The Return of Fans to Stadiums

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Would you attend matches at 10-25% capacity

  • Yes - COYS!

    Votes: 116 74.8%
  • No

    Votes: 26 16.8%
  • I'd rather go to another Take That reunion

    Votes: 13 8.4%

  • Total voters
    155
I've been wondering how (and of course when) fans will be allowed back into stadiums until (if) an effective vaccine if available to the masses. I don't think anything will until change well after the start of the new season, but I also don't see how the current situation can continue for ever even if a vaccine does not become available.

I read in The Times today that some countries have begun to allow limited numbers of fans back into stadiums. Russia with 10% and Poland with 25% are early examples and closer to home Spain, France and Italy are already talking about getting some fans back. The Hungarian cup final took place last week with 10,000 in a 67,000 seater stadium.

If reduced capacity is the answer and we assume that the limit is 25% or even 50% to start with how would the club(s) achieve that? A ballot for each match (very time consuming)? Ticketing points (which would reward loyalty but lead to stadiums being full of the same moany old gits like me every match)? There are so many problems: Compulsory masks? Bars and food outlets open or closed? Social distancing in the ground and on public transport? Toilet queues? How would it all be managed?
 
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I've been wondering how (and of course when) fans will be allowed back into stadiums until (if) an effective vaccine if available to the masses. I don't think anything will until change well after the start of the new season, but I also don't see how the current situation can continue for ever even if a vaccine does not become available.

I read in The Times today that some countries have begun to allow limited numbers of fans back into stadiums. Russia with 10% and Poland with 25% are early examples and closer to home Spain, France and Italy are already talking about getting some fans back. The Hungarian cup final took place last week with 10,000 in a 67,000 seater stadium.

If reduced capacity is the answer and we assume that the limit is 25% or even 50% to start with how would the club(s) achieve that? A ballot for each match (very time consuming)? Ticketing points (which would reward loyalty but lead to stadiums being full of the same moany old gits like me every match)? There are so many problems: Compulsory masks? Bars and food outlets open or closed? Social distancing in the ground and on public transport? Toilet queues? How would it all be managed?

Would be season tickets and sorted by amount of points if there are too many.
 
Think we have room for 10k corporate fans. assume they get first dibs as £300 a seat. And spend money on the fancy restaurant food etc.

Then 44k + ST holders. Some having their ST for decades and some for a few months. So imagine loyalty would be rewarded rather than a ballot. (Like away games)

They have never sold out corporate seats once. Guess they will if this happens and corporate do get first dibs.
 
Think we need to qualify for Europe and more likely be able to get fans into the away leg as we seem to be behind most other Countries with reopening things. The travel Industry are the most aggressive at pushing for foreign travel and so travel will be available. As to masks, stewards will struggle to police that in the same way they struggle with standing.
 
Think we need to qualify for Europe and more likely be able to get fans into the away leg as we seem to be behind most other Countries with reopening things. The travel Industry are the most aggressive at pushing for foreign travel and so travel will be available. As to masks, stewards will struggle to police that in the same way they struggle with standing.

So take your seat number and ban you for 3 games. Yeah sounds about right.
 
Think we need to qualify for Europe and more likely be able to get fans into the away leg as we seem to be behind most other Countries with reopening things. The travel Industry are the most aggressive at pushing for foreign travel and so travel will be available. As to masks, stewards will struggle to police that in the same way they struggle with standing.

14 day quarantine each way haha
 
Being open-air the stadium is surely a much safer place than say a concert venue (of any size). The problem is getting there and back with 15% or whatever tube capacity.
So unless you are going to keep gig venues closed for years I would hope a normal-ish return wouldn't be too far away.
Would help if you could actually take a pint into the stands to avoid the nightmare that is getting around the concourses at times.
Or don't do food & drink, straight to the stands.

:levywtf:
 
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I know it will be open to abuse from people who can't be bothered to turn up to things but football and particularly the music industry need to change their refund policy even if only temporarily so that people who don't feel well or have been told to isolate can get a refund or even a credit and not just think "Oh I'm going anyway 'cos I'm going to lose the money..."
 
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Most of the corporate seating is not a huge concern. The rest of the seating will be at 50%, I imagine, for ST holders only and based on points. for priority

Outdoor facility with everyone wearing masks is, generally, relatively safe. Even 3 feet of distance has shown to help significantly decrease the chances of spreading the virus. That, combined with temperature checks at the door and I think fans could be back at the start of next season in September.
 
So unless you are going to keep gig venues closed for years I would hope a normal-ish return wouldn't be too far away.
I had a couple of gigs I was due to go to. One at end of March, one at beginning of April. They obviously got postponed. Both got rearranged for Sept/Oct. One has just been re-postponed until April next year.

I've had medical appointments which were scheduled for March rearranged twice now too. One is now down for August (cancer treatment check up), the other has been indefinitely postponed.

I don't think any mass gatherings are on the cards in the near future myself. More's the pity.
 
I'm finding it difficult to get any enthusiasm for the games that are going to take place behind closed doors. I know it's not going to happen, but I'd rather that next season was delayed until we can attend in person, even if it means reduced capacity. I don't really have any suggestions on how to make it work that hasn't already been mentioned. It really is a difficult situation to deal with.
 
Raised voices really increases transmission risks, even outdoors. That's why there's been upticks linked to the US protests in some states (though obviously they haven't been distancing well, since the cops get very handy when they're killing people of colour over there).

Even a partial stadium, with all the movement in tight spaces, and a bunch of spurs fans screaming at their players and mourinho for being utter shit, just sounds like a bad idea.

Tottenham fans already are probably at a higher risk of death due to stroke or heart attack from spurs being spursy. Let's not add to our risk.
 
Most of the corporate seating is not a huge concern. The rest of the seating will be at 50%, I imagine, for ST holders only and based on points. for priority

Outdoor facility with everyone wearing masks is, generally, relatively safe. Even 3 feet of distance has shown to help significantly decrease the chances of spreading the virus. That, combined with temperature checks at the door and I think fans could be back at the start of next season in September.

Problems are pre match, half time and post match. I’m guessing you go to games.

Look at the market place for instance. Would you rope that off? Send everyone to their seats directly after queuing to get into the stadium like we currently have to do everywhere.
End of the game release people on stages so as to not create bottlenecks? Lots of questions to answer. I think if a second wave is still being discussed then football won’t be in front of large crowds here for a while.
 
There would have to be a fully thought out approach. We are fortunate as the new stadium provides us with a great platform to social distance etc, imagine it in the old place though, it would be difficult and that’s what most clubs would be facing. The authorities couldn’t let us have fans in and (for example) not Burnley, they’d be uproar.

They would have to be issued under a completely different set of conditions. People wouldn’t be able to be given a particular seat, potentially not even a particular stand. It would take a lot of flexibility from fans. I’d be up for it but I’m not sure a lot of people would.

I’m not sure points is fair for season ticket holders. It could mean that some don’t get to go to any games too. Maybe ST holders are allocated games at a reduced cost. You are given 8/9 particular league games and those are your matches like it or not. Make it a privilege to go to games and people will also be more likely to follow the rules.

It’s getting to the stadium though that will be the problem for most people. Travelling on public transport isn’t appealing to me whatsoever currently.
 
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