Dolphins announce they will allow in limited number of fans with masks for home opener
While most NFL teams that have announced plans to not have fans in the stadium for all of the season or at least the first few games, the Miami Dolphins are allowing 13,000 fans for the home opener.
In an extensive series of tweets, the Dolphins said there will be limited fans allowed and they will have to wear a mask.
For our home opener against the Bills at @HardRockStadium we will have a maximum of 13,000 fans. All fans will be required to wear a mask.
Read More: https://t.co/pkfOJozy8q pic.twitter.com/Mp3MVA7vnP— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2020
That provides some home-field advantage for the Dolphins, or at least more than most teams will get.
The University of Miami, which shares Hard Rock Stadium with the Dolphins, announced that it will have a maximum of 13,000 fans for its opener against UAB on Sep. 10. Miami is giving season-ticket holder first priority for individual game tickets. Like the Dolphins, all Hurricanes fans will have to wear a mask.
Dolphins prepare for fans
There is a lot of preparation involved for letting any fans in. The Dolphins tweeted about staggered gate entry with entry times listed on tickets, and how ushers will release individual rows to exit at the conclusion of the game, among other items.
.@HardRockStadium is now a cashless stadium including parking, food service, and retail. pic.twitter.com/dykYxMBmr6
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2020
To ensure social distancing in the seating bowl, @HardRockStadium now has socially distanced seating clusters. pic.twitter.com/s8v7o1mLU3
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2020
Attending a sporting event in 2020 will be a lot different than usual.
Dolphins are rare team to allow in fans
The NBA is in a bubble in Orlando with fans on video boards. The NHL has two Canadian hub cities for its playoffs without fans in attendance. In Major League Baseball, cardboard cutouts have replace real fans at all ballparks.
After peaking at 4,000 new cases on Aug. 10, cases in Miami-Dade County have been on a steady decline. The county had 520 new cases on Aug. 22.
Miami will be one of the test cases for other NFL teams weighing if they will allow fans in this season. At least the Dolphins have taken all the precautions possible for their home opener.
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