Beaver Stadium will be devoid of fans if the 2020 college football season is held. Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State football won't allow fans due to coronavirus pandemic

One day after the Big Ten unveiled plans for a college football season scheduled to begin amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic, the Penn State Nittany Lions announced that fans will not be welcomed to Beaver Stadium this fall.

In the official school statement, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour said:

"As of today, the current large group gatherings guidance from the Governor's office limits capacity to 250 people for outside events and 25 people for inside events. Therefore, under the current conditions and current state orders, our fall sports events would be conducted without fans in the general seating areas of our facilities. We continue to work with the Governor's office to discuss, and possibly be prepared for the opportunity to have spectators at our fall Penn State sporting events."Despite the current state orders, we continue to refine our plans to welcome Nittany Lion fans, should the conditions and orders be revised to accommodate spectators at events. These plans will have the safety and wellbeing of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans and community at the forefront. Let me be clear; we will only enact these plans should the orders currently in place by the Governor and the PA Department of Health accommodate such activity based on conditions and public health advice."

Barbour also touched upon the financial losses Penn State will endure: 

"Regardless of whether we play or don't play, our revenue losses will be in the high eight figures, reaching nine figures in the case of no competition."

PSU football season ticket holders can convert their purchases into tax-deductible donations, shift tickets to the 2021 campaign or request full refunds.

Currently, Penn State is scheduled to open the season at home versus Northwestern on Sept. 5.

Players around the Big Ten have formed a unity group that used The Players' Tribune to declare demands regarding their safety if they agree to play during the uncontrolled virus outbreak. 

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