Surprise, disappointment as tickets still available
Coach Mullen blames virus, confusion for lack of sales for Gators’ home opener
GAINESVILLE — Florida Gators coach Dan Mullen said a combination of COVID-19 and confusion has left plenty of tickets for UF to sell before Saturday’s home opener against South Carolina.
The Swamp will be at no more than 20% capacity for the game — or 16,956 total fans — yet around 3,000 tickets remain for fans to see the No. 3 Gators (1-0) host South Carolina (0-1) at noon Saturday.
“I don’t know what it is … probably with the protocol, just how the whole thing works,” Mullen said Wednesday. “[My wife] Megan’s come to me and says people are coming up to her in the community and being like, ‘This is the first Gator game I’ll ever miss. It’s terrible because I wasn’t on the right number on the list to get tickets.’
“I think people just don’t know.”
Once UF decided on capacity earlier in September, the ticket policy was laid out. Mullen said some fans apparently were left out.
Priority for non-student tickets were given to those who have contributed the most money to the Gator Booster club.
“When they did the initial deal, I think a lot of stuff is that people look and say, ‘Hey, they sent it out and I wasn’t on the list to be able to get the original tickets to order them,’” Mullen surmised. “Not everybody that had the opportunity to do that did that. So there are some tickets available.”
Mullen said fans still interested in going to the game can call the Gators ticket office at 352-375-4683.
Unclaimed tickets will be available to UF students beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday.
However many tickets are sold by Saturday, one of college football best home-field advantages will be significantly limited.
While Mullen said the crowd still can make a difference at the 88,548-seat Swamp, players will not be able to channel the same level of passion from the fan base.
“If we have 17,000 in the stadium, I think people can make enough noise to make it difficult on South Carolina,” Mullen said. “But really the players … they feed off the energy of the crowd. So the more people we have there, the more players will feed off the energy of their home crowd.”
The reduced capacity was palpable during last week’s 51-35 season-opening win at Ole Miss.
“It was very different, I’ll say that,” redshirt senior offensive lineman Brett Heggie said. “Just oddly quiet.”
Those who do come to the Swamp Saturday will be required to wear masks and socially distance, and encouraged to regularly sanitize their hands. Signage will appear at pretty much every turn and markers will be placed on the ground to remind fans to follow protocols.
Surfaces will be continually disinfected by staff.
“We want the people who come in here to feel safe, comfortable and confident,” said Chip Howard, the UF athletic department’s executive associate athletic director for internal affairs. “Safety is our No. 1 priority.”
Mullen mum on injuries
Mullen said he plans to stop discussing injuries this season.
Positive COVID-19 tests, football injuries and possibly suspensions accounted for 13 players sitting out the Ole Miss game.
On Wednesday, Mullen declined to discuss backup quarterback Emory Jones getting spotted on campus Tuesday with a wrap on his throwing (right) hand. With the third and final tests for COVID-19 pending, Mullen said he cannot yet be certain who would play against South Carolina.
“I have no idea who’s available,” he said. “We have another COVID test coming up and we have other stuff. And because of all that situation, unique, I will not talk about any injuries for the rest of the season.”
The Gators reported Tuesday no one tested positive last week for the virus.
Mullen recently said the pandemic has ramped up the anxiety surrounding preparation and game planning.
“You could sit here and on Thursday afternoon, say, ‘Hey these 10 guys can’t play.’ You know?” he said. “You kind of have your whole game plan done, your depth chart done. That makes me pretty anxious
“That’ll keep you up at night.”