California Governor Gavin Newsom Does Not Expect Fans to Be at 2020 Football Games

Football fans are getting anxious about the status of college football in 2020, and there is considerable disagreement between two chief politicians about whether fans will be allowed in stadiums next fall f games are played.

President Donald Trump told commisshers of major pro sports in a conference call Saturday that he expects the NFL season to begin as scheduled in September and that he hopes to have fans back in the stands by August and September, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Donald Trump also told commissioners that he hopes to have fans back in stadiums and arenas by August and September, sources said, though it is currently unclear if medical experts find that to be a realistic timeline amid the current coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/EFqDryGlTQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2020

However, California Governor Gavin Newsom does not expect that to be the case in California. His message Saturday seems to ensures that if college football games are played in 2020, they will be played in empty stadiums if the games are in California.

California Governor Gavin Newsom's full response when asked if he anticipated the NFL to open in August or September with full stadiums: pic.twitter.com/5gpk76kfsH
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) April 4, 2020

"I am not aticipating that happing in this state," Newsom said regarding having fans in stadium this fall, according to tweet by Lindsay Thiry, who covers the Rams for ESPN. "Let me tell you why. We've all seen the headlines the last couple days in Asia where they were opening up certain businesses, and now they're starting to roll back on those openings because they're starting to see some spread, there's a boomerang."

Ronald Brownstein, a senior editor at The Atlantic, followed with a tweet that quoted Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti saying, "I can’t imagine that public-health professionals are going to say, ‘Let’s put tens of thousands of people back together in a stadium.’”

As discussed here by Mayors of Dallas & LA. @MayorOfLA tells me that by this fall "I can’t imagine that public-health professionals are going to say, ‘Let’s put tens of thousands of people back together in a stadium.’” https://t.co/1fdVg4jfXH https://t.co/lBIUa42n7x
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) April 4, 2020

The President reportedly hinted that tax credits might be given to fans who attend sports events once the dangerous stages of the pandemic are over.

Cal has high hopes for the 2020 season after the Bears went 8-5 in 2019. However, there remains the distinct possibility that there will be no college football season at all in 2020. A lot of scenarios are being discussed for what alterations will be made to the college football schedule if games are played.

The pandemic has already affected recruiting signficantly, as noted in the video below: