For much of the year, it’s looked like the reality for the New York Giants and the rest of the teams around the NFL could be a season without fans in the stands. The sports world was expected to be one of the last things to return from pandemic related shutdowns, thanks to its non-essential nature and the potential for viruses to spread in the typical sports environment, but things have been moving somewhat faster than some timelines have predicted.
One thing that could happen sooner than expected is having fans in the stands at NFL games, including the games of the Giants and Jets.
That’s not just blind conjecture, but something that New Jersey governor Phil Murphy hasn’t ruled out yet after speaking with the league.
“I’ve spoken to Roger Goodell, we speak with the Giants and the Jets all the time. I think it’s too early to tell on fans. We’re taking at this point, baby steps and slowly but surely trying to get there beginning with the staffs, the coaches, the players and I think we have to see where it goes from here,” Murphy said to Sports Illustrated.
While this matter is still uncertain, things have been improved enough in New Jersey for the Giants to start opening their facilities in preparation for training camp. Players haven’t shown up yet, but front office staff including Dave Gettleman and some support staff members have shown up so far. With training camp still on by all accounts so far, more will likely show up in the coming days and weeks.
Fans should still expect the atmosphere to be different even if fans are allowed at games, however, because having fans in the stadium is a different story than having a full stadium. Stadiums around the league will almost certainly be under capacity, not for lack of ticket sales but because sports leagues around the world will avoid tightly packed crowds for the time being.
Of course, this is still likely preferable to only being able to watch the games on TV. But at this point in time, it’s not a certainty that there will be anyone in the stands. That will depend on how things develop over the rest of the offseason, and as seen by the adjustments in predictions on the matter, changes don’t always take long to happen.