Despite restrictions, 49ers aren’t giving up on having fans at Levi’s Stadium

Santa Clara County executive Dr. Jeff Smith called new state guidance that allows fans to attend professional sporting events in California “the worst thing in the world to be doing,” but the 49ers want to work with Smith and county officials to bring spectators to Levi’s Stadium this season anyway.

In an interview Wednesday on KNBR, 49ers president Al Guido said the team plans to collaborate with Smith and county supervisors to determine ways the organization could safely host guests at upcoming games.

“We’ve had a great working relationship with the county and we’ve had a lot of dialogue since their announcement yesterday,” Guido told KNBR. “We look forward to continuing to work with them. We’ve worked together on complex issues, frankly even leading up to training camp and getting our guys back to playing games.”

California assigns each of its 58 counties to a tier based on its adjusted coronavirus case rate and the rate of positive tests in the county. Tiers 1 and 2, the most “distressed” counties, have an adjusted sevenday case rate of more than four people per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate above 5 percent over a seven- day period.

New guidelines released by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday would allow pro sports teams in Tiers 3 and 4 to host a limited number of fans at games effective immediately. Santa Clara County, which is home to the 49ers and San Jose Earthquakes, is in Tier 3, which shows a “moderate” spread of the coronavirus within the county.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Smith said hosting fans at games that could become “super spreader events” would be “unconscionable.”

“Putting large groups of people in a stadium is just asking for trouble,” Smith said. “It’s like a petri dish.”

Linebacker Fred Warner took a diplomatic approach to the county’s ongoing fan ban

“Everybody wants fans. I’m going to let the county and state handle all that,” Warner said before Wednesday’s practice. “We miss the fans very much. I do, I always feed off them.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan said that having fans is a “huge deal” for teams. The 49ers started 0-3 at home before winning Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium.

“T he f e el i n g t he y brought our team last year really changed this building,” Shanahan said. “It’s been tough not having them this year and just disappointing.

“I understand the issues and stuff. I just hope that we can eventually figure out something.”

Shanahan noted that “most teams” won’t have to deal with an empty home stadium as restrictions have loosened around the league. He expressed dismay that his family can dine in at a restaurant in Santa Clara County, albeit under restrictions, but not attend games at Levi’s Stadium’s open-air venue.

With four home dates remaining, Shanahan hoped that at least the team’s family members are allowed into Levi’s Stadium, “because it’s a long season and people do want to be a part of that bad. I know how bad we want them to be a part of it. So, hopefully they’ll keep talking

and figure out a way that they feel safe like the other places and I know it’ll help us if we do.”

Guido said Wednesday the 49ers have already developed a comprehensive plan that would allow the team to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within Levi’s Stadium and protect the safety of fans, players and team employees. The next step for the 49ers is working with the county to review and revise the plan to determine if it’s feasible to host fans this season and figure out how many the team would be able to welcome at each game.

“We would separate people out, they call it within pods, so you’d be able to buy whether it’s two or four seats, those would be separated out by aisles and distance,” Guido said. “The way we would do food and beverage is frankly you could either bring it in or have it delivered to your seat so we would remove the clusters from the concession aisles. You’d have parking spaces that would be socially distanced and separated out, no tailgating.”

In a hypothetical scenario in which Santa Clara County changed its stance and permitted the 49ers to host fans, Guido also said they would perform temperature checks on all visitors, require a signed health questionnaire and evaluate a staggered entry to the stadium to avoid having fans congregate while waiting in line.

Guido noted that California guidelines would currently allow the 49ers to fill Levi’s Stadium at 20% capacity, but the team would start by filling a smaller percentage of its seats. With the first eightto-10 rows of the stadium blocked off to create additional distance between the playing field and its stands, the 49ers would be working from an already reduced capacity.

The team may start by exploring the idea of allowing spouses and relatives of players, coaches and team personnel to attend games, which has been restricted by Santa Clara County so far. Guido hinted that successfully welcoming close relatives of players and coaches in a safe way may help convince local health officials the 49ers would be well equipped to gradually increase the number of spectators allowed into Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers have four remaining home games during the regular season, but won’t play again in Santa Clara until Thursday, Nov. 5 when they host the Green Bay Packers. Guido remains uncertain

as to whether the 49ers will be allowed to welcome any guests this season, but plans are already in the works and he’s optimistic that despite Smith’s comments, local officials in Santa Clara County will listen to what the 49ers present.

WILLIAMS’ STATUS >> Left tackle Trent Williams’ ankle injury is not as severe as those suffered by several teammates earlier this year, but it will keep him questionable this week as the 49ers prepare for Sunday’s game at New England.

Shanahan said of Monday’s MRI on Williams: “Nothing is broken and it wasn’t a high- ankle (sprain). That was good news. But he’s still in too much pain to practice and will be questionable throughout the week.”

Justin Skule, an eightgame starter last year as a rookie, will practice in Williams’ place.

Also out of Wednesday’s practice were running back Raheem Mostert (ankle), safety Jaquiski Tartt ( groin) and linebacker Kwon Alexander (ankle). Limited were running back Jeff Wilson (calf) and cornerback Dontae Johnson (groin).

SHERMAN, FORD UPDATES >> Cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) and defensive end Dee Ford ( back) are expected out at least three more games with a potential post-bye return Nov. 29 at the Los Angeles Rams.

Sherman is in an orthopedic boot after receiving treatment last week, said Shanahan, adding: “It’s taking longer than expected. We’ve got to play it smart with him.”

With Ford’s return also delayed, the 49ers agreed to a trade Wednesday for New York Jets edge rusher Jordan Willis, a deal that won’t go through until next week.

The other 49ers on injured reserve who can return this season are cornerback K’Waun Williams (knee), running back Tevin Coleman (knee), center Ben Garland (calf) and tight end Jordan Reed (knee).

TRADE CONFIRMED >> The 49ers’ latest in- season trade pales in comparison to acquiring Jimmy Garoppolo and Emmanuel Sanders in recent years but they made a deal Wednesday to aid their crippled pass rush.

Jordan Willis, a thirdyear edge rusher, is joining the Niners from the NFL’s worst team, the New York Jets, a league source confirmed.

The 49ers will part with a 2022 sixth-round draft pick in return for Willis and a 2021 seventh-round pick, NFL Network reported.