MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In the midst of the most successful stretch in program history and with a new head coach at the helm, Memphis football announced it isn’t planning on selling single-game tickets this fall, making for an unprecedented football experience.
Instead, the school left only a small group of season ticket holders to attend games, if they happen at all.
“Based on these projected requirements and a need to create necessary social distancing, we are currently anticipating that we may only be able to provide ticket accommodations to season ticket holders,” the school said in a statement posted online. “We do not currently anticipate any single-game ticket sales for the 2020 season.”
In addition, fans allowed in would require health checks, face coverings and socially distant seating.
“We also know that things that make it more infectious are singing and loud talking or screaming ‘Go Tigers Go!'” said Dr. Jeff Warren, who’s on the Memphis City Council and the local COVID-19 task force.
“Shouting, screaming, all of those things add to the complications,” infectious disease expert Dr. Manoj Jain said. “It will be very strange at first.”
If you want to purchase season tickets, there is still time to do so. Priority will be given to those who have purchased or started a payment plan for the tickets by June 30.
Season tickets range in price from $100 to $350.
The school did not initially address whether it included students in their plans. According to the U of M Athletics website, full-time students had previously been admitted for free at each game while part-time students had to pay a small fee.
U of M President M. David Rudd said on Twitter that students would be included when tickets are allocated, and no final decisions have yet been made.
Of course, all of this could change as university officials continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation.
Some football programs have already begun preparing for the 2020 season, but schools like Ole Miss have also seen athletes and coaches test positive for COVID-19.
Doctors said thanks to improvements in testing and treatment, teams can endure positive cases without shutting everyone down.
“You have to do a lot of testing,” Dr. Warren said. “You’ve got to do preliminary screenings, and the kids have to know, if they feel a little sick, don’t gut it up and go to practice.”
Dr. Warren said decreasing the number of people at large events is necessary until a vaccine is widely available.
“Until that, or we actually have a treatment that works, then we’re not going to be able to do it,” he said.
“It will take time for us to figure out how in this new normal,” Dr. Jain said. “We can still enjoy the things that we’ve enjoyed and not transmit the virus.”
