The Univ. of Utah's athletics department is "trying to decide the smartest, safest, most-logical way to host a game at Rice-Eccles Stadium," according to Josh Newman of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. To that end, the athletics department this week "sent a survey to Utes season-ticket holders in an effort to gauge ideas and concerns pertaining to what is expected to be an altered game-day experience." Among the questions asked in Utah's survey were:
- "How comfortable are you returning to Rice-Eccles Stadium?"
- "Would you be willing to arrive at Rice-Eccles Stadium at a designated time to reduce lines at the entrance?"
- "When entering the stadium, what would help you feel more comfortable?"
- "How would you feel most comfortable regarding your seats for the 2020 football season?"
The survey "went out to 8,000 season-ticket accounts, totaling roughly 31,000 season tickets." That represents the "vast majority of, if not every season ticket currently signed up for the 2020 season." Utah Deputy AD/External Operations Scott Kull, as well as AD Mark Harlan, have been "adamant in recent weeks that no crowd model can be ruled out, not even a full stadium." The survey questions, which "went out 78 days before Utah’s opener, give substance to the notion that athletic department officials have not given up on any crowd-model options" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 6/19).
BYU'S INQUIRIES: In Utah, Jay Drew reports BYU also "recently sent out a survey to season ticket holders asking for input 'should it become necessary to reduce the seating capacity.'" Among the questions asked in BYU's survey were:
- "When thinking about returning to a stadium environment, how comfortable are you with attending a football game in LaVell Edwards Stadium?"
- "If the current schedule changes, how likely are you to keep your season tickets?"
- "If we have to implement a reduced capacity scenario at the stadium, how do we determine priority for selling the restricted seating?" (DESERET NEWS, 6/19).
