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Vibes to open season at full capacity and no mask requirement

The Vibes host the Grand Junction Rockies for their first game in 20 months.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Rocky Mountain Vibes will open their 2021 season at 100-percent capacity at UCHealth Park on Saturday, May 22.

The Vibes also announced Tuesday that fans will no longer be required to wear face masks at the ballpark for this weekend's games against the Grand Junction Rockies.

"The Rocky Mountain Vibes and UCHealth Park are happy to announce that they will be able to open to true 100% capacity in time for Opening Day on May 22 thanks to continued support from the El Paso County Health Department and other government officials," reads a statement from the Vibes. "It is because of this that tickets will now be available as they have been in the past, as opposed to the previous restrictions that the Vibes were operating under."

> Video above from 2020: Kyle Clark was wrong about Toasty.

Like the rest of minor league baseball, the Vibes did not play in 2020 due to the pandemic.

"Due to the recent changes at a state-wide level to the mask policy in Colorado, the Vibes will be changing their mask policy accordingly," said the Vibes. "Fans will no longer be required to enter the stadium with a mask on. Fans are still welcome to wear masks while entering UCHealth Park, but it will not be required."

Vibes tickets will be available for the full seating bowl beginning Wednesday, May 19 online.

The Rocky Mountain Vibes will be opening the 2021 season with a new coaching staff, manager and pitching coach.

Current University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) head baseball coach Dave Hajek was named the manager of the Vibes in January. Hajek previously coached for the Sky Sox in the 2013 and 2014 seasons and played for the Sky Sox beginning in 1999.

“We are incredibly excited to bring such an established member of not only the baseball community, but the Colorado Springs community into our organization as the Manager of the Rocky Mountain Vibes," said Chris Phillips, Rocky Mountain Vibes President & General Manager. "Dave has had tremendous success building the UCCS Baseball Program and we’re thrilled to be working together to bring that same level of success to UCHealth Park."

Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Pioneer League announced in November that the Pioneer League has been designated a “Partner League” of MLB.

The announcement means all eight members of the Pioneer League, including the Grand Junction Rockies and Colorado Springs' Vibes, will continue participating in the league and will maintain their existing team names and brands in 2021.

The Owlz, formerly of Orem, Utah, will be moving to Windsor, Colorado and will become the Northern Colorado Owlz in 2022.

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