The NFL is leaving it up to individual teams and local leaders to decide whether fans will be able to attend games during the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most teams have already announced that they will play in empty venues, at least to start the 2020 season. Though, other teams are planning to have a limited number of fans in attendance. We can add another to that list.
Colts will host 2,500 fans for home opener
There’s an interesting twist to all of this. Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer has been among the most outspoken critics as it relates to the lack of a league-wide policy as it relates to fan attendance.
It is a legitimate gripe. For example, the Kansas City Chiefs are slated to have north of 20,000 fans in attendance for their opener against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium next Thursday. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders have already announced that they will not have any fans in attendance throughout the 2020 season.
It really is all about local leaders in NFL cities around the United States and how the COVID-19 situation is going in said cities. For its part, the NFL is not going to stop teams from hosting fans. Given the current economic situation and revenue downfall around the league due to the pandemic, that makes perfect sense.
As it is, the Colts will have Lucas Oil Stadium at about 3.5% capacity. That shouldn’t offer too much of a home-field advantage for the team.
Related: Check out Vincent Frank talking about NFL’s decision to let teams host fans at games this season