While players practice ahead of the playoffs, those behind the scenes in the White Sox organization also are in preparation mode, anxiously awaiting the energy and excitement fans will bring to the stadium Sunday — the first time in 13 years fans can catch a postseason game in person.

       The White Sox made the playoffs last season, but COVID-19 prevented the team from hosting fans at Guaranteed Rate Field. This time around, the field has already been painted with a playoff logo, and on Wednesday “postseason” signs were going up and a worker was cleaning a grill where hot dogs and burgers would be cooked during Sunday’s game.

       “There’s going to be a lot of enthusiasm in the stadium,” said Brooks Boyer, White Sox chief revenue and marketing officer. “Who knows what the series is going to be coming back here but whether we’re up 2-0, it’s 1-1 or down 2-0, the enthusiasm is not gonna change in this ballpark.”

       During a news conference Wednesday, Boyer said he hopes Sunday’s game feels like the postseason games of 2008.

       On Oct. 5 that year, the White Sox played the Tampa Bay Rays. It was Game 3 in the series and the first home playoff game for the White Sox. The team gave away 40,000 black rally towels. Coming home with two losses in Florida, the Sox won that game 5-3. They lost the series the following night, with the Rays winning 6-2, ending the White Sox’s playoff run.

       “When you walked out here for first pitch and 40,000 black towels were flying and everyone was wearing black, it was an amazing atmosphere,” Boyer said.

       The team is asking fans to wear black during the postseason and again will be giving away 40,000 black towels, this time with Eloy Jimenez and Tim Anderson and the words “change the game” on them, acknowledging that the energy of the fans “can be a game-changer,” Boyer said in a news release.

       Team officials are expecting a sold-out game with more than 39,000 fans in the 40,615-capacity Guaranteed Rate Field. That capacity includes box seats and other reserved seating areas such as suites, for which attendance numbers can fluctuate. And some seats are not available because of postseason production needs and buildouts, said Sheena Quinn, a spokeswoman for the White Sox.

       Boyer said fans should get to the stadium early and expect long lines. But while the lines to enter the stadium can look overwhelming, they usually move fast, he said.

       Those driving to games should get a prepaid parking pass or those without a parking pass should go straight to overflow parking lots. People should consider using ride-share or public transit to get to the game, he said.

       Due to demand, parking fees in prepaid lots near the stadium increased from $30 during the regular season to $45 for the postseason, Quinn said. More parking will be available in overflow lots at Illinois Institute of Technology east of the Dan Ryan Expressway on 35th Street for $30 and at McCormick Place for $16.

       Boyer said people should visit the team’s website for more parking and traffic guidelines, and once they’re near the stadium, they should pay attention to traffic directions from the people there, instead of looking at directions on their phones.

       Because games are a Major League Baseball event, MLB will provide security for the games, and is working with the Chicago Police Department, Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications and federal law enforcement to keep the stadium and areas outside of the stadium safe, Quinn said.

       Boyer also reminded people to follow COVID-19 guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The stadium is considered an outdoor venue, but masks are required in bathrooms, elevators and any other indoor areas, Boyer said. Masks are also recommended in crowded areas throughout the ballpark, and people who are feeling sick should skip the game.

       scasanova@chicagotribune.com

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