Atlanta United, Braves To Remove Attendance Caps

April 28th, 2021

Fans wait to enter Mercedes-Benz Stadium prior to Atlanta United’s home opener Saturday.

Emil Moffatt / WABE

Updated at 3:55 p.m. Wednesday

After limiting capacity for the first several games of the 2021 season, Atlanta United’s parent company says it will return to 100% capacity beginning with the club’s May 15 match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Atlanta Braves, meanwhile, say they’ll return to full capacity a week before, on May 7.

“Given the increased opportunity for Georgians to be vaccinated, the abundant health protocols we have in place at the stadium and the interest from our season ticket members, we felt that now is the right time to reopen the stadium in full capacity,” said Steve Cannon, AMB Sports and Entertainment’s chief executive.

“We will continue to follow the necessary precautions to give fans a safe and clean environment,” he said.

The lower two levels of seating will be open to fans “in typical soccer configuration,” according to a news release from the team.

Atlanta United has traditionally drawn the largest crowds in Major League Soccer and holds the league’s Top 10 single-game attendance records. It welcomed 20,335 fans in its home opener last Saturday and just over 17,500 for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Philadelphia.

AMB Sports and Entertainment, which also owns the Atlanta Falcons, says the NFL team will also allow full capacity at the stadium this fall.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has also been the home to one of the nation’s busiest mass vaccination sites. Fulton County officials announced Wednesday the stadium would remain a vaccination site through June 15.

The Braves started their season with 33% capacity, then increased to 50%. The team has averaged 15,000 fans through the first 11 games.

“We have had great success welcoming our fans back safely to Truist Park,” said Derek Schiller, the Braves’ president and CEO. “Our outdoor environment, the demand from our season-ticket holders and fans to watch us play in person plus safety measures, which are in place, make it feel that now is the right time to get back to full capacity at Truist Park.”