NFL Plans To Return With Fans While NBA, MLB, NHL Play In Empty Venues

While the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball continue to play without fans in attendance, the NFL intends to return during the coronavirus pandemic with thousands of fans in the stands to watch the defending Super Bowl champions kick off the football season.

The Kansas Chiefs announced Monday that they will limit early-season attendance to 22% capacity, which comes to just north of 16,000 tickets. Reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are scheduled to host the Houston Texans on Sept. 10 at Arrowhead Stadium in the first game of the 2020 season.

Most of the league’s teams will start their season on Sept. 13. Whether or not fans will be in attendance is up to each individual team and local governments.

The Dallas Cowboys announced plans last week to host fans during games at AT&T Stadium with “pods” separating groups of paying customers. The New England Patriots are exploring a similar system for their home games at Gillette Stadium, Yahoo Sports reports.

The New York Giants and New York Jets said in July that they would not allow spectators until further notice, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy recently decreased the capacity for indoor gatherings because of a slight uptick in daily coronavirus cases. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley recently indicated that it’s unlikely the Philadelphia Eagles would be able to play in front of fans next month.

Other teams have also been reluctant to open stadiums. The Atlanta Falcons won’t welcome fans into Mercedes-Benz Stadium in September. The Chicago Bears won’t have fans at Soldier Field for the immediate future.

An MLB spokesman said Monday that the league isn’t considering hosting fans in ballparks right now, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports. The Texas Rangers and Colorado Rockies have pushed to have limited capacity seating, according to Rosenthal.

Baseball teams have exhibited a nominal home-field advantage through nearly four weeks of games in empty venues. Home teams have won 51.25% of their games, compared to about 54% in a typical season played with fans.

The New York Yankees lead the league with a perfect 10-0 home record.

The NBA restarted the regular season on July 30 in a “bubble” in Orlando, Florida, without fans. The first round of the playoffs started Monday, and the postseason is expected to continue through mid-October in empty venues.

The NHL playoffs are underway in Toronto and Edmonton, Canada, in neutral-site arenas without fans in attendance.