Take a moment and think of one entertainment or sports event that can be able to bring the world to a halt. If you said the NFL Super Bowl then yes, you are correct. Be it because you’re an actual fan of the sport and even dabble in some wagering always looking for the best Super Bowl odds visit BetUS for your favorite team, or because you want to watch the most of the times epic halftime shows, when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday you can pretty much figure where everyone’s attention will be.
While most of the people interested in the game usually watch it from the comfort of their homes or maybe a bar or restaurant lucky are the few who can actually live the full on Super Bowl experience capped off with watching the game in the stadium where it takes place. With the COVID-19 pandemic not looking anywhere close to being done and Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay set to happen on Sunday, Feb 7, 2024 big questions have risen as to how the game will be played and if fan attendance will be allowed.
No Fans Was The Rule At First
It was believed at first that the game would go on with no fan attendance in Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but as time has gone by and with some NFL teams gradually allowing fans to attend their games the idea of allowing fans into Super Bowl LV has slowly but surely taken more and more force. Around 19 different teams from the league were authorized by public authorities to host fans in their stadiums for regular games as long as they followed a safety guideline which includes small groups of fans spaced out in 6-feet increments as well as the mandatory use of face masks at all times.
With Coronavirus cases flaring up on an almost daily basis around the United States at the beginning of the road there were no real last words set in stone on the detailing of how the attendance of fans in Super Bowl LV will be handled. AT first, the best organizers could do was wait for what the health and safety guidelines available in February would state with the safety of the public, attendees, players and personnel continuing to be their most important priority. Also with COVID-19 cases in the state of Florida averaging around 1000 more daily cases than in the prior months, local Tampa Bay authorities as well as from the NFL are gearing up for an eventual game day strategy to be able to go through with the game at the same time as procuring everybody’s health safety.
Initial Efforts Were Made But With No Real Assurance
At first glance it was noticed that officials, as well as Super Bowl LV Organization Committee officials, had settled on the idea of a 20 percent capacity for the game, which taking into account the stadium’s regular capacity would come to around 13,000 people. Now with that said, that 20% does not include the most revenue-intensive seats in the house, yes, all the 134 suites that Raymond James Stadium has. The NFL expects to have all 134 suites at full capacity during the game given the high price mark they offer and of course the compromises that need to be upheld with different sponsors of the league and game itself.
As time has gone by and with vaccination efforts as well as safety and health protocols being upped to the fullest extent the league has progressed into the idea of allowing more fans into the stadium for football’s biggest game. With a refreshing and rewarding approach from the NFL to invite frontline workers to attend the biggest game of the season the quest to have fans back into the game is well underway and with no real plans of it being stopped.
25,000 Fans In Attendance, 30,000 Cutouts
Super Bowl LV’s dream matchup of Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes will officially host 25,000 fans physically and 30,000 fans in cutouts according to official news from the NFL. Thanks to real hands on efforts from the league as well as the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Organization Committee the biggest football game of the year will not go without any fans. Given the fact that the NFL went through enormous efforts to make sure that no game in their season was cancelled, even without being able to host fans in attendance until late in the season and during the postseason, being able to host a small amount of fans for the Super Bowl is still quite the prowess and a show of strength and hope for what’s to come.
As mentioned before, as a way from the NFL to thank the frontline health-care workers who have really stepped up and become the true heroes in the fight against the COVID pandemic, 7,500 vaccinated health-care workers will be in attendance in the game totally free of charge. It is only right for those who put up who have put up the biggest fight to get the biggest rewards. The final decision and consequent plan to allow fans into Raymond James Stadium for SB LV was all in accordance with public health officials like the CDC, the Florida Department of Health and area health care systems and hospitals.
While the idea of going to a Super Bowl game is one that is probably in any if not all football fans’ bucket list, waiting out a couple of years until all the air is cleared and the game is played in the typical over the top fashion probably isn’t a bad goal to look up to. With this pandemic more than clearly overlapping into 2024, if given the choice, staying home with some good food, good drinks and safe company cannot be beat. But let this show that the NFL still without being able to fully offer the party and event that the Super Bowl usually is, will still go forward to bring fans the best experience possible while everything comes back to normal.
