Guidelines in place for fans for Marshall football opener
Published: Sep. 2, 2020 at 7:34 PM EDT|Updated: 19 hours ago
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Marshall’s football game Saturday against Eastern Kentucky will be unlike any season opener in Herd history.
In order to maintain social distancing, only about 12,000 tickets were made available for the 38,000-seat Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Scott Morehouse, associate director of athletics for game operations and facilities, says fans will be spaced apart.
“Patrons will be sitting in every other row,” he said. “We’ll be skipping rows in between, so you’ll have an empty row behind you and an empty row in front of you. With your group of tickets, there will be no more than six together.”
Social distancing measures will also be in place in the concourse.
“For concession lines there will be stickers on the ground saying please follow the 6-foot guidelines,” Morehouse said.
During the weekend, TV broadcasts of other games showed fans in stands without masks on. Morehouse says they will have personnel in the Joan Saturday to make sure fans are keeping their masks on. The only exceptions will be when fans are eating or drinking.
“Just because you have a cold beverage in your hand doesn’t mean you don’t have to wear your mask for a half hour period of time,” Morehouse said. “If you’re taking a drink, have your mask down. Once you set your drink down, please put your mask back up.”
Fayette County native Alexus Ramey will be attending her first game as a Marshall freshman. It certainly won’t be anything like the atmosphere she expected before the pandemic hit, but considering other programs, including WVU, are not allowing any fans in starting out, she’s just grateful she’ll get to be there in person.
“As a student, I just wanted to be there,” she said. “It’s going to be crazy because everyone will be spaced out instead of crowded next to each other.”
Also, tailgating will not be permitted on Marshall lots.
The university can’t stop tailgating on private lots, but Morehouse is encouraging fans who do so to be mindful of social distancing and not get too crowded.
“Follow guidelines set by the state,” he said. “We don’t want to jeopardize the football season over a potential outbreak.”
The game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday and will be televised on ESPN.
Copyright 2020 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
Published: Sep. 2, 2020 at 7:34 PM EDT|Updated: 19 hours ago
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Marshall’s football game Saturday against Eastern Kentucky will be unlike any season opener in Herd history.
In order to maintain social distancing, only about 12,000 tickets were made available for the 38,000-seat Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Scott Morehouse, associate director of athletics for game operations and facilities, says fans will be spaced apart.
“Patrons will be sitting in every other row,” he said. “We’ll be skipping rows in between, so you’ll have an empty row behind you and an empty row in front of you. With your group of tickets, there will be no more than six together.”
Social distancing measures will also be in place in the concourse.
“For concession lines there will be stickers on the ground saying please follow the 6-foot guidelines,” Morehouse said.
During the weekend, TV broadcasts of other games showed fans in stands without masks on. Morehouse says they will have personnel in the Joan Saturday to make sure fans are keeping their masks on. The only exceptions will be when fans are eating or drinking.
“Just because you have a cold beverage in your hand doesn’t mean you don’t have to wear your mask for a half hour period of time,” Morehouse said. “If you’re taking a drink, have your mask down. Once you set your drink down, please put your mask back up.”
Fayette County native Alexus Ramey will be attending her first game as a Marshall freshman. It certainly won’t be anything like the atmosphere she expected before the pandemic hit, but considering other programs, including WVU, are not allowing any fans in starting out, she’s just grateful she’ll get to be there in person.
“As a student, I just wanted to be there,” she said. “It’s going to be crazy because everyone will be spaced out instead of crowded next to each other.”
Also, tailgating will not be permitted on Marshall lots.
The university can’t stop tailgating on private lots, but Morehouse is encouraging fans who do so to be mindful of social distancing and not get too crowded.
“Follow guidelines set by the state,” he said. “We don’t want to jeopardize the football season over a potential outbreak.”
The game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday and will be televised on ESPN.
Copyright 2020 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
