Oracle Park Covers All the Bases with GBAC® STAR Facility Accreditation
Opportunity
Opened in 2000, Oracle Park is a classic urban ballpark with an old-time feel and all the amenities of modern ballparks. Home to the San Francisco Giants, the ballpark seats approximately 42,300 people and also hosts multiple non- baseball events every year.
Over the years, Oracle Park and the San Francisco Giants have been recognized with numerous accolades. The ballpark received the title of the first Green Business Certified sports venue in California, and in 2019 it was awarded a LEED Platinum Certification for Existing Buildings, Operations and Maintenance. Additionally, Major League Baseball (MLB) honored the San Francisco Giants with the 2020 Green Glove Award for diverting 98% of all waste at Oracle Park from local landfills.
Given the ballpark and the MLB club’s trailblazing around sustainability, leadership knew it needed to be at the forefront of navigating the global COVID-19 pandemic. In the immediate wake of the pandemic, the 2020 MLB season was delayed three months and then pivoted to a reduced 60-game season played in ballparks without in-person attendance.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, baseball came to a halt. Meanwhile, we had to learn more about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including how it spreads and what cleaning practices to use to best mitigate the virus, all while facing so many unknowns about COVID-19,” said Jorge Costa, Chief Venue Officer, Oracle Park “We sought guidance and solutions that would help us ensure the safety of fans, ballpark employees, players, coaches, and others.”
Solution
The Giants first learned about GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation during a weekly environmental and sustainability call that features the Miami Dolphins. Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, revealed their plans for achieving the accreditation for outbreak prevention, response, and recovery, which is administered by the Global Biorisk Advisory CouncilTM (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. During additional calls with sport leagues and concessionaires, it became clear that cleanliness was key to making fans feel comfortable to return to sporting events.
“As we looked into ways to safely welcome fans back
to the ballpark, applying for GBAC STAR seemed like a great accreditation and resource to have,” added Costa. “By implementing and following strategic cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention protocols, we could ensure a successful reopening.”
To achieve GBAC STAR accreditation, staff and facility operations demonstrated compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which include standard operating procedures, risk assessment strategies, personal protective equipment, emergency preparedness and response measures, and more.
Its Director and Manager of Maintenance and Supervisory staff also completed COVID-specific online training to best learn how to clean and disinfect spaces. Additionally, the Giants launched the FanSafe program, a commitment to the health and safety of fans and employees. Once Oracle Park earned GBAC STAR accreditation in November 2020, this achievement was featured as part of FanSafe to provide updated information on everything fans need to know about the Giants health and safety protocols. When the ballpark reopened, FanSafe enabled visitors to easily prepare for the game day experience at Oracle Park.
Results
As a result of achieving GBAC STAR, the Giants have been able to:
Expand learning around cleaning, disinfection,and infection prevention. The accreditation process allowed the organization to learn and understand more about infectious diseases and what best products and practices to utilize. The club purchased personal protective equipment and additional supplies to help deal with COVID-19 and improve cleanliness practices.
Instill confidence among staff. Employees are essential to upholding the fan experience. GBAC STAR accreditation provided an important first step to assure Oracle Park employees that the ballpark has proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments, even during challenging periods like a pandemic.
Boost confidence among fans. One of the top benefits of GBAC STAR accreditation is that fans feel safe to return to Oracle Park. “During a fan focus group, fans cited cleanliness practices as one of the top reasons for their openness to return to the ballpark,” added Costa. “Seeing the fan reaction and being able to return to full capacity has felt like we are striving towards pre-COVID normalcy.” The Giants promoted the accreditation via a press release, the club’s website, and the FanSafe program to ensure visitors understood the organization’s commitment to safety.
GBAC STAR verifies that Oracle Park executes best practices
to prepare for, respond to, and recover from outbreaks and pandemics. “Our employees and fans are thankful that we
have proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments so they can focus on what matters most: enjoying each and every ballgame,” added Costa.