With all of the focus across the world these days as it relates to sanitation and cleanliness, athletic facilities and stadiums are doing everything in their power to safely accommodate a return of fans to the stands — and the Miami Dolphins can hang their hat on being “first” in the NFL in achieving one gold standard accreditation on this front. The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) has offered Hard Rock Stadium STAR accreditation for the facility’s efforts in cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention strategies.
“As the first NFL stadium to be accredited by GBAC STAR, we are setting a precedent for how large venues should approach cleaning in the wake of the pandemic,” Dolphins & Hard Rock Stadium Vice Chairman and CEO Tom Garfinkel offered in a statement. “By following a credible third-party standard, we are confident that our facility not only meets, but exceeds, the expectations of our spectators and staff.”
Several NFL franchises from around the league have started to announce reduced capacities in stadiums across the league this fall — the most recent being Miami’s Week 3 opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Reduced capacity is a must at this point in time due to the ongoing health crisis, adequate social distancing would simply be impossible in a maximum capacity arrangement. But for the Miami Dolphins, the team can at the very least hang their hat on ensuring that regardless of the number of fans in the stands, they’ll be put in the best position to successfully enjoy a day at the stadium and watch some football.
Miami was also on the cutting edge of plans to admit fans to the stadium several months ago when the pandemic first hit, with Garfinkel making an appearance on Good Morning America to discuss Hard Rock Stadium’s plans to adhere to social distancing while admitting fans into the stadium. When the time comes for kickoff, one thing we can be sure of is Hard Rock Stadium will be as ready as anyone.