Vanderbilt reverses course on 2020 home attendance
As the 2020 season got underway, Vanderbilt was the only SEC school that planned on not having any fans in the stands due to COVID-19 concerns. The conference’s other schools would allow limited fans and follow social-distancing measures.
Now, Vanderbilt has slightly reversed course. For the Commodores’ home opener against LSU on Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium, there will be limited student attendance, as announced by the school on Monday.
“As part of our ongoing efforts, we’ve decided to allow a very limited number of Vanderbilt students to attend the Oct. 3 game and cheer on our student-athletes,” vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director Candice Storey Lee said in a statement. “This is a small step toward normalcy based on guidance from our public health partners, but we are not taking it lightly. We will work to ensure the health and safety of the Vanderbilt community as much as possible.”
Vanderbilt announced that masks will be required and some services, such as concessions, will “not be activated to limit movement within the stadium.” It also said that senior undergraduate students would be given first priority to attend.
The Commodores will be looking to bounce back after losing at Texas A&M in their season opener this past Saturday. But they’ll have a tough task going up against LSU, the defending national champions which will also be aiming to rebound from a season-opening loss.
Vanderbilt and LSU are set to kick off Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.