Auburn football: SEC announces COVID-19 safety guidelines
The SEC has announced various health and safety regulations regarding the 2020 college football season.
Whether or not there will be a 2020 college football season is still very much up in there. However, while there is uncertainty for the future, at the moment, the SEC is still planning to have a season.
The SEC recently announced the full 10-game, conference-only schedule for all 14 of its teams and with the revised season now scheduled to start on September 26, the conference has released various guidelines and rules for the upcoming season.
Perhaps most important among the new guidelines is the fact that the SEC is allowing individual institutions to decide how many fans they will allow into their respective stadiums “in accordance with applicable state and local guidelines, policies and/or regulations.” This could have a major impact on the season as any sort of home-field advantage will likely vary from team to team.
In terms of masks and other face coverings, the SEC will require fans to wear a covering over both the mouth and nose for every game. Fans will also be required to wear masks when entering and leaving the stadium as well as any time they are moving throughout the venue or are unable to any time guests are unable to maintain the recommended physical distance from others who are not in their same household.
Mask requirements go beyond the fans too. All stadium workers and athletic staff will be required to wear face coverings as well.
The SEC guidelines, which have been adopted by all 14 teams in the conference, will also ensure the safety of stadium vendors and concession workers. Along with wearing a face shield and mask, vendors will be protected by a plexiglass barrier at all points of sale.
Various other guidelines regarding concessions have also been put in place like the limiting of condiments and the way vendors serve the concessions to fans.
In an effort to reduce human contact, all tickets will be digitally scanned and fans should maintain social distance from one another while waiting at gates.
While guest shuttles will still be available to bring fans to the stadium, face coverings and social distance will be required to ride and the shuttles will be regularly disinfected.
Perhaps one of the most important guidelines for Auburn is the new rule regarding team walks. The Tiger Walk is one of the biggest traditions at Auburn and the SEC has announced that each team will have the power to decide whether or not a team walk will be permitted. If Auburn does decide to allow the Tiger Walk, all players and institutional staff will be required to wear masks and maintain physical distancing. If that physical distancing is not maintained at all times, team walks may be prohibited.
Multiple guidelines regarding restrooms, suites and tailgating have also been created to ensure the health and safety of fans and workers. You can read the full list of guidelines here.