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An Indianapolis Colts official said Friday that the team will see a slightly reduced capacity for its next home game, following a continued rise in positive cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks.
Pete Ward, chief operating officer for the Colts, said the team was informed by the Marion County Public Health Department this week it will be allowed to have up to 10,000 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium for the team’s Dec. 20 AFC South game against the Houston Texans.
The reduction marks a drop from the 12,500 fans that have been permitted since the team’s third home game. The first two games were capped at 2,500 and 7,500 fans, respectively.
“We did discuss the spike in positivity rates,” Ward said. “I don’t know if that’s the only reason, but that certainly plays into it, I think.”
He said fans “by and large” have followed new safety protocols instituted at Lucas Oil Stadium this season, including wearing masks throughout the game, social distancing and limiting their tailgating activities.
It’s unknown whether the health department will institute the same restriction for the Big Ten Football Championship game, scheduled for Dec. 19. A spokesperson for the health department did not immediately comment when reached late Friday afternoon.
A representative for the Big Ten Conference did not immediately return a message requesting comment.
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Not a comment to diminish following appropriate prevention and safety protocol…..but…..I would love to know the metrics and reasoning behind Marion County Public Health Department’s decision that an appropriate attendance number for a 60,000 seat stadium is 10,000 instead of 12,500. Just say that you’re arbitrarily picking a number.
I tend to agree with you, but they might actually have some science/ calculations underpinning the decision. I will say it makes zero sense to have a different number for the college game the day before. The fact it’s the Big 10 Championship game means nothing.
Randy— there is zero chance there is any Science! Driving a decision to reduce from 12,500 to 10,000 in a building that holds 65,000. Positive cases are up so Pothole and Craine have to pretend they are “doing something!” Government jobs are where incompetent people go to hid.
I could be wrong, not privy to it, but I would love to hear their calculations for it. If they truly have some, why wouldn’t you outline that. In my opinion, they just have no idea but throw out an arbitrary attendance number just for the sake of putting a number out. They capped it at 2,500 fans for the first Colts game and then realized there was no cap on Indy Eleven games played prior to that which had “reportedly” larger crowds. What did they do, cap Indy Eleven games at 2,500 as well with no reasoning. Again, not diminishing putting safety first, but they have no idea on what’s a safe number. They just arbitrarily put out a number, I believe. Nobody knows the right number, just say we don’t know. 7,500 to 12,500 to 10,000. They have no idea.
I’d say we definitely know how many people should be at a sporting event now. Zero. They shouldn’t even be playing.
Do you think Pothole and Virginia remotely grasp how stupid they sound?
Matt J. Are you allowed to work and get a paycheck? These professional athletes deserve the same opportunity!
The change seems arbitrary. The capacity should be reduced to the teams playing and media, 0 fans.