The defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs will welcome more than 15,000 spectators for its season opening game against the San Francisco 49ers, 22% of the capacity of Arrowhead Stadium.
The team announced Monday that it had received approval from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, the city's Health Director Dr. Rex Archer and EMS Medical Director Dr. Erica Carney, in addition to following NFL guidelines.
The NFL is the first of the four major U.S. sports leagues to allow spectators at games following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
While Major League Baseball teams have started their abbreviated 60-game season without fans in home stadiums, the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League have restarted their interrupted season in "bubbles." The NBA has resumed with teams isolated at the Disney sports complex near Orlando, Florida, without fans, while the NHL has likewise been playing without fans in Toronto, British Columbia, and Edmonton, Alberta.
Major League Soccer played a month-long, World Cup-like tournament at Disney without fans but has restarted its regular season with a limited number of fans in some markets. Some European soccer leagues restarted in late spring and early summer without spectators.
The Chiefs' will play the 49ers in a rematch of February's Super Bowl, which Kansas City won 31-20.
While touting enhanced cleaning and sanitizing efforts, the Chiefs also announced several restrictions and requirements on fans.
Among the regulations are: Masks will be required at all times, exception when eating or drinking; while fans will be asked to bring their own mask, the Chiefs will provide a commemorative mask to all fans who attend the first three games; and all bags, including previously approved clear bags, will be prohibited inside the stadium to minimize contact in the security screening process.
Season-ticket holders will get the first opportunity to purchase tickets to the first three home games, the Chiefs said.
"As the season progresses, the club will follow the guidance of local officials and public health experts, with the potential that local regulations will allow for different capacities at different points during the season," the team said.
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