Miami Dolphins President and CEO Tom Garfinkel made an appearance on “Good Morning America” to showcase Hard Rock Stadium’s social distancing guidelines including:
– A maximum of 15,000 fans rather than 65,000
– Different time slots for entry
– A row-by-row exit process
– Fans having to wear masks
– Fans required to order concessions in their seats before picking up in the concourse
The Dolphins plan comes at a time when concerns around potential financial losses of games without fans are growing. Sports Illustrated reported that teams could lose $100M in local revenue if games are played without fans. A team exec told SI that if fans could be in the stands by pushing the season back that it’s “not even a question.”
Fans, however, aren’t as concerned about the team’s finances – an ESPN survey found 65% would prefer to watch televised games without fans rather than waiting for people to return to stadiums.