Many teams around the NFL have already announced they will be starting the 2020 season without fans in the stadium until further notice. The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to have at least some crowds at Lucas Oil Stadium to begin the campaign.
The Colts are hoping to open the season with 15% capacity at the stadium to begin the season with the hope that number could increase to 25%, per the Indianapolis Business Journal.
Because of the COVID-19 restrictions, the Colts may not be able to accommodate fans to begin the season. But that won’t stop them from proposing their plan on Friday.
“In the interest of caution, we want to start at 15%,” said Colts COO Pete Ward, via the IBJ. “Provided that the 25% rule still is in effect throughout the season, it gives us—if the COVID situation improves—the opportunity to expand (capacity).”
The NFL has seemingly done a strong job of keeping the virus under control at training camp. Their numbers of positive tests have been extremely encouraging that the season might be able to happen without much of a hiccup.
But the Colts still have to be prepared for anything to change at a moment’s notice.
“Everything about this season is unprecedented,” Ward said. “But we are no different [from] any other business trying to maneuver through this pandemic. … We feel that the presence of fans at our home games will be a psychological and economic boost for downtown Indy.”
It will be interesting to see what comes of the meeting on Friday, but the Colts are hoping to begin their season with at least some fans in the stands.