The University of Michigan joined a growing number of schools — including a handful of Big Ten Conference institutions — that have clarified their masking policies as the start of football season approaches.
As reported by All About Ann Arbor, Michigan is expecting full capacity at athletics events this year, including at 107,601-seat Michigan Stadium. There, fans will be encouraged, but not required, to wear face coverings in outdoor areas, such as entry gates, the concourse and in the seating bowl.
Michigan Stadium will require fans to wear face coverings when inside restrooms and M Den retail stores, regardless of vaccination status.
Fans must also wear masks when in an indoor area of the premium club spaces, unless they are actively eating or drinking. Once they are seated in an outdoor section of the club, fans will be allowed to remove their masks, though they are encouraged to continue wearing them.
When fans are in an indoor area or are transitioning to a suite and inside a suite, they must wear face coverings unless they’re actively eating or drinking.
Those policies are similar to those announced by Maryland, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Related: More Colleges Clarify Their Game-Day Protocols
Michigan's guidelines make an additional mention about indoor spaces in that suite owners will be encouraged to keep windows open.
For non-football outdoor sports, face coverings are not currently required for fans, except in restrooms, while masks are required for everyone within campus buildings — such as Cliff Keen Arena and Crisler Center — as well as those using university transit. Indoor spaces within indoor sports venues include restrooms, locker rooms and press boxes.
