Holmoe: If Football Started Today, BYU Would Have Reduced Number Of Fans At Games

PROVO, Utah – Will BYU football fans be able to attend games at LaVell Edwards Stadium this fall? It’s a question that many Cougar fans are wondering if a season is able to take place amid COVID-19.

Holmoe said #BYU is looking at scenarios that involve a "reduced number of fans" at LaVell Edwards Stadium this fall. (Assuming there is a season.)#BYUFootball @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) July 20, 2020

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe discussed what fan attendance could look like this fall on BYUtv’s BYU Sports Nation on Monday in a “State of the Program” address. Which was originally intended to be part of BYU Football Media Day and has since been postponed.

“Right now because of the state of Utah and their status for the state, it’s in a position where it’s open right now. It’s not green, it’s in a yellow position. They have green, yellow, orange, red, and we’ve been through all the sequences except for red thank goodness. But right we’re planning contingencies for all of those,” said Holmoe.

“If we were to open and play tomorrow, we would probably be in a situation where it would be a reduced number of fans. And we’ve worked through all the various scenarios of who, what groups or constituencies and the percentages of each, and where they would sit in the stadium to be safe with social distancing in mind with everything and their health in mind for the people in the stands, as well as the people that are there serving them as staff.”

BYU Tickets have sent out multiple surveys to fans asking them a variety of questions for the upcoming football season. Including a survey that focuses on scenarios involving a “reduced seating capacity.” Another survey centered around the importance of certain safety protocols to fans who are potentially attending games this season.

State and local governments play a significant role in college football returning this fall, as Holmoe mentioned. Utah Governor Gary Herbert issued a challenge to citizens in the state of Utah to get a 7-day rolling average of COVID-19 cases below 500. The last seven days dating back to July 13th have produced an average of 611 cases per day in the state with 5,643 tests taking place per day in that time frame.

BYU was originally supposed to open the 2020 home football schedule against Michigan State in Provo on September 12th. But with the Big Ten going to a Conference-Only schedule, the Cougars next scheduled home game as of right now is October 2nd against in-state rival Utah State.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.