The NFL is making plans to open its stadiums to full capacity for the 2021 season, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after the first day of a two-day virtual meeting of owners, Goodell said: “All of us in the NFL want to see every one of our fans back. Football is simply not the same without fans, and we expect to have full stadiums in the upcoming season.”
Some of that expectation is based on factors beyond the NFL’s control.
During the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, individual teams in conjunction with state and local regulations determined maximum attendance. The NFL will need local municipalities to sign off on attendance plans in order to fully open up their stadiums for 2021.