ATLANTA — Record breaking crowds for the Braves big game at The Battery forced authorities to restrict the number of fans who were allowed inside Sunday night.
Fans told Channel 2′s Tom Jones that the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds left fans waiting hours for food and some relieving themselves outside.
Authorities said they brought in back-up to deal with the huge crowds. The fire department says it tripled the number of fire marshals and quadrupled the number of emergency medical services personnel to deal with the massive crowds.
“They would not let anyone in. The Battery was at max capacity,” one fan said, showing Jones pictures of the massive crowd at The Battery Sunday night that kept thousands of other fans from getting in.
Fans told Jones that it was like something they had never seen before.
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“It was wild out here. I mean, it took 30 minutes to walk two feet,” Braves fan Jake Helms said.
Battery officials told said Truist Park was sold out, all the garages were packed and The Battery was at max capacity as the Braves battled to win the World Series.
There were so many people out at one point, authorities restricted who could come inside.
“They had it barricaded for ticketholders only. And then once the game started, then they allowed people in,” Helms said.
Emergency crews were very concerned about the large crowd posing a safety hazard.
If someone needed help, they wouldn’t be able to respond quickly. So they took action.
Fans say it took hours to get food. Channel 2 Action News crews also saw fans relieving themselves outdoors near the Roxy.
Some fans say they most likely couldn’t get to a large bank of portable bathrooms on the other side because of the crowds.
“There were like no lines in that bathroom, but I don’t think anyone knew about it,” Braves fan Ben Harris said.
Some fans say they would like to see more big screens all around the Battery to help relieve congestion.
The fire department told Jones it called in help from Marietta, Smyrna and Sandy Springs to help with the record-breaking crowd.
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