The Univ. of Florida currently caps attendance at 17,000 as a precaution against the coronavirusGETTY IMAGES
Univ. of Florida AD Scott Stricklin on Saturday said the school will "continue to follow UF Health and campus guidelines" in regards to the number of fans allowed at games, despite football coach Dan Mullen's comments hoping for all fans to return following the loss to Texas A&M, according to Mike Bianchi of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. Mullen said that the administration "needs to lift its COVID-19 crowd constraints, follow Gov. Ron DeSantis's Phase 3 reopening guidelines and allow UF to pack the Swamp for its next home game." Mullen: "I know our governor passed that rule so certainly, hopefully the UF administration decides to let us pack the Swamp against LSU -- 100% -- because that crowd was certainly a factor in the game. I certainly hope our administration follows the governor." He added, "Absolutely I want to see 90,000 at the Swamp." Bianchi wrote home-field advantage is "not as important as potentially saving lives," and "when you pack 90,000 fans like sardines into a crowded football stadium where they are yelling and screaming and spitting into the air, you have the makings of a COVID-19 super-spreader event" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/11).
NO CHANGES JUST YET: In Miami, Degnan & Wilson noted the Univ. of Miami does not "expect to change their game-day protocols, potentially for the rest of the season." Miami AD Blake James in a text said, "At this time, I do not see us changing any of the protocols we have put in place for the rest of the season." Those protocols have meant "20 percent capacity, no students in attendance and no alcohol sales." Hard Rock Stadium has "maxed out at 12,806 fans so far this season" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/11).
