Not knowing exactly what the circumstances will be that it will be played under and when it will exactly take place, do you expect it to be 5,000, over 10,000, less or more etc? I am sure some will choose not to go regardless of what is allowed, so it will not be just what the government allows but someone's own comfort level? It will all come down to where we are at with a vacine because I am not sure if MLS will proceed with a full season if for the most part fans if can not be in the stands?
33,000
I assume you mean 2021.
I think should be allowed to attend sporting events in 2021 & the government informs MLSE that they can only safely allow 8,000 people in the stadium...they will have 8,000 people watching games. I truly think if that number is 5,000 or 12,000 they will find ways to make it happen
I think the stadium itself could safely work with controls (masks, distancing, maybe no food/bevs) in place for 8K even up to 12k for those who are willing but its the ingress and egress that gives me nightmares - can you imagine going through the Tunnel, across the Dufferin bridge - crowding on the GO platform?
And this will be why they won't have fans in the stadium in 2021.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ponderosa
I think it will really depend on the vaccine situation, and general public health climate at the time.
My best guesses:
- By the regular start of the season (February / early March) things will still be very much in the flux.
- By April, many (but not all) front-line health care workers, elderly, and other who are the most vulnerable may be vaccinated. However it will still take some more time beyond that, before vaccination helps with the level of illness and hospitalization.
- The public health situation by then, we have no idea. If the virus is still as rampant and uncontrolled as now or worse (i.e. contract tracing is totally overloaded, testing is inadequate, and hospitals are under stress), then there will still be great hesitation to allow large crowd situations as described above.
- We also have no idea how things will be going in the US by then. The situation will start to get better, but is so out of control now that it will still take many months. That will affect border restrictions, for the teams and others.
My guess is that Canada / Ontario / TFC may allow home games with a small number of fans (~5000) by early summer; perhaps full capacity for the last two months of the season (Sept./Oct.).
But despite stock-boosting announcements about a few vaccines, nobody really has a clue. We don't know when the vaccines will be approved in each country; we don't know how quickly the companies can ramp up to full production, i.e. many millions of doses; we don't know about logistics, delivery and implementation of vaccination campaigns. We don't know about possible side effects when you start to immunize millions of people and encounter more special / individual factors. There can be hiccups at each stage.
I do and hopefully a mod can correct it, sorry about the mistake.Quote:
Originally Posted by NK Toronto
I wouldn't attend any crowded "event" until at least 2022.
However I can see allowing 1/4 capacity average throughout the season. With first right going to Season Seat Holders, and depending in your section, who has the most seniority would get first dibs.
My seatmates will do 0.
Will we get 20 percent if they hold our ssh fees to 2022?
If they're allowed to have a limited capacity it will be far less than the number of STHs.
They'll offer another discount if you hold off to alleviate the demand. If the that reduces it enough, they're golden. No single game tickets. If doesn't, I don't know.
I was listening to a podcast and it sounds like pandemic experts agree that they expect a wave 3 in the spring and Wave 4 in the fall, with both being less sever as time goes on.
I can see teams being allowed to travel back and forth into and out of the city to play games - but I don't see crowds over 5k being allowed in until at least 2022.
And that "5K" (most likely less) is going to be mainly supporters. If they are having people in the stadium, they don't want them sitting on their hands.
The US expects to vaccinate "whoever wants to" by June. Whether that will be enough to end the pandemic there depends on how many people get vaccinated. If enough do to end the pandemic we can expect normal games in the US by late summer.
Canada is expecting to have a "majority" vaccinated by end of August. That probably won't be enough to lift all restrictions on mass gatherings. So maybe 500 or 1000 by the end of the season? I expect normal by 2022.
Ontario is supposed to have a few million doses of the vaccine by late February, so I anticipate 1/4 capacity in the early season.
If the vaccine is shown to be effective at stopping symptoms in the elderly then we could have full stadiums by the summer/ early fall.
But also, if vaccine doesn't and there's a delay, then could be 1/3 capacity all season.
doneQuote:
Originally Posted by Red CB Toronto
I doubt residents of long-term care homes will be attending any games.Quote:
Originally Posted by leedsandTFC
Healthy people will be quite a bit later, it's very optimistic to think there will be any mass gatherings in the early season.
I'd like to get to one game in September but I have my doubts.
I think the better question at this point is how many home games at bmo field do you think TFC will play in 2021.
There will be 0 fans.
I am thinking TFC does not play at home until at least May, playing their first half dozen or so games on the road as will the other two Canadian teams. This will be a strategy between the Canadian government and MLS to let the initial rollout of the vaccine to the most needy in the country be complete if all goes as planned. I think once the vaccine is out there in numbers things like attending a soccer game will be allowed, initially with reduced numbers. Rapid testing will also play a part in this in regards to the visiting teams. We are seeing games in the US with crowds of 25-50% in attendance, thus maybe once things get better we can do something similar and the vaccine will be key to that.
I do find it interesting that their are road blocks currently being put up to an All-Canadian NHL division being played among themselves when the three MLS teams did the exact same thing earlier in the year.
The number of daily Covid cases back in late summer were about 10 to 20 percent of what they are today.Quote:
Originally Posted by Red CB Toronto
Lol still can't believe they let us attend the one game last season I legit didn't think about the virus until we were in the bathroom to keep warm .
At this rate I'm assuming supporters would get first dibs.
I m in 207 row 1 I doubt they open all sides ive seen half sides being opened to control and maintain exposure..
For normal peolle I think vaccine would be available by June.
Bums in seats?
We are not getting through this second wave until April and vaccinations are not going to hit peak volume until June. I honestly wonder how many people are going to be able to afford to attend by the time things seem feasible.
I'm thinking August and 2K to maintain social distancing and everybody has to show they have been vaccinated in order to attend (the "have you been?" discussions will be in full voice by the summer).
BUT...I suspect we will have home games at BMO from the start of the season.
Interesting today that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that the Bills will be allowed to have 6,772 spectators in the stands for their playoff game. The plan calls for those in attendance needing to register a negative COVID-19 test before being granted entrance. The team will work with the state's Department of Health to conduct contact tracing afterward. Fans will be socially distanced throughout the stadium, with masks required at all times. Fans who fail to comply will be ejected.
Fans are required to pay for their COVID-19 testing, which will be administered in Lot 4 at Bills Stadium at a "reduced cost" of $63. The cost of the test will be included in the ticket price. Stadium gates will open two hours before the game with staggered entrance times for fans to minimize crowding -- which was a major concern for Cuomo throughout the process. All concession stands will offer the same items and be cashless.
New York State and their approach to the pandemic is most comparable to Ontario. I guess the real question is such an initiative and all that a spectator will have to go through to attend, would MLSE see it as being worth it for a team like the Reds.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...t-crowd-season
Well, the Leafs will lead the way for MLSE. If one province allows fans, then pressure would be on other teams to follow.
BMO is different because it is outdoors. And much bigger. But our health system is so much different. Not to mention we first need tfc to be playing all home games here.