Kim Pegula optimistic more fans will be allowed at Bills games in 2021

The Buffalo Bills were unable to host fans during the 2020 regular season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, they hosted a limited number of fans for their home playoff games, and Bills owner Kim Pegula is optimistic that more spectators will be allowed to attend in 2021.

"I think it will be better than this year, which was obviously zero, but maybe not quite back to where it was a few years ago," Pegula said during a fan question-and-answer session on the team podcast, according to The Buffalo News. "I do think the vaccine, the testing piece will be a critical role into how fans get back into the stadium and whether or not it will be full capacity. We also realize, even if we are allowed to have fans, some fans might not be comfortable coming back yet into a large event with a larger crowd.

"It's going to be limited. As the season progresses and as the vaccine becomes more mainstream, I think that will help us back to those years where we had sellouts."

The 2021 NFL season opener is still months away, and plenty could change by that point. 

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that the state's sports venues could reopen at 10% capacity later this month. If all goes well, capacity limits could increase as we head into the summer months. 

Fans who attend games will be required to produce a negative PCR test, wear a mask, socially distance and be temperature checked. That will likely be the "new normal" as spectators begin to return to stadiums across the country.