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Going by B.C.'s detailed vaccine rollout plan unveiled today, everyone should have a chance to be vaccinated by September so the back half of the season looks good for having fans. Those of us in more vulnerable age groups over age 60 will be vaccinated by June, so it's likely that at least partial attendance can be possible for most of the season. Dr. Bonnie Henry said she’s hopeful that “by the summer we should be able to have some type of our normal lives back again.” She suggested July 1 as a possible target date to remove indoor mask requirements and a ban on social gatherings. The availability of vaccines makes travel and public events much safer this year for many of us.

B.C.FAN wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:22 pm

Going by B.C.'s detailed vaccine rollout plan unveiled today, everyone should have a chance to be vaccinated by September so the back half of the season looks good for having fans. Those of us in more vulnerable age groups over age 60 will be vaccinated by June, so it's likely that at least partial attendance can be possible for most of the season. Dr. Bonnie Henry said she’s hopeful that “by the summer we should be able to have some type of our normal lives back again.” She suggested July 1 as a possible target date to remove indoor mask requirements and a ban on social gatherings. The availability of vaccines makes travel and public events much safer this year for many of us.

I admire your optimism, but I am skeptical. There are a lot of uncertainties and unknowns. As a wise person once said, the best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley.

If the CFL is wiling to play without fans, then something resembling a normal season might be possible. There has been no public sign that they are preparing for this, but perhaps behind closed doors they are still discussing it.

It seems to me that Ambrosie and Bonnie Henry have both rested all of their hopes on the vaccine. Hopefully, for their sake and ours, this works out for them.

Hambone wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:03 pm

maxlion wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:13 am

BC 1988 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:23 am

https://www.cfl.ca/2021/01/22/commissio ... -cfl-fans/
Ambrosie posted an update today. Reading between the lines, he's preparing fans for the likelihood that the season will be delayed due to high COVID counts and slow vaccine rollout.

I agree. It appears that their return to play plans are contingent on having fans in the stands. The likelihood of this being possible by June is extremely low. The best case scenario is playing a few games in the fall. 2022 is more likely if there is still a league around at that time.

They may not know what they'll be able to do for the start of the season in terms of fans in the stands (none, partial or full) until literally the start of the season. Even at that it won't be all teams in the same boat. It's going to depend on the situation at the time in each health jurisdiction. A jurisdiction that is able to get a strong handle on Covid and is rocking it in terms of vaccinations will likely be able to open up to partial or full attendance while other teams will still be locked out. Given the Lions have been using only about 1/3 of the potential capacity of BC Place recently I think they have potential to come up with a feasible plan for partial attendance. Even with 4 people/row (2 on each aisle) the could get upwards of 6000 in the lower bowl alone.

Good points. It's starting to look like BC will end up far ahead of central Canada by June, but that doesn't help the CFL over there. We have one of the two venues to do socially distanced seating in a practical manner (if Provincial Health regulations allow for that possibility by then).

Another variable that might help is the US Government is going to get serious about dealing with the issue in a sane, honest manner (as per Dr. Fauci's comments). Because of this, the opening of the border is starting to look like a realistic possibility.

I think as long as the indicators in May point to being able to have limited fans fairly early in the season they will be willing to start on schedule with empty stands in some or all locations. I don't think they will hold everything back waiting for all teams being able to have fans.

I think we can learn a lot from NFL stadia that allowed physically-distanced fans. Did they do contact tracing and if so, any Covid cases reported from those attending?

Also, how many fans were allowed, how they were spread out, how turnstiles/concessions/bathrooms operated would all be part of the fact-finding process if I am the CFL or the Lions. This could then be put in a detailed report to the Provincial Health Officer(s).


DH

Ambrosie still going on about the global initiative makes me think the CFL is working on behalf of TSN with that one. Looking for players in Sweden and Japan doesn't make sense.

CFL is already tied up with TSN for an extended period at an incredibly TSN friendly deal. Follow the money back to Bell Media. Squeezing players is their solution to everything.

CFL wasn't always that way.

David wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 23, 2021 1:10 pm

I think we can learn a lot from NFL stadia that allowed physically-distanced fans. Did they do contact tracing and if so, any Covid cases reported from those attending?

Also, how many fans were allowed, how they were spread out, how turnstiles/concessions/bathrooms operated would all be part of the fact-finding process if I am the CFL or the Lions. This could then be put in a detailed report to the Provincial Health Officer(s).


DH

This article is from early in the season so by no means current. It reflects plans for the start of the season. Several teams either opened to limited fans as the season went on or increased their limited capacities. Within the article are many links to further information from the teams that helps show their ticket allocation plans and other protocols.

https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nfl/new ... jblowr4xfj

To answer the question re: Covid cases reported if I recall there were some at KC's first game but I don't recall any others.

I always was curious about how they would police fans trying to move to empty seats. Simple answer from one article was that seats that will be off limits would have the seat zap-strapped to the seatback rendering them "unsittable".

Turnstiles are pretty much things of the past. One link indicated no bags allowed in period, not even the clear ones that have become the norm in most stadiums and arenas to allow security to easily see the contents. I'd assume lady's purses would be the only exception. Much seems to be about reducing contact upon entry and reducing movement through the concourses. KC indicated the stadium would be broken into zones with fans having to enter the stadium at the gate/zone specified on the ticket. For example I typically enter BC Place from the Terry Fox Plaza area then walk around the concourse from 212 or 216 to get to my section 242 which is almost on the exact opposite side from where I come in. On the KC plan I'd have to walk around the outside of the stadium and enter it from a gate near 242.

One link talked about concessions being "touch-less" which could include card only or tap, no cash.

Bathrooms could be not unlike many washrooms we see where every second urinal is bagged off or otherwise made unusable. It shouldn't be a huge issue to reduce bathroom capacity by 50% if stadiums are down to 25%. I'd think any stadium would need to have washroom attendants constantly keeping surfaces as clean as possible.

I think we're all now so accustomed to those social distancing stickers on the floors to help encourage spacing in lineups to the point we're pretty much now in the habit of keeping distance between ourselves and others in any queues. Whether we're 6' back or breathing down the neck of the person in front of us we don't get to the front of the line any faster.

Heres what I think might hsppen trasining camps will start in late July with playerts allowed tocome to Canada and quarantine in the training camps. Then games with some social distancing protoicals will begind in mid september annd by noiv 1 it will be full houseds because of the successful vaccinations of Canadians. Be optimistic its better than the negative stuff that we are surrounded with.

Brave talk from Ambrosie today

Herb Zurkowsky on talk about MTL returning to the Big Owe in the event of socially distanced attendance being allowed.

Rock LeLacheur addressed the return to play plans in a Zoom town hall meeting with season ticketholders on Tuesday. (There also was lots of other interesting football talk from Rick Campbell, Neil McEvoy and Mike Reilly. See link below.)

LeLacheur said the plan is to play an 18-game season even if they have to start late but they’ll play a shorter season if necessary. He said it would be hard for the league to play a full season without fans but suggested they could play the first few games without fans and then open up seating when allowed. He said season ticketholders will be getting a letter soon outlining plans and asking if people have special seating requests in the event that social distancing is required.

https://www.bclions.com/2021/02/18/quot ... town-hall/

With access to the entire BC Place seating, the building could easily accommodate 15-20k socially distanced fans...wait that is pretty close to a pre Covid crowd .

Dave Naylor pours cold water over Ambrosie's assertion that the CFL "will play a full season" . Maybe Ambrosie is thinking of starting the season in September and finishing in February?

Seems problematic social distancing while lining up to get into BC Place, line up for Concessions, bathrooms. Also, for those whose families are not football fans, explaining to your significant other that you are going to the game and putting the family at risk (FUD or not) to watch the game is a hard sell, especially if large gathering at other events (Casino, Hockey games, etc) are still a no go.

If most Canadians are vaccinated by Sept. (I doubt it but what do I know?) Then the CFL could start and play a shortened season.