In an email to donors and fans this morning, Iowa State announced that it would be allowing 25,000 fans at the first home game, which tickets being moved around to take advantage of greater social distancing.
Of note, it does leave open the possibility that if things don’t go as planned for the first game and their mitigation efforts are not successful, then fans will not be allowed at the second home game against Oklahoma on Oct. 3.
This decision comes amid spiking case numbers in both Ames and Iowa City, as they have risen to the very top of the country in terms of new cases per capita, though those numbers are expected to improve as the fall goes on.
The email also listed off the general procedures and guidelines they have in place for fans to follow in order to give it the best chance of being a successful event:
In order for our plans to succeed, we need full buy-in from everyone. I wanted to highlight several of the most important elements from the mitigation document we linked above.
1. Health Check - If you are sick or have symptoms related to COVID-19, please do not come to the game. Stay home and cheer on the Cyclones on television.
2. Parking – Fans should arrive early to avoid traffic congestion, park their vehicle, gather game gear and walk directly to the stadium for entrance. Do not gather in the parking lots to socialize.
3. No Tailgating – There will be no tailgating allowed on university-owned property, including parking lots and grass areas adjacent to parking lots. Fans may not bring nor set up items normally associated with a tailgate such as lawn chairs, coolers, grills, tents, canopies, tables, etc.
4. Face Coverings – Wear your face covering upon exit from your vehicle. Face coverings will be required at ALL times for ALL individuals. Anyone, who refuses to properly wear a face covering, will be denied access and/or removed from the stadium. Gaiters and face shields are acceptable face coverings.
5. Stadium Entry – Prepare to enter the stadium early. Gates will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff. Honor other fans’ wishes for physical distancing and avoid crowding at entry.
6. Seating – All fans were reassigned new seating locations and it is critical to sit in those seats to maintain social distancing.
7. Fan Flow – We encourage fans to remain in their seats as much as possible to limit congestion on the concourses.
8. Departing the Stadium – Use your own judgment when departing the stadium. Take your time while leaving and respect others desire for physical distancing. There will be no tailgating or social gatherings allowed in the parking lots after the game.
As we previously shared, attempts to implement mitigation strategies to a standard of absolute protection is simply not reasonable. It will ultimately be up to each attendee to decide if they are comfortable attending games given the mitigation strategies we implement.
This situation is obviously still fluid, so we will try to keep you updated as best we can as new information comes out.