Several Major League Baseball (MLB) teams are no longer requiring vaccinated fans to wear face masks while sitting in stadiums, just days after a number of United States (US) sporting teams have moved back to full attendance, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move follows recent updated guidance from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which now advises vaccinated people do not need to wear face masks, either indoors or outdoors.

In the wake of this news, MLB have eliminated its minimum policy for face coverings across the league and affiliated minor leagues, but still requires teams to abide by any applicable state and local requirements.

Meanwhile, a study has been conducted by Paul Hastings attorney James Pearl, and law student Anna Alvarado, via SportsBusiness, to explore the legal landscape around sports team fans’ requiring COVID-19 vaccines to attend live events.

The study notes the issues the US has had in many key matters in the past decade, saying that the potential of vaccination prerequisites to entry, otherwise known as vaccine passports, will more than likely becomes a political and legal flashpoint.

Citing differences in how different teams across different leagues have approached the COVID-19 pandemic so far in terms of fans in stadiums, including proof of a vaccine for entry, separated seats and passports, the answer is it is too early to tell due to the legal status of vaccine authorisation remaining unknown.

The study read: “Requirements will no doubt remain fluid as the vaccines gain permanent approval, but one thing we should not expect is a consistent approach across the teams, leagues or states.”