No fans at Super Bowl 55? Anything is possible
The Tampa Bay Bucs have started this season with no fans in the stands at Raymond James Stadium. Is it possible Super Bowl 55, slated for Feb. 7, will be fanless as well, or at least not played before a full-capacity crowd?
The NFL certainly is looking at contingency plans if the current coronavirus pandemic hasn’t subsided by early next year.
“Well, we certainly have to prepare for that,” said Jonathan Barker, head of live events and production for the NFL. “Our hope is going to be to fill this stadium with fans. That’s our hope. But the smart thing to do is to prepare just in case. If we find ourselves on Feb. 7 where we’re in different scenario, we’re going to just make sure we’re ready for that.”
Barker, along with Nicki Ewell, the NFL’S director of events, toured Raymond James Stadium on Tuesday morning for the first time this year.
The Bucs, who played without fans in this past Sunday’s home opener against the Panthers and will do the same Oct. 4 against the Chargers, have said they hope to begin admitting some fans by Oct. 18’s home game against the Packers.
Earlier this month, Gov. Ron Desantis was displeased by the Bucs’ decision not to open the season with fans, afraid it would foster negative perceptions about Tampa’s readiness to hold the Super Bowl.
“I really want to be able to show that Tampa is going to be a great place to host the Super Bowl,” Desantis said. “Showing this community is ready to host a great Super Bowl, having some fans there would’ve been a good first step. It’s not where we need to be.”
The Tampa Sports Authority had been planning for reduced seating capacities at the stadium of around 14,000 for Bucs games. USF, which plays its home games at the stadium as well, also has
the season.
Kelly said Monday that as part of the team’s COVID-19 protocol, players would not be able to meet up with family members before the game.
“You’re trying to avoid as much contact outside your ‘bubble’ as possible,” Kelly said. “We’ll do everything as if this is a home game. In other words, all of our meetings, practice and post-meetings will be done here (in South Bend, Ind.). We’ll eat here, board the plane, get in there (Friday) evening, get off the plane and go to bed to lessen the contact in the hotel.
“Our guys will be in individual rooms, wake up in the morning, throw on a Superman cape and go beat Wake Forest. That’s how we do it.” Notre Dame announced 90 minutes before kickoff Saturday that eight players on the two-deep had been ruled out: quarterback Brendon Clark, linebackers Marist Liufau and Shayne Simon, wide receiver/punt returner Lawrence Keys III, running back Jahmir Smith, cornerback Tariq Bracy, defensive end Ovie Oghoufo and safety Kyle Hamilton.
Hamilton’s was a nonvirus injury (ankle) and might return this week. Receiver Ben Skowronek, the graduate transfer from Northwestern, is day-to-day with a strained hamstring.
“Generally speaking that’s those that fall under close contact, which would be the linemen,” Kelly said. “It’s (a question) of distance, duration and direction.”
Coaches are on high alert after Florida State announced a positive test result for first-year coach Mike Norvell.
“It’s serious, right?” Kelly said. “You’ve got to have a mask. Social distancing is important. We have to be very, very serious.
“We have a succession plan in place for every coach. Mine is not singular in terms of one coach taking over. There are different responsibilities. I’m not going to get into who that person is at this time. Hopefully, we don’t have to.