Though NFL teams have warned of playing home games at a reduced capacity, the New York Giants and New York Jets are going a step further and announcing they will open the 2020 NFL season without fans at MetLife Stadium.
Teams like the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens have warned season-ticket holders to expect smaller crowds and downsized offerings during the 2020 NFL season. How many fans are allowed in the stands will depend to a large degree on local regulations, and the two teams says that the current COVID-19 mitigations ordered by N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy would limited outdoor gatherings to 500 fans would not allow fans in the stands during the beginning of the season:
“My Administration has been working in close coordination with professional sports and college teams to determine how to proceed safely with games at their stadiums amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” Murphy said in a statement. “While we look forward to the day we can return to games as normal and cheer from the stands, continued concerns for the health and safety of fans, team members, and staff dictate that our executive order limiting outdoor gatherings does apply to sporting events, including training camp.
“We will continue to closely monitor the public health reality and work with health experts to determine how to move forward, and we will continue to work closely with the teams as conditions change. Like all fans across New Jersey, I look forward to watching our teams play from home and plan to be there in person to support the teams when it is safe to do so.”
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