Seatback chairs help UF personnel ensure social distancing.university of florida
The folding seatback chairs that some college football fans typically buy for their comfort have become an essential tool to keep fans socially distanced inside the stadium.
Schools trying to accommodate limited-capacity crowds that can reach 15,000 to 20,000 people or more have found those cushioned, temporary seats especially useful.
The seats, which anchor to bleachers, can cost $60 or more for a season rental. But with attendance limited to 20% to 25% of capacity, most schools are taking the revenue hit and providing them for everyone in the stadium bowl at no cost.
Each seatback chair in the stands represents where a ticketed fan is sitting. So, if fans are sitting somewhere without a seatback, ushers immediately see that they’re not in the seat they’re supposed to be in, which can threaten the social distancing protocols.
Florida was one of the first schools to debut seatbacks without charge, providing the seating for all of the 15,120 fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the Gators’ 38-24 win over South Carolina earlier this month.
“We know where the fans are supposed to be sitting, and they know it, too,” said Chip Howard, the Gators’ executive associate athletic director. “It was an expense to us, but it was worthwhile because we were able to identify that socially distant seat and find out who might have been out of position.
“For us, that was the biggest game changer as far as distancing and where our fans were sitting.”
Jake Bye, executive vice president of Learfield IMG College’s ticket and seat solutions business, said he’s seen a major uptick in the use of seatbacks as an aid for distancing within big crowds.
“It provides a specific space for the fan, and that is important to them,” Bye said.
Florida sat fans in blocks of two or four with distancing to the front and back, and on both sides. Other schools are permitting larger blocks of fans to sit together.
“A socially distanced stadium can really put your guest services folks in a challenging position,” Bye said. “They’re being asked to enforce a concept that’s completely new. The seatbacks are providing a very clear space within health guidelines that give people a sense of comfort.”
