Louisville Cardinals head coach Dan McDonnell vented during a virtual press conference on Tuesday about the continued COVID restrictions that in place at Jim Patterson Stadium.
"I'm ready to open this place up. I'm not going to lie - I'm beyond frustrated. I'm tired of it," McDonnell said. "We're an outdoor sport. I mean, let's go people. Turn on the Masters. Watch the [Kentucky] Derby, watch the games in the SEC and other ballparks.
"It's an outdoor sport. You want to risk it, you risk it. I'm tired of playing games without people in the stands," he added. "Let's open it up. Let's let our fans come, let's let them enjoy some Louisville baseball. And then, I'll be a little more excited to host the regional because, unfortunately, I haven't had a regional atmosphere yet."
Patterson Stadium is currently operating at 20 percent capacity of its 4,000 seating this season, according to WHAS11. The recent game against the Vanderbilt Commodores only had an allowed attendance of 880 people.
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Louisville baseball coach Dan McDonnell is done with limited crowds. @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/8tFXAB6LVa
— Kent Spencer (@WHAS11Kent) May 4, 2021
Other outdoor sporting events have been at near full capacity, such as the Kentucky Derby. The annual horse racing event had 51,838 fans in attendance, making it the largest in-person attendance for sports since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Texas Rangers were the first baseball venue to have a near full capacity since the start of COVID after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) allowed all businesses to reopen completely.
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