Yahoo Finance In announcing ticket policy, Michigan acknowledges there may not be a college football season
In announcing its football ticketing policy for 2020, the University of Michigan athletic department acknowledged the elephant in the room: There may not be a college football season.
In a press release sent out Wednesday morning, the university said “if U-M is able to have a 2020 football season,” Michigan Stadium will feature either a reduced capacity or no fans at all due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A final decision on capacity, the school said, will be made at a later date and done so in consultation with medical experts, university and conference leadership, and government officials.
If U-M is able to have a 2020 football season, the capacity of Michigan Stadium will be reduced, or games could be held without fans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
FULL DETAILS » https://t.co/KLJAmXGHmy— Michigan Athletics (@UMichAthletics) July 15, 2020
The acknowledgment — the fact that the word “if” was included — reflects the ever-increasing pessimism surrounding the prospects of the 2020 college football season beginning on time or even taking place at all. While conferences across the lower levels of college athletics are suspending or outright canceling fall sports, the Big Ten and Pac-12 have moved to conference-only schedules. Meanwhile, the three other power conferences (ACC, Big 12 and SEC) crossed their fingers and continue to kick their respective decisions about football and other fall sports down the road.
Perhaps a push to the spring will be the solution. Whatever happens, Michigan laid out a ticketing blueprint that you’ll likely see from other universities in the coming weeks.
Michigan will not have season tickets for football for the 2020 season. If it is possible to have any fans at football games, tickets for those games “will be sold on an individual game basis with sales limited to current season ticket-holders and students.” All ticketing will be done via mobile platform with details to be announced “once a decision on playing with or without fans is finalized,” the school said.
Tickets will not be sold to the general public. For Michigan season ticket-holders, their seat locations will roll over to the 2021 season.
"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," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. "We will follow the direction that all of these agencies and experts continue to provide during this challenging time."
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