Navy Football Announces No Fans In Attendance For BYU Game

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk announced that there will be no fans in attendance when Navy hosts the BYU Cougars football team to open the 2020 college football season.

BYU will travel to Annapolis, Maryland to play the Midshipmen on Labor Day, Monday, September 7.

The game will take place at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and will start at 6 p.m. (MDT). It will be broadcast on ESPN and KSL NewsRadio.

“Today, in our judgment, fans in the stands, even socially distanced and with a wide-array of protocols in place, still present a concerning risk for COVID transmission,” Gladchuk announced on Wednesday, August 19.  “We are still optimistic there will be home football games this season where our season ticket holders will be extended the opportunity to personally attend.  Improving conditions may dictate justification to open our gates in a setting with extensive safety protocols being appropriately administered. Every season ticket holder will be provided with information via email in regard to their ticket and attendance options over the next day.”

Attendance Policy Announced for Navy-BYU Football Game:

Full Link: https://t.co/kEnp0caRsO

— Navy Football (@NavyFB) August 19, 2020

BYU and Navy first announced the season-opening game on August 6.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to play the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said of the announcement. “It’s always an honor and a privilege to play against a service academy, like we did annually for many years with Air Force. We first played the Midshipmen in the inaugural Holiday Bowl in 1978. The opportunity to visit Navy’s hallowed campus will be an amazing experience for our football team.”

BREAKING: There will be no fans allowed at @BYUfootball's game against Navy on September 7, according to Navy's AD. #GoCougs

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 19, 2020

The game was announced as part of a two-game series between BYU and the Naval Academy. The second game of the series will be played at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo at a later date that was not yet announced.

The Cougars have played against Navy twice before, with the last meeting taking place in 1989. BYU’s first time playing Navy was in the inaugural Holiday Bowl in 1978. The all-time series is tied at one game apiece.

Last season, Navy posted an 11-2 record and was the West Division co-champion in the American Athletic Conference.

2020 BYU Football Schedule

Earlier on August 19, BYU football announced a new scheduling agreement with another military academy in Army. The Black Knights will host the Cougars on September 19 at West Point.

#BYU makes it official with the Army Black Knights. September 19th in West Point. Cougars are up to five games in 2020.https://t.co/DiclRLOh9i#BYUFootball #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/22ppOehOnn

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 19, 2020

Currently, BYU’s 2020 campaign consists of the following games:

• September 7 @ Navy
• September 19 @ Army
• September 26 vs. Troy
• October 16 vs. Houston
• November 21 vs. Northern Alabama

BYU announced that the Cougars “will announce additional games once finalized.”