SEC announces that fans must wear face masks in stadiums this season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Southeastern Conference unveiled health and safety guidelines for fans attending football games this season, including that face coverings must be worn while in stadiums.

The decision on whether tailgating will be allowed will be determined by the local school that is hosting the game. State and local restrictions will determine if fans will be allowed to attend games and how many are permitted in the stadium.

“These fan guidelines have been adopted by the 14 member schools of the Southeastern Conference as baseline recommendations for the campus management of fan health and safety,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.

“Although local and state guidelines will determine if and how many fans can attend games, these guidelines provide conference-wide expectations for protection of guests who are able to attend our games.”

Among the many other guidelines listed, the SEC also said that plexiglass barriers should be installed at points of sale such as concession and merchandise stands, digital tickets are required and schools can decide if team walks are permitted that allow athletes to come into contact with fans on their walk to the stadium.

For a complete list of guidelines, see here.


About the Author:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.