LI Ducks Baseball Is Back, Fans Won't Need Negative COVID-19 Test

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — Play ball, Long Island! The Ducks are set to take the field in May for the first time since October 2019 after the coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 season.

Fans will not need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test to enter Fairfield Properties Ballpark, home of the Ducks, according to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Ducks ownership. The park, at 3 Court House Dr., Central Islip, is set to welcome parkgoers back on May 28, as the Ducks will battle the Lexington Legends. Gametime is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

"The fact we can stand here today and say that Ducks baseball is back for Long Island is a great sign of how far we've come out of this pandemic and the progress we're making," Bellone stated on Thursday morning.

Coronavirus vaccines will be available at the game, Bellone said. The first 250 fans to get vaccinated will receive a voucher for a free ticket to a future Ducks game.

Safety parameters will be in place to meet the state's health regulations, according to Ducks officials.

Vaccinated fans can sit next to each other with masks at Ducks games, including any children under 16, according to the Ducks.

For fans who have not yet gotten vaccinated, six-foot distancing with 33 percent capacity in "unvaccinated sections" will be required based on state guidelines, according to the team.

"Our goal, as it was the first day we opened up over 20 years ago, is to make sure that everyone that comes through our gates has the best time that they could possibly have," said Frank Boulton, founder and CEO of the Long Island Ducks. "We're gonna make you happy, we're gonna make you comfortable, we're gonna make you safe."

During the Ducks hiatus, the team has taken time to enhance the ballpark. New safety railings were built on the lower concourse, while safety netting has been extended down the first and third baselines, said Michael Pfaff, president and general manager of the Ducks. The outside of the ballpark has new signage and aesthetic landscaping, as well.

The coronavirus is on the decline in Suffolk County, as the positivity rate is less than 2 percent for the first time since the virus's second wave hit in fall 2020, Bellone said.

"We want to let everybody know that the Long Island Ducks are open for business," Boulton said. "We miss you. We welcome you. We want to see you here on May 28 and through the rest of the season."

Ducks tickets can be bought on LIDucks.com or over the phone at 631-940-TIXX.