Louisville Announces Changes to 2020 Football Safety Plan
Roughly two weeks after Louisville announced that the capacity of Cardinal Stadium would be reduced for home football games, the university has made adjustments to their safety plan that accompanied it - including the amount of fans that will be permitted this season.
"UofL leadership has worked to craft a safe, flexible ticketing and operation plan for fans at a reduced stadium capacity of 20 percent, allowing seating to be appropriately distanced for approximately 12,000 fans per game within 60,800-seat Cardinal Stadium," the university said in a release.
This comes one day removed from Gov. Andy Beshear stating that Louisville's original figure of a 30% capacity had been reduced to the new figure in order to be approved. As a result, Louisville updated several facets of their safety plan for the 2020 season - namely regarding tailgating and in-stadium section closures.
"UofL continues to work individually with over 6,200 season ticket holder accounts that represented about 30,000 ticket sales prior to the reduction in capacity," the release stated. "That allocation process began last week and will continue into game week to allow as many fans as possible to be present for the Cardinals' highly-anticipated upcoming season. "
Below are the full details (as of Sept. 4) to the university's plan, courtesy of the UofL Athletic Department:
Additional information will be provided next week
Parking
- In order to promote physical distancing, no tailgating is permitted prior to or after football games this season. Additionally, to emphasize this change, no grills, tents, generators, or trailers will be allowed in the parking lots.
- Parking lots will open 3 hours prior to kickoff.
- Parking passes will not be sold to individuals who do not have tickets to the games.
- Parking staff in the Purple parking lots will use a speed parking method to park vehicles as they arrive. Vehicles will be directed where to park by staff. This will start with the spaces to the north end of the Purple A lot and will be filled row by row as they move south through the B,C & D lots. Cars will be parked in every other space to allow for social distancing. Please follow the directions of the staff.
- Parking passes for the Planet Fitness Purple lot will be loaded on fans' CardsMobile account and scanned upon entry.
- Parking passes for the Platinum lots and Sun Tan City Bronze lots will transition to a single parking pass for the season.
- For player safety, there will be no CardMarch for the 2020 season.
Stadium Entry
- Masks will be required to be worn at all times. Children aged 5 yrs and under are not required to wear a masks.
- Gates will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
- Please account for additional time needed to enter the stadium, as enhanced entry measures will be in effect:
- Mobile Ticketing – Cardinal Stadium ticketing will be fully mobile for the 2020 season to limit contact among fans and stadium staff. For a smoother process upon arrival, please download tickets to your mobile device prior to arrival at the stadium.
- Temperature checks – Temperature checks will be conducted under tents will appropriate space allowed to promote physical distancing. Anyone that has a reading of 100.4° or higher will be directed to a cool down tent. After a 10-minute cool down period a second temperature check will be conducted. If the temperature displayed is 100.4° or higher the person will be refused entry.
- Clear Bag Policy - A clear bag policy will be strictly enforced. No other types of bags or purses, regardless of size, will be permitted. Medical bags will be inspected and tagged prior to entry.
- Not Approved for Entry: Purses larger than a clutch bag, computer bags, briefcases, camera bags, backpacks, any bag larger than the permissible size, fanny packs, tinted or printed pattern plastic bag, cinch bags, oversized tote, luggage of any kind.
Mask Requirement
- Masks will be required to be worn at all times. Children aged 5 yrs and under are not required to wear a masks.
- Temperature checks will be conducted under tents will appropriate space allowed to promote physical distancing. Anyone that has a reading of 100.4° or higher will be directed to a cool down tent. After a 10-minute cool down period a second temperature check will be conducted. If the temperature displayed is 100.4° or higher the person will be refused entry.
Ticketing
- Cardinal Stadium ticketing will be fully mobile for the 2020 season to limit contact among fans and stadium staff. For a smoother process upon arrival, please download tickets to your mobile device prior to arrival at the stadium.
- With the east side addition of more gates to ease entry, the Cardinal Stadium Ticket Office and Cardinal Authentic will no longer have brick and mortar locations along Floyd Street.
- A mobile box office will be open on the north east corner near Gate 1A with physical distancing enforced.
- No single game purchases will be available for walk-up sales on game day.
Premium Box & Suite Holders
- You will receive tickets for all seats located within your box/suite to all 6 home games.
- We are not able to offer standing-room-only tickets for suites this season.
- All money paid towards season standing-room-only tickets and the eliminated seventh home game have been put on your account as a credit.
Club Season Ticket Holders
- You will receive an email with the access time when you can select your seat location.
- You can log in any time after this time to select your new seats, but additional season ticket holders will have access each day.
- You will be allowed the same number of seats you have on the season, with a maximum of 4 per account.
- All money paid toward the 2020 football season has been held on your account as a credit to use toward the new package.
Season Ticket Holders
- In the coming days, you will receive an email from the UofL Athletics Ticket Office with specific information regarding your 2020 Louisville football ticketing options.
- You will be allowed the same number of seats you have on the season, with a maximum of 4 per account.
- All money paid toward the 2020 football season has been held on your account as a credit to use toward the new package.
COVID-19 Safety Precautions
- Cashless operations – All concessions and merchandise stands within the stadium will be cashless for the 2020 season. All major credit cards will be accepted. Mobile pay options (Apple pay, Google Pay, etc.) will not be accepted.
- Masks will be required to be worn at all times unless actively consuming food or beverages. Children aged 5 yrs and under are not required to wear a mask.
- Physical distancing will be enforced throughout the stadium.
- An increased number of hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the concourse.
Stadium Area Closures
- Stadium seating bowl will have a reduced capacity of 20% for fans, based 6 foot social distanced seating.
- In order to restrict capacity and limit congregating areas throughout the stadium, the following spaces will be closed to fans on game day during the 2020 season:
- The UPS Flight Deck
- The adidas Club
- The Norton’s Healthcare Terrace will be closed for fans to congregate and watch the game. However, it will be open for restrooms and concessions.
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