The NFL’s Baltimore Ravens announced Wednesday that they are cutting their stadium capacity by over 80%, a move that could be a strong indication of what pro-football team’s stadiums will look like this upcoming season, CBS Sports reports.
What We Know:
- The Ravens announced that M&T Bank Stadium’s capacity will be cut to just 14,000, an 81.3% drop from its original capacity of 71,000.
- The decision comes as COVID-19 cases have ramped up in states that have begun their reopening processes. The Ravens are still unsure whether they will be able to allow fans to attend games at all and will make that decision based on protocols being developed by health experts, government officials and the NFL.
- “To offer a proper level of safety for fans who want to attend games, a reduction in capacity is necessary,” Ravens president Dick Cass said in a statement. “We are disappointed that this will be a disruption for many ticket buyers, but we have an obligation to our fans and our community to keep M&T Bank Stadium as safe as possible.”
- The Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers have also announced they will reduce the capacity of their stadiums, neither of which offered a specific reduction number.
- No matter what, no NFL team’s stadium will be at maximum capacity this fall as the league has already begun implementing safety protocols, including blocking off the first six to eight rows in every stadium.
- Some are interested to see how these changes will effect a team’s home-field advantage. The Ravens, for example, went 13-3 at home since the start of the 2018 season. A reduced stadium capacity could play a role in whether or not those advantages remain in place, making odds more difficult to create for bookies in Vegas.
The 2020 NFL season will not look like previous years with new safety measures being put in place. According to CBS Sports, the league is even considering having fans sign a waiver before entering games.
