Vikings Hoping to Host Full Capacity of Fans at U.S. Bank Stadium This Fall
After a season without fans in U.S. Bank Stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vikings are hoping to get back to filling their home stadium in 2021.
Despite everything the country has gone through with the pandemic over the past year, there's reason to be optimistic about the prospects of full stadiums this fall. The vaccination process is going well throughout the United States, and there's hope that every adult will be eligible to receive a vaccine by May.
Minnesota sports fans got some good news on Friday when governor Tim Walz approved limited attendance at sporting events in the very near future. Effective April 1, up to 10,000 fans can attend outdoor games at places like Target Field, while up to 3,000 fans will be able to attend indoor events at Xcel Energy Center and Target Center, among other venues. That 3,000-person indoor limit is a major jump from the previous limit of 250 that the Vikings had to work with last season.
The news could be even better this fall when the Vikings' season gets underway.
COO Andrew Miller said recently that the team is "planning for full attendance at both training camp this summer [at TCO Performance Center in Eagan] and home games at U.S. Bank Stadium this fall," via the Star Tribune.
Miller said it was "too premature" at this point to state whether the team will require fans to be vaccinated, or implement masking and social distancing measures at games this fall, but sounded optimistic that vaccines could afford the state enough progress against coronavirus for the Vikings to host large crowds for the first time since Dec. 2019.
The Vikings released a statement on Friday regarding Walz's announcement.
"We applaud Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health for their announcement to begin increasing fan capacity at all Minnesota professional sports venues. The return of in-person sporting events can not only help unite us as a community and bring hope to Minnesotans after such a challenging year, but it also can reanimate our downtowns and bring back thousands of visitors who support the critical hospitality industry. The Vikings' top priority in 2021 is to safely welcome fans back to U.S. Bank Stadium, and today’s news is a significant step toward our goal of hosting a full stadium this fall. We recognize, however, that in order to return to all the things we enjoy doing, including attending professional sporting events, we must see continued success with vaccinations. We encourage all Minnesotans to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible."
It's too early for anything to be guaranteed, but it sounds like there's a good chance the Vikings will be able to host several thousands of fans, at the very least. If the vaccination process continues to go well and the COVID numbers continue to decline, it's entirely possible that U.S. Bank Stadium will be able to fill up to full capacity this season.
That would be a big help for the Vikings, who get a distinctive home field advantage from their raucous crowds at the state-of-the-art indoor venue. It'll take everyone doing their part by getting the vaccine as soon as they can, but it's something to look forward to after a difficult 12 months and counting.
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