Georgia locks in ticket plan, Sanford Stadium fan capacity for games during COVID-19
Sanford Stadium won’t be empty when Georgia takes the field for the first time. It’ll feel like a home game, at least to some degree.
The University of Georgia on Wednesday announced a plan to allow 20% to 25% of Sanford Stadium’s 92,746 capacity this season — or somewhere between 18,000 and 23,000 fans per game. The tickets will be in blocks of four seats in order to maintain social distancing and safety protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We feel like the way we’ve mapped out the stadium, we can maintain social distancing and still abide by the CDC guidelines to keep people as safe as possible,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said. “People can opt out. People can elect to come to our games, so those who do come certainly would have a level of risk as they move towards the stadium. ... The stadium is going to look sporadic for sure.”
Those who donate to the athletic program via the Hartman Fund are allowed to purchase seats for home games. The number of games permitted changes based on donor level and amount of money given. The school said it wants to “provide as many season ticket holders as possible the opportunity to attend, at minimum, one of the four home games.”
Georgia hosts four games at Sanford Stadium in a shortened season: Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. According to the school, “Away game tickets will not be available except for the Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville.”
Single-game tickets, according to the school, are priced at $150 each. That includes a $75 contribution to the Hartman Fund.
“All tickets allocated will include a seatback on each seat to help facilitate social distancing and enhance the experience for all attendees,” UGA announced. “All tickets will be delivered via mobile delivery. Ticket holders will be required to download their ticket(s) onto their smartphone for scanned entry on gameday. Masks will be required to be worn when entering Sanford Stadium and while moving throughout the concourse.”
A student section will be maintained in the new configuration. McGarity estimated about 3,000 student tickets per game, down from the normal amount of around 16,000.
Those season-ticket holders who choose not to attend this fall will hold their status and seating assignment for 2021. The Hartman Fund contributors for 2020 can request a refund or donate their money to a COVID-19 UGA Athletics Fund and receive priority points in return.
Safety and sanitation measures are a big part of the plan for Sanford Stadium, senior deputy athletic director Josh Brooks said. That includes disinfecting all restrooms and common areas the day of a game, and wiping down touch points throughout the course a gameday.
“We’re going to have hand sanitizer stations everywhere across the stadium,” Brooks said. “All of our staff will be really masked-up, all of the concession workers will have face-shields, masks, gloves. ... With a crowd of this size, the operations at the concessions and restrooms will be easy.”
A decision has not been made on such things as the pregame Dawg Walk or allowing the Red Coat band to be part of the gameday atmosphere. A decision will also be made later in regards to tailgating.
“I know Alabama has already come out and said no tailgating. Arkansas has, as well, but we’re going to wait and see,” McGarity said. “We don’t have to make that decision right now but certainly as we near the first game, we’ll make those decisions about tailgating.”
New Georgia football 2020 schedule
Game times are still TBD. Home games in bold.
Sept. 26: at Arkansas
Oct. 3: vs. Auburn
Oct. 10: vs. Tennessee
Oct. 17: at Alabama
Oct. 24: at Kentucky
Oct. 31: OPEN
Nov. 7: vs. Florida in Jacksonville
Nov. 14: at Missouri
Nov. 21: vs. Mississippi State
Nov. 28: at South Carolina
Dec. 5: vs. Vanderbilt
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 11:06 AM.