The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas Athletics announces safety measures for 2021 Texas Baseball home games
Longhorns open the season on Wed., Feb. 24 with 4-game series against BYU
In preparation for the 2021 Texas Baseball season and in keeping with current state government guidance on sporting event attendance, Texas Athletics is implementing a variety of practices that may be adjusted as directed by evolving medical information to ensure safety at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Fans are asked to do their part by wearing face coverings–even if they have already been vaccinated–and conscientiously practicing physical/social distancing, frequently washing hands, using hand sanitizer, and entering the assigned gate on their mobile ticket to ensure the safest possible environment at Texas Baseball games this season. All fans should keep a safe distance between their party and other fans while inside and outside of UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Those fans who are not feeling well or have been in close contact with someone they suspect may be infected should stay home and contact their doctor.
Below are current measures that will be in place at UFCU Disch-Falk Field for the 2021 season, grouped by topic in alphabetical order. Additional details will be added here as needed throughout the season.
Arrival/Gate Entry
2021 Texas Baseball Assigned Gate Entry Map
2021 Texas Baseball Ingress and Egress Map
We have implemented a number of measures to make arrival and entry at UFCU Disch-Falk Field a safe experience this season including:
- Please note that for the 2021 season, all gates will open 60 minutes prior to first pitch. Fans will not be permitted to watch batting practice
- Fans will be required to enter at the assigned gate listed on their mobile ticket
- Social distancing markers will be placed at gate entry and strictly enforced to allow for social distancing
- ADA accessible gates are Gates 2, 3, 4, and 6. ADA patrons have been pre-assigned ADA accessible gates as listed on their mobile tickets
Special, Limited Pregame Closure of the First Base Concourse Area: In order to comply with all Big 12 Conference COVID-19 guidelines, the first base concourse will be closed from gates open (60 minutes prior to first pitch) until 40 minutes prior to first pitch. Event Staff will be stationed to assist with wayfinding and accessing seating sections on the 1st Base side until the concourse reopens. During this timeframe, please access seats via the inner bowl concourse, and utilize the bathrooms on the 3rd Base concourse.
Approved Bags and Items
Prohibited Bags
- Purses
- Diaper bags*
- Cases (camera, binocular, etc.)
- Backpacks
- Printed pattern plastic bags
- Reusable grocery totes
- Mesh or straw bags
- Duffle bags
- Large totes
- Texas Athletics will allow 3.4 oz. individual-sized hand sanitizer bottles, sanitary wipes, and all applicable medical exceptions for the 2020-21 season.
Cell Phone Charging Stations
Please charge your phone before arriving at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. For your convenience, phone charging stations will be located on the concourse down both the left and right field lines.* These charging stations will be included in the regular cleaning schedule focusing on sanitizing commonly touched surfaces with antibacterial spray.
Cleaning and Sanitizing Measures
To help prevent the spread of germs, hand sanitizer kiosks have been installed throughout the venue.
All stadium restrooms, suites, and clubs, as well as the press box and locker rooms will be treated by GermLogic throughout the 2021 season. For additional student-athlete safety, the turf at both UFCU Disch-Falk Field and the Indoor Practice Facility will be treated, as well. GermLogic, an Official Corporate Sponsor of Texas Athletics, uses the latest in products and technology to combat microbes such as MRSA, Staph, Influenza, as well as the novel Coronavirus. Their solutions will kill up to 99.99% of common illness causing pathogens while physically preventing future growth.
Staff will regularly clean all high-touched surfaces with antibacterial spray and wipes at all point-of-sale locations, restroom facilities, bag check location, and other common areas including all indoor and outdoor furniture, high touch point areas (doors, door handles, walls, hand rails, elevator buttons, restroom stall doors/dividers, toilets, sinks, water fountains, arm rests, switches, trash cans, ticket office and will call counters and tables, cell phone charging stations, valet services, parking areas, and elevator/escalator interiors and plazas.
Attendants will be assigned to each restroom throughout the arena to monitor cleanliness throughout the game.
Suite and arena attendants will remove trash from hospitality spaces and concourses throughout the game.
Concessions
A number of measures have been implemented to provide a clean and safe experience at our concession locations including:
- Face coverings will be required to be worn by all customers and staff at all times; concessions staff will wear gloves.
- Condiment stands on the concourses will be eliminated. Pre-packaged condiments, wrapped straws and napkins will be distributed upon request by staff with each food order.
- Menu offerings will be limited to the most high-demand, fan favorite items for speed of service and efficiency. Some stands will be closed due to lower attendance this season.
- Food items will be wrapped or pre-packaged and offered in easy-to-carry bags along with packaged utensils.
- Hand sanitizer will be available on concourses near all concession locations.
- All transactions will be cashless and contactless; credit or debit cards will be accepted, or fans can prepay for orders via the Texas Longhorns mobile app. Google pay and Apple pay will be payment options when ordering and paying via the Texas Longhorns mobile app. Visit TexasSports.com/GoMobile for more information and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
- Plexiglass shields have been installed at all concessions points of sale to protect customers and staff.
- Floor decals have been installed to properly queue lines and maintain social distancing. Fans waiting in line will be asked to maintain at least six feet distance from other customers.
- A regular cleaning schedule with an emphasis on disinfecting commonly touched surfaces with antibacterial spray will be employed.
Contactless and Cashless Transactions
All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at the Frank Erwin Center will be contactless and cashless (credit cards only).
Cash-to-Card Kiosks have been added on the concourse outside Sections 33-34 and 49 for fans who do not have credit cards or mobile wallets to be able to exchange cash for Visa® prepaid cards that can be used anywhere credit and debit cards are accepted (inside and outside of the Frank Erwin Center).
Fans will also have the ability to purchase concessions at select stands via the Texas Longhorns mobile app.
Event Staff Training and Support
Texas Athletics will conduct event staff training sessions in advance of the home opener to support all safety measures.
All gameday staff will be screened prior to entry to support health and safety measures for all fans and staff. Staff will also be provided with and required to wear face coverings, as well as other PPE as necessary by job function.
Face Covering Requirements
All fans and staff will be required to wear a face covering that covers the nose and mouth completely at all times–regardless of vaccination status–except while actively eating or drinking and including while cheering on the Horns in the stands (except for children two years or younger). Face coverings are not a substitute for social distancing and fans are asked to keep a safe distance between their party and other fans while inside and outside of UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Fan Experience Adjustments
Texas Athletics has implemented several additional policies and measures this season to keep our fans in the stands and our student-athletes, staff, and game officials on and off the field safe including:
Texas Traditions
- Smokey the Cannon will be at select Texas Baseball games and series but will not be available for photo opportunities through Longhorn Moments or otherwise
- Hook ‘Em will be in attendance for select Texas baseball games and series but will not be available for photo opportunities or direct fan interaction. Hook ‘Em will reside in a socially-distanced space, and we ask that you please respect him and the surrounding staff by respecting social-distancing.
Promotional Activities
- Fans will not be permitted to watch batting practice
- There will be no postgame autographs for the 2021 season
- Eliminating most on-court gameday elements including performances, promotional activities, and other activities that would encourage crowd congestion.
- There will be no activities that encourage crowd congestion that include but are not limited to pre and postgame on-field activities involving spectators, as well as general promotional activities typically executed on the dugout or elsewhere
- Longhorn Moments will not be available for purchase for the 2021 season
- Fan Experience Packages will not be available for purchase for the 2021 season (see “Ticketing Availability” section)
- Bark In The Park will not be available for the 2021 season
- We will not execute physical premium item giveaways to prevent additional touchpoints between fans and staff. Fans who have the Texas Longhorns mobile app and have Texas Baseball notifications turned on can receive exclusive prizes, giveaways, and opportunities including “5 FREE Wings” from Pluckers Wing Bar.
My Texas Fan Cutouts
- Fans may not remove any cutouts from seats, regardless of whether they purchased the cutout or not
- Fans at UFCU Disch-Falk Field may only take pictures with cutouts if Gameday and Event Staff allow them to do so. Fans must respect the space of any ticket holders seated around the cutouts as well as the specified health and safety guidelines
- My Texas Cutouts are no longer available for purchase. If you are a purchaser and are curious about post-season pick-up options, please visit TexasSports.com/Cutouts for more details.
Merchandise
To provide a safe shopping experience for all fans and staff, the Texas Longhorns Official Team Shop will have two stands open on the stadium concourse located behind Home Plate and down the left field line. New measures have been implemented including:
- Face masks or face coverings will be required to be worn by all customers and staff at all times.
- Hand sanitizers available at checkouts.
- All transactions will be contactless. Customers will self-swipe their credit cards and credit card machines will be sanitized after each use.
- Plexiglass stands have been installed at both kiosks to protect customers and staff.
- Floor decals have been installed to properly queue lines and maintain social distancing at checkout. Shoppers will be asked to maintain at least six feet distance from other customers.
Mobile App
All fans attending games are encouraged to download the new official Texas Longhorns mobile app on their smartphones.
Mobile App on Gameday: Through the Texas Longhorns app, fans can access and manage game tickets for all regular season home events, as well as take advantage of several new opportunities. To access all benefits:
- Login to the Texas Longhorns mobile app
- Select “Manage Teams” on the home screen dropdown menu located in the upper left corner
- Select “Baseball” and turn on notifications for “News”, “Game Start”, and “Game End”
- You will automatically be sent notifications, including special alerts and notifications directly to your phone.
Additional benefits include:
- Order food and beverage items in advance from the Homeplate Concession Stand at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The items can be paid for via the app and picked up within a few minutes of placing your order
- Purchase gameday merchandise in advance from the Texas Longhorns Official Team Shop and pick up at pre-selected times on gamedays
- Enjoy happy hour pricing on beer until the start of the national anthem
- Receive special promotions and coupons exclusive to fans attending Texas Baseball games
- View the official Texas Baseball gameday roster cards. The digital roster cards replace the printed versions handed out during previous seasons
- Access the official Texas Baseball Season Guide.
Fans at home will have the opportunity to access additional Texas Longhorns content including:
- Real-time news and featured content
- Updated team rosters and stats
- Live gameday radio broadcasts and game streaming links (restrictions apply)
- Unique video content
- Ability to purchase tickets to future Texas Athletics events
- Access to purchase merchandise from the Texas Longhorns Official Team Shop
Mobile Ticketing
To offer greater convenience and safety, mobile-only ticketing will provide contactless entry to UFCU Disch-Falk Field for all 2021 Texas Baseball games.
- Season ticket holders will access tickets through the Texas Longhorns App, supported on Apple and Android devices, and available for download for free via the App Store and Google Play. Tickets will also be available to download and store in your digital wallet
- Tickets will be sent to season ticket holders by email the week of February 15. Before then, Texas Athletics will send out additional detailed educational assets including ticket download instructions, how to transfer tickets, and how to scan in on gamedays.
Using Your Tickets on Gameday
- To provide a seamless entry experience, fans should download their tickets to their phone prior to arrival to speed up entry into the stadium. Fans with ADA accommodations have been assigned ADA accessible gates (Gates 2, 3, 4, and 6)
- Fans will be required to enter UFCU Disch-Falk Field at the door assigned on their mobile tickets
- As fans approach the door, they should open their digital wallet and have the game tickets ready to present to event staff. Tickets will be scanned on the way in
- Ticket resolution centers will be available at the ticket office located between Gates 2 and 3 beginning 60 minutes prior to first pitch.
Ticket Transfer
- Season ticket holders have the option to transfer their tickets multiple times
- The recipient must have a smartphone
- For the step-by-step process on how to transfer tickets, visit TexasSports.com/GoMobile.
Students
- Please see the “Student Ticketing” section.
Visit TexasSports.com/GoMobile for more information and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
Parking and Traffic Flow
Parking in the official Texas Baseball garage (East Campus Garage) on the University of Texas campus will be restricted to ticketholders and staff with permits. Non-priority parking may be available for purchase in the East Campus Garage and may be purchased online through UT Parking and Transportation Services.
For more information on parking, ADA accommodations, and to view the parking map, visit the 2021 Texas Baseball Parking Home Page
Follow @TexasFanFirst on Twitter for gameday updates and customer service related to Texas Athletics events.
Parking lots will open two hours prior to first pitch on gamedays. No overnight parking is permitted.
New Rideshare Location
Fans who use rideshare options to travel to and from UFCU Disch-Falk Field may use the use designated rideshare drop-off and pickup location on the northbound I-35 frontage road just north of MLK Blvd. Look for the rideshare signage along the way.
Social Distancing Markers and Signage
Social distancing markers will be placed at gate entry and around UFCU Disch-Falk Field and will be strictly enforced in areas where lines may form such as restroom facilities, concessions, and merchandise locations.
Additional wayfinding and safety signage will be added to support queuing at exterior gates, seating section entrances, and parking/transportation areas
Student Ticketing
A limited amount of reserved seats are held for Big Ticket Holders at every 2021 Texas Baseball home game. Big Ticket Holders should visit TexasSports.com/BigTicket frequently for up-to-date information on mobile ticket claims and PCT testing protocols, eligibility, and timelines.
Suite Operations
This season, a number of measures have been implemented in our suite areas:
- Suite parking (if applicable) will be in the East Campus Garage on Lower Level 0, immediately west of the stadium
- All suite patrons will enter at the glass doors behind home plate (Gate 2). We will use queues to properly social distance the elevator upon entry and departure
- Elevators will be marked and monitored appropriately for social distancing
- Food catering will be in-suite, pre-order service only, and the menu will be made available ahead of time for this purpose. Event day food items will not be offered this season
- Suite patrons will pour their own drinks and serve their own food from their private service counter
- Servers will enter suites only for setup or upon request from a suite patron to replenish beverages
- Suite patrons will be allowed to access the main concourse concessions and bring food and drink purchased there up to their suite as desired
- Texas Athletics will provide hand sanitizer in each suite
- Suite patrons are required to wear a face covering at all times upon entering the stadium and in all common areas (including moving to and from the general concourse areas and the suite bathrooms). Fans are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings inside the suites while not actively eating or drinking
- Face coverings will be required in the outdoor seating areas except while actively eating or drinking
- Social distancing between suites is mandatory
- Suite doors must remain closed at all times
- Suite-to-suite visits will not be permitted. Suite patrons must remain in their ticketed suite throughout the game
- All transactions in the suite areas will be contactless (credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards only)
- Suite and stadium attendants will remove trash from hospitality spaces and concourses throughout the game.
Exterior Gatherings
All exterior area gatherings surrounding Texas Baseball Events must follow the below requirements. Exterior area gatherings include but are not limited to groups of patrons physically outside of UFCU Disch-Falk Field, including overlapping campus areas, such as Left Field exterior, as well as adjacent city areas, such as Comal Street.
Exterior area gatherings requirements
- Masks must be worn at ALL times when not actively eating or drinking
- Social distancing guidelines must be followed
- As is consistent with campus protocols and health and safety guidelines, no tailgating will be permitted in the East Campus Parking Garage.
Athletics proactive measures to support the Left Field Exterior Area
- Athletics will paint/define circles of 6 feet in diameter throughout the historically-known exterior gathering areas outside of our athletics spring sport venues
- Those 6 foot circles would then each be separated by 6 feet, as well
- Signage will be added to the adjacent fences citing the above guidelines, as well as in the East Campus Parking Garage.
Ticket Availability
Tickets for 2021 Texas Baseball games are allocated to renewing season ticket holders who opted in for the season in Longhorn Foundation loyalty points rank order. Only limited number of single game tickets are available this season. Any available tickets can be purchased in person while supplied last at the UFCU Disch-Falk Field box office beginning one hour prior to first pitch each game.
- There are no group tickets, for the 2021 Texas Baseball season.
- Season ticket holders have the option to resell their tickets on a game-by-game basis through StubHub, official fan to fan ticket marketplace of Texas Athletics. Fans wishing to attend games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field that are not season ticket holders can check StubHub for ticket availability.