Time for fans to get real

THOUSANDS of Cowboys fans will soon be able to attend games, not as cardboard cutouts but in person, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced.

Mr Morrison said stadiums that hold up to 40,000 fans would be able to host up to 25 per cent of their capacity.

Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium seats 25,000 people, meaning up to 6250 fans will soon be able to enjoy live games following the PM’S announcement.

Mr Morrison said crowd numbers would likely remain limited until at least July.

He said the specific timing of when stadiums would reopen to crowds would be up to states to decide, from whenever they moved to stage three easing of restrictions.

A spokeswoman from Stadiums Queensland could not explain how this announcement affected QCB Stadium but said they had submitted a

COVIDSAFE plan to Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young.

It would mean the cardboard cutouts will likely keep seats filled for the Cowboys’ next home game against Newcastle on June 27.

Townsville Enterprise Director Tourism and Events Lisa Woolfe said the announcement was a “positive step forward” for tourism.

“We understand Stadiums Queensland is working with Queensland Health and the relevant authorities to submit plans for approval, which will eventually see fans return to Queensland Country Bank Stadium, following the federal announcement,” Ms Woolfe said.

The Prime Minister said larger stadiums could have 10,000 fans in the stands in the coming weeks.

“I am not anticipating any such stadium to be doing it this month, it would be sometime in July,” he said.

“For the larger ones, I would venture that it would be the subject of a discrete approval for each venue that would be worked out with the Chief Health Officer in each state or territory.

“So, by the time you get into July, there may be that type of opportunity for the rules that apply to those under 40,000 to carry over to those above 40,000.”

Stadiums Queensland chief executive Todd Harris told the Townsville Bulletin this week the organisation was working with clubs, codes and health authorities to facilitate staged return to stadiums.

“We would love to be able to get fans back in the next couple of weeks and expect we will look to move numbers in on a progressive basis week to week, in line with public health requirements,” Mr Harris said.

“The finer details on how that will be achieved are being finalised and we are confident we have a number of processes that can allow our venues to open safely to a select number of fans for upcoming matches.” a