The New York Giants had no fans at MetLife Stadium for the entire 2020 regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but by the time Week 1 rolls around this year, there’s a chance for a packed house.
Currently, MetLife Stadium is set to allow 15 percent capacity this season, but New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said on Monday that if hospitalizations and deaths remain low, the Giants can potentially welcome all 82,500-plus fans into the stadium.
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“I think the prospects are pretty good,” Murphy said during a COVID-19 briefing. “If we blow through our objectives, there’s a lot higher likelihood the Jets and Giants can sell more tickets.”
The NFL will release the regular-season schedule on Wednesday night, and the Giants’ earliest possible home game is Sept. 12. That will allow area residents four more months to receive their vaccinations should they choose to do so.
The potential for full capacity is something that will please Giants coach Joe Judge, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to play in front of fans.
“Not having fans in the stadium, there were some things you just couldn’t prepare for — like on the road, you come out of a locker room to complete silence and wait in 11 minutes for complete silence until the other team comes out and the national anthem begins,” Judge said during an appearance on WFAN’s “Carton & Roberts” show. “We’d just sit there on headsets sometimes, saying, ‘This is strange.’
“All the interactions I’ve had with fans have been awesome. I love them and love to be here, and can’t wait until fans are in the stadium. I don’t know if they truly know how much we rely on them and their energy. Even on the road, those boos can make you feel at home in a good way, like it’s us against the world.”
Giants season-ticket holders should have already received their yearly invoices, while single-game tickets are scheduled to on sale Wednesday, ahead of the schedule release.
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