Cubs Planning for Reduced Capacity at Wrigley Field in 2021 Due to COVID-19

The Chicago Cubs are planning to allow around 50 percent capacity at Wrigley Field to begin the 2021 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

Season-ticket holders will get first priority for seating, per Rogers. Since they make up about 50 percent of the stadium's capacity, it's feasible that season-ticket holders will be the only fans allowed in the ballpark.

The decision is in response to "advice from medical experts, as well as restrictions because of local ordinances," per Rogers.

Chicago is hoping to allow full capacity at Wrigley Field before the 2021 season ends, but there is no guarantee that will happen with medical experts uncertain about when there will be a COVID-19 vaccine.

Wrigley Field has a 41,649-seat capacity, with 50 percent of that being roughly 20,825 people.

The news comes amid word from Rogers that the Cubs have laid off 25 percent of their business staff due to a loss of revenue in the shortened, fanless 2020 season as well as uncertainties surrounding 2021.

"This is through no fault of their own and had nothing to do with their performance, talent or contributions," a source told Rogers.

"This was a difficult decision but the goal was to restructure the organization based on the current operating environment with losses of more than $100 million anticipated next year. We're no longer a business that welcomes 3.3 million fans and we're not sure when that business will resume."

Per Rogers, the Cubs are expected to lose roughly 75 percent of their revenue (up to $125 million to $140 million) in 2020.

The Cubs welcomed over three million people through their turnstiles from 2016-2019 and have finished top six in attendance in Major League Baseball since 2015.

The team has been especially popular since 2015, which started a string of six straight winning seasons and featured three National League Championship Series appearances and one World Series win.

There was talk earlier this year of the Cubs potentially allowing 20 percent capacity at Wrigley Field for 2020, per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, but that never came to fruition.

The Cubs' 2021 season will open against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 1 at Wrigley Field.