Report: NFL mulls playing in empty or half-empty venues

The NFL is planning for the 2020 season, according to a Washington Post report, and it could include playing venues that are empty or filled to far less than capacity.

The NFL is contingency-planning for the potential of games in empty or partially filled stadiums and for a possibly shortened regular season, sources say, even while remaining hopeful of (and focused on) a full season in stadiums filled with fans…. https://t.co/TXUH6JP10S

— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) April 15, 2020

From our story: The NFL's contingency planning includes the possibilities of games being played in empty or partially filled stadiums. But the league remains hopeful of widespread testing, perhaps for fans as well as players, by the fall, and expects public health advisories.

— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) April 15, 2020

Per the Post:

The NFL is hoping for the best but planning for the potential of facing circumstances that remain challenging, said those people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details of the league’s planning have not previously been made public.

“I don’t know if it’ll be a one-third-filled stadium, a half-filled stadium or whatever,” one of the people said Wednesday. “The NFL is planning for everything from playing without fans to playing with full stadiums. We know there will be a push from the [federal] government to open things up. I think we’re going to have fans in the stands.”

 … The person familiar with the league’s planning made the point that “the other leagues have to go first,” referring to the fact that Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL are in-season and face more imminent decisions. The league could have to deal with ongoing lockdowns or stay-at-home orders in some states. But the NFL hopes, the person said, that widespread testing for the virus will be available by the fall for players and perhaps fans, and suspects that public health advisories will be issued that will, for example, urge older and other at-risk fans to remain at home.

The NFL’s schedule for the 2020 regular season is expected to be released around May 9 and will account for the possibility of games being lost by a delayed start. “The schedule is being done in such a way that builds in that flexibility,” the person told the Washington Post.