The Baltimore Ravens are currently planning for up to 14,000 people to attend home games at M&T Bank Stadium this season. If you’re one of the lucky fans to get a seat in any NFL stadium this season, you’re going to have to wear a mask, however.
In a tweet on Wednesday afternoon, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed the NFL has made it compulsory for fans inside the grounds on game day to wear face coverings. It’s the latest in a series of measures the league and teams are undertaking in order to ensure everything is in place for the season to actually start and for fans and players to remain healthy.
The Ravens are one of only eight teams so far to have their Infectious Disease Emergency Response (IDER) plan approved by the NFLPA, which is good news for the players and staff of the team. But Wednesday’s announcement about mandatory face coverings should be of interest to any fans wishing to see live football this season.
Of course, the coronavirus pandemic continues to be a fluid situation. While the NFL and individual teams are marching forward with the idea fans will be in the stands, there’s a chance that could change to empty stadiums if the pandemic gets worse and force states to close once again. There’s also no guarantee of a full 16-game season either, with the NFL recently canceling all preseason games in an effort to see the regular season start on time with less risk for players.
Whatever way you look at it, the 2020 season will be completely different from previous years, both on the field and in the stands.
