Panthers announce no fans allowed in stadium for Week 1 vs. Raiders

When the schedule was released, the Raiders opened as 1.5-point road favorites.

So much for home-field advantage. The Carolina Panthers will not allow fans to attend the first game of the season two Sundays from now when they host the Las Vegas Raiders at Bank of America Stadium. The team just announced the news on its official website.

The statement reads, in part:

“Despite our best efforts, we are deeply disappointed to share that you will not be with us at Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 13 when we open the season against Las Vegas. . . We recognize the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and will follow guidelines outlined by government and public health officials. And, we will continue to seek alternatives regarding the return of fans for the 2020 season and will share updates as appropriate.”

While this is an unfortunate development, it is also the smartest choice to make at this point in time regarding the health and safety of the fans.

It will be interesting to see how and if this affects the odds for the interconference Week 1 matchup. When the schedule was released, the Raiders opened as 1.5-point road favorites.

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