Illinois opens Cubs, White Sox ballparks to fans for games

The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox can both host spectators for Major League Baseball games this summer if owners and the MLB Players Association can agree to terms for a pandemic-altered season.

As Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago explained, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared on Monday that "outdoor spectator sports can resume with no more than 20% of seating capacity; concessions permitted with restrictions." Shapiro added that amounts to roughly 8,000 fans per Chicago ballpark.

This would also allow Major League Soccer side the Chicago Fire and National Women's Soccer League team the Chicago Red Stars to host supporters if they play home games this summer. MLS is scheduled to resume its season with a 26-team tournament held in Orlando that begins on July 8, while the NWSL begins its Challenge Cup to kick its season off in Utah this weekend.

Texas, Alabama, Florida, and Ohio have already opened outdoor venues to fans for sporting events. The Jack Nicklaus Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio will be the first PGA Tour competition to allow spectators since the coronavirus pandemic forced the Tour to suspend play in March.

MLB owners and players are still negotiating terms for a season that won't get underway until mid-July at the earliest. Commissioner Rob Manfred has the right to schedule a campaign of around 48-60 games per a March 26 agreement between the two parties.