The University of Michigan athletic department announced Wednesday that if football returns to Michigan Stadium this fall, tickets will be sold only to students and season-ticket holders. No single-game tickets will be sold to the general public.
As reported by The Detroit News, Michigan Stadium capacity will be reduced or games could be held without fans as the Big Ten readies for a conference-only football scheduling format. If Michigan were to play today, there would be no fans allowed because of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to extend the state of emergency through Aug. 11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“How many fans we’ll have in the stadium? I can tell you it won’t be normal,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel told reporters last month. “We won’t have 110,000 people in Michigan Stadium this year. Will it be 50 percent or 30 percent or 20 percent or 10 or zero, I’m not sure. That will be a combination of listening to our public health officials knowing what our stadium capacity can handle given the direction that is put out by the governor’s office. It all depends.”
There will be no season tickets this fall, but seat locations for season-ticket holders will be in place for 2021. If fans are allowed at any sporting event at Michigan this season, all ticketing will be conducted on a mobile platform.
“We have been working closely with a wide variety of leaders to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our student-athletes, coaches, fans and support staff associated with a game at Michigan Stadium," Manuel said in a statement released Wednesday. "We will follow the direction that all of these agencies and experts continue to provide during this challenging time."
