Ticket availability will vary among skybox holders, Tide Pride members, football lettermen, faculty and studentsGETTY IMAGES
The Univ. of Alabama announced its ticket plan for the '20 football season, including "approximately 20 percent capacity and a facemask requirement at Bryant-Denny Stadium and a moratorium on tailgating activities on campus," according to Cecil Hurt of the TUSCALOOSA NEWS. Ticket availability "will vary among various levels including skybox holders, Tide Pride members, football lettermen, faculty, staff and students." The ticket request deadline is Aug. 28 and "any remaining tickets at that time will be re-allocated" (TUSCALOOSA NEWS, 8/19). In Birmingham, Michael Casagrande reported student tickets "will be divided based on classification." Seniors "will get 40 percent of the available seats, 20 percent for juniors and 15 percent each for freshmen and sophomores." Grad students "get the remaining 10 percent." On the concessions front, a "limited number of prepackaged food options will be sold and only 50 percent of the registers will be open." In premium seating, buffets "will be replaced with 'served stations.'" Menus "will also be scaled down" (BIRMINGHAM NEWS, 8/19).
LOTS OF DEMAND: In Athens, Marc Weiszer notes the Univ. of Georgia is "reducing capacity in Sanford Stadium to 20 to 25 percent for its four football home games under the SEC’s revised schedule." That is between 18,550 and 23,180 fans per game. With 58,000 season tickets regularly, UGA is "having to dole out its tickets." Instead of season tickets, donors have to "opt in or out to get single game tickets." Donors will "not be able to receive their exact seat locations as previously." Those that opt out are "still eligible to renew established season ticket locations" for '21. Tickets will "go in blocks of four and be $150 per ticket -- which is $75 for the ticket price and $75 for the Hartman Fund contribution requirement" (ATHENS BANNER-HERALD, 8/19).
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES: In Knoxville, Blake Toppmeyer reports the Univ. of Tennessee "plans to restrict seating to about a quarter of Neyland Stadium's capacity for home football games this fall." UT AD Phillip Fulmer said, "We're anticipating somewhere around the 25% mark. We hope to be able to achieve that." In addition to limiting stadium capacity, Fulmer said that the team's "pregame Vol Walk and band march, popular traditions for fans and players, are unlikely to occur." Other stadium safety measures include "health screenings for employees, vendors and contractors; zoned entries; barriers at concessions stands; enhanced cleaning efforts; and a shift to exclusively mobile tickets" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 8/19).
DOING ALL THEY CAN: In Dallas, Hannah Underwood reports the capacity for Texas A&M's Kyle Field is "currently at 30 percent, down from the previously announced 50 percent" as ordered by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order. The attendance limit is "subject to change throughout the season." Season-ticket holders and students who have purchased sports passes "can opt out for the 2020 season." Current season-ticket holders, "regardless of their decision to opt out for 2020, can renew their original seat locations in 2021." In addition to the new stadium capacity limit, A&M "will enact enhanced sanitation prior to and during athletic events; require face coverings be worn by fans while entering, leaving and walking around the stadium; have designated fan exit routes; post signs encouraging social distancing around the stadium; set up hand sanitizing stations; increase physical distancing on elevators and escalators; and implement cashless transactions at concession stands" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/19).
LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE: In St. Louis, Dave Matter reports the Univ. of Missouri "plans to allow fans to home games this year at no more than 25 percent capacity of Memorial Stadium's normal threshold of 62,621." MU AD Jim Sterk said the school "will reseat Memorial Stadium this season based on donor rank both within the premium club spaces and grandstand bowl seats." Sterk said that MU also will "impose ticket limits that correspond with donor levels for both the premium and outdoor seating areas to allow as many donors as possible to attend games" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/19).
