The Tennessee Titans are the latest team that won’t have fans at their home opener on September 20th against division rival Jacksonville, due to concerns of the coronavirus pandemic. Nashville Mayor John Cooper and the team announced the decision on Tuesday. The decision also pertains to Nashville’s Major League Soccer team. Neither team will have any fans at home games in September.
“Across the United States, there’s a wide range of approaches to in-person attendance for professional sports. This is based on a wide range of public health policies and the prevalence of the coronavirus in those locations,” Cooper said. “We must take a cautious approach recognizing that we cannot predict our COVID-19 metrics further into the fall sports season. I’m grateful both to the Tennessee Titans and Nashville SC for working closely with our Office of the Metro Public Health Department while prioritizing the safety of their players, staff, and our residents.”
Titans’ president and CEO, Burke Nihill said they wish they could open in front of fans. Especially as a franchise coming off its first AFC championship game in 17 years. But he says the Titans support the mayor and the local health officials decision to keep Nissan Stadium closed to fans at least to start the season. The silver lining, at least for the moment, is the Titans only have one home game on their schedule in the first month of the season. So hope remains that fans will be allowed in Nissan Stadium at some point during the upcoming season.
Team officials have been working tirelessly, like most teams in the NFL, with public health experts to design a plan in the hopes that fans will be able to attend the team’s remaining seven scheduled home games this season, as well as any potential postseason games. If there are fans allowed in attendance, precautions will likely include mandatory masks, socially distant seating, contactless concessions, and hand sanitizer stations throughout the stadium.
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