ATHENS — College football fans already knew game days figured to look a lot different with reduced crowds and little or no tailgating opportunities outside of the stadiums.
RELATED: Georgia AD discusses tailgating, ‘Dawg Walk’ policies
The SEC league office released its guidelines on Friday for games sharing more protocol amid the COVID-19 pandemic that includes such stipulations as:
• A minimum 500 tickets for “visiting institution,” which likely means friends and family of respected teams’ players and coaches. UGA has announced no tickets to away games will be available for purchase.
• Home bands cannot perform on the field before the game or at halftime at the start of the season.
• Visiting bands and cheerleaders/ dance teams will not be allowed to travel to road games.
• Post-game press conferences conducted virtually.
RELATED: Georgia announces plans for football home games, tickets
“The health of those around SEC athletics events remains in focus and, following advice of the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force, we continue to develop policies intended to provide a healthy return to competition,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a release.
“Some of these are difficult decisions but are a reality of our circumstances, and we will continue to develop and refine policies as we monitor issues related to COVID-19.”
SEC Guidlines
ESSENTIAL ON-FIELD PERSONNEL
Essential personnel shall be the only individuals who have game day access to field and sideline, to include student-athletes, coaches and support personnel, game officials, medical personnel, limited institutional personnel, law enforcement, a limited number of photographers and contracted radio/TV personnel, and other limited personnel essential to the execution of the game.
All individuals with access to the team bench area must participate in the SEC COVID-19 testing protocol.
TICKETING
In football, where stadium capacities are reduced if fan attendance is permitted, the host institution shall provide the visiting institution a minimum of 500 tickets located in the lower level of the stadium. The visiting institution may be provided more or less than these 500 tickets upon mutual agreement of both institutions.
ON-FIELD PERFORMANCES
Bands will be restricted from performing on the field before games and at halftime. The policy will be revised during the year based on developments around COVID-19.
Where stadium capacities are reduced if fan attendance is permitted, visiting team bands and spirit squads shall be prohibited from attending games at SEC stadiums; SEC institutions shall have the discretion on whether their band and/or spirit squad attends a conference (SEC vs SEC) neutral site game.
On-field performances, presentations and recognitions shall be prohibited including, but not limited to, sponsor and donor recognitions and athletic department student-athlete and team recognitions.
DISINFECTION
Home institutions are required to disinfect home and visiting team spaces prior to each game utilizing approved disinfectants. These spaces shall include the locker rooms, coaches’ rooms, training rooms, sidelines, coaches’ booths and any additional areas provided to either team. The visiting team shall be allowed to further disinfect its spaces utilizing approved disinfectants after receiving approval from the home team’s facility staff on the disinfectants it desires to use. Upon completion of disinfection, the spaces and equipment must be locked down until the teams are granted initial access on Thursday or Friday prior to game day. Once both teams have accessed their spaces, only team staff are allowed inside the spaces and no outside individuals, including television personnel, are allowed access.
MEDIA OPERATIONS
Press box seating capacity shall be no more than 50% of current seating availability in the press box, and all individuals in the press box shall wear a face covering. If required by national, state and/or local guidelines, the press box seating capacity shall be less than 50% of the current seating available in accordance with the national, state and/or local guidelines.
Post-game press conferences will be conducted virtually.
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