The Green Bay Packers will open the 2020 season at one of the loudest venues in the NFL, but the noisemaking fans will be noticeably absent.
The Minnesota Vikings, who are scheduled to host the Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sept. 13, announced Tuesday that the team won’t have fans in attendance at either of the team’s first two home games, including the Week 1 visit from the Packers.
The Vikings also won’t have fans at a Sept. 27 game against the Tennessee Titans.
From the Vikings: “Based on our conversations and the current Minnesota Department of Health guidelines that specify an indoor venue capacity of 250, we have determined it is not the right time to welcome fans back to U.S. Bank Stadium. As a result, the first two Vikings home games on Sunday, Sept. 13, and Sunday, Sept. 27, will be closed to the public. We will continue to work with the appropriate officials on our plans with the hope of bringing fans back in a safe manner later this season.”
The NFL is planning to allow teams to have ambient noise at all stadiums, so U.S. Bank Stadium won’t be completely silent when the Packers arrive in Week 1.
The Packers won their first-ever game at U.S. Bank Stadium last December, clinching the NFC North with a primetime win over the Vikings in Minneapolis. The venue, which holds 73,000 fans and cost over a billion dollars to build, opened in 2016.
The Packers have already announced that fans won’t be allowed at the team’s first two home games.
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