Tulsa Drillers Prepare To Take The Field For First Time In Nearly 600 Days

The Tulsa Drillers are gearing up for their first game in more than a year since COVID-19 ended their season in 2020.

Opening day at ONEOK Field is Tuesday, May 4th, and it'll be the first time the Drillers will hit the diamond in 598 days. The stadium has held several low-capacity events throughout the pandemic, but Tuesday's Drillers home game against Amarillo means baseball is back in downtown Tulsa.

Drillers management says capacity will be limited to 65%, and per Major League Baseball requirements, masks will be required in common areas and while fans are seated except when eating or drinking. With COVID-19 still around, General Manager Mike Melega says they're working to keep fans and players safe and healthy, but things are looking more normal again.

"From a fan's perspective, I think they're going to see it, you know, like a normal Drillers game, they're going to be able to come out here and enjoy a Driller dog and a cold beer, and first pitch is going to be 7:05 just like usual," said Melega.

He also says fans will be excited to see a brand new $1.5 million scoreboard to welcome them back. Since capacity is limited, the folks at ONEOK suggest getting tickets ahead of time online.