Louisiana State University announced Wednesday that all attendance and tailgating restrictions, as well as mask-wearing mandates, pertaining to outdoor sporting events have been lifted.
The move toward normalcy officially takes effect Friday, when the Tigers baseball team hosts Arkansas at 10,326-seat Alex Box Stadium.
“We are excited about the opportunity to welcome our fans back in full force this weekend,” athletic director Scott Woodward said in statement. “This move is another positive step for us a campus and community. I want to thank our fans that have patiently waited and abided by the protocols we had in place since our return to competition in the fall. It’s going to be a great sight to see our fans pack Alex Box Stadium, Tiger Park and Bernie Moore this weekend.”
As reported by ESPN, LSU's announcement comes a day after Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards announced the end of the statewide mask mandate and crowd limitations on outdoor events.
Barring a change in policy between now and the fall, this means LSU's Tiger Stadium could seat as many as 102,321 fans during home football games.
Athletic directors at fellow Southeastern Conference programs Alabama, Georgia and Texas A&M have said they expect to be back to full capacity in the fall, ESPN reported. Meanwhile, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Tennessee athletic director Danny White is urging fans to get vaccinated in the hopes of a "packed Neyland" come September, when the Volunteers open the season with three straight home games at 102,455-seat Neyland Stadium.
