NJ Advance Media learned that the Giants and Jets will play their 2020 home games at MetLife Stadium without fans, after Governor Murphy told teams that his 500-person state limit on outdoor gatherings would apply. to local NFL teams.
Rutgers will also limit its audience to less than 500 spectators if a college football season is held this fall, the university is slated to announce, promising that “all safety precautions will be taken for the people who will be attending.” Those viewers are expected to limit themselves to the immediate family of players and coaches.
The decisions, which Governor Phil Murphy made alongside officials from NFL teams and the university, come as no surprise as sports leagues around the world have been closed or forced to play in empty stadiums with crowd noise to limit crowds. during the coronavirus pandemic.
“My Administration has been working closely with professional college and sports teams to determine how to safely proceed with games in their stadiums amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” Murphy said in a statement obtained by NJ Advance Media. . “While we look forward to the day when we can return to games as normal and cheer ourselves up from the stands, continuing concerns for the health and safety of fans, team members and staff dictate that our executive order that Limited outdoor gatherings apply to sporting events, including boot camp.
“We will continue to closely monitor the reality of public health and work with health experts to determine how to move forward, and we will continue to work closely with teams as conditions change. Like all New Jersey fans, I look forward to seeing our teams play from home and I plan to be there in person to support the teams when it is safe to do so. “
The state’s two NFL teams are set to kick off their training camps this week with strict guidelines for their players, coaches, and other employees as they hope to avoid a locker room outbreak that could derail the season. Training camp practices, generally a way for die-hard fans to get a free glimpse of preseason on teams, will also be closed to the public.
The teams, in a joint statement, were careful to leave open the window that the situation could change if something dramatic, such as a recession in COVID-19 cases across the country, occurred in the coming weeks or months.
“We support Governor Murphy’s decision in the interest of public health and safety and, until circumstances change, both the Jets and the Giants will play our games without the benefit of fan attendance,” the teams said. “Although we would prefer to have fans at MetLife Stadium for our games, we will continue to work with Governor Murphy’s office and provide updates if necessary.”
While New Jersey reported a slight increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations on Monday, the situation here is much more controlled than in other NFL cities. That has raised questions about how teams will handle road games to places like Miami and Dallas, where cases are skyrocketing and governors are implementing stricter blocking regulations.
Rutgers, who makes around $ 750,000 per home football game, is still waiting for a new Big Ten schedule for next season. The league announced earlier this month that it would play a conference-only schedule in the fall, but many college football officials and medical experts expect the 2020 college football season to move to spring or be canceled entirely.
If the latter happens, Rutgers faces a loss of revenue of nearly $ 50 million, according to an analysis by NJ Advance Media. That pales in Big Ten rivals like Ohio State and Michigan, who could lose double if the games don’t play in the 2020-21 season.
Murphy increased the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings in the state from 250 to 500 earlier this month, before the holiday weekend of July 4. Although the governor has lifted some restrictions in recent days, he has not indicated that this number will increase in the short term.
The 500 limit does not include players, officials and other team employees. It will be up to the teams to decide whether the families of the players and others will be allowed in the stadium, but that number cannot exceed 500.
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Keith Sargeant contributed to this report. Steve Politi can be contacted at [email protected].
