How 2000 spectators in stadium rule will work
Up to 2000 footy fans will be allowed into stadiums from this weekend. If you’re lucky enough to be one of them, this is what the event will look like.
QLD News
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FOOTY fans will be able to cheer from the stands with a pie and beer under new COVID-safe regulations on the return to sports stadiums.
Crowds will be capped at 2000 from this weekend as part of a welcome return to live sport for starved football fans.
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At Suncorp Stadium, which will host a Gold Coat Titans match on Saturday, 1700 fans will be able to sit in the main grandstands - in socially-distant and pre-allocated seats with about 300 corporate guests to be catered for in suites.
Fans will be assigned to designated zones, which will all include food and drink stands as well as toilet facilities.
There had initially been fears about the operation of catering and drink services, but they will open with COVID rules governing lines and spaces between customers.
Kiosks will accept only cashless payments.
Suncorp Stadium boss Alan Graham said people would need to cooperate with regulations to ensure there are no further setbacks.
“We need people to buy in to the rules if this is going to work,” he said.
“This is a step in the right direction but it could go backwards again very quickly.
“So we’re asking people to be patient, be mindful of other guests and social distancing and if you’re not well or displaying symptoms, don’t come.”
He said the onus would be on people to do the right thing as security guards could not personally police all COVID regulations.
“Whether there’s 2000 people or 50,000, you can’t be everywhere ensuring that people are keeping their distance,” he said.
“That’s why we need people to take on some of the responsibility themselves.”
Exact seating configurations are still being determined, but it is understood every second row would be off limits with spaces to be allotted between different groups of fans to adhere to social distancing.
Discussions are also ongoing about whether fans would be restricted to one side of the ground or scattered around different pockets, with TV broadcasters eager for fans to be visible on the side opposite major camera positions.
Queensland’s professional clubs across all major codes are still determining how they will allocate the 2000 seats through their members and corporate supporter base.
Originally published as How 2000 spectators in stadium rule will work