal. This place is gonna be filled to capacity.”
That’s the plan according to team president Stan Kasten, who believes Chavez Ravine could be completely filled by June 15. But they are taking it step at a time
“It’s kind of a pilot program,” Kasten said. “We expect to expand this, starting with the next homestand, as another marker on the road to our return to normal.”
Those sitting in the special vaccination section got their tickets just in time to watch the Boys in Blue battle the Padres, currently one of the hottest rivalries in sports.
“Little brother trying to beat up on big brother,” said Moss.
“Big brother’s gotta tell them ‘no they can’t.’ Sorry. They will always be little brother,” she added.
Even though Moss is fully vaccinated, she won’t be sitting in that special vaccinated section, because she’s just not comfortable with it yet.
“I like having the elbow room and everything like that,” she said.
Still, she looks forward to one day soon when she can join 56,000 others in rooting their team on toward another championship.