In an email to season ticket holders, the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens announced that it will cut the seating maximum in the stadium to 20% of its capacity if fans are allowed to attend, marking a potential roadmap for other professionals teams to deal with the coronavirus.
M&T Bank Stadium, the home venue for the Ravens, normally has a seating capacity of 71,000 fans; the Ravens announced they will sell only 14,000 tickets for each game. Season ticket holders will be given first chance to buy game tickets before unsold seats are released.
The Ravens noted that ticket sales will be contingent on state and local regulations regarding mass gatherings and social distancing, acknowledging that the upcoming season may not take place.
“To offer a proper level of safety for fans who want to attend games, a reduction in capacity is necessary,” stated Ravens president Dick Cass. “We are disappointed that this will be a disruption for many ticket buyers, but we have an obligation to our fans and our community to keep M&T Bank Stadium as safe as possible.”