Packers president expects NFL season with reduced stadium capacity

With all signs pointing to the NFL and NFL Players Association agreeing to cancel the preseason due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic, Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy nevertheless believes football fans will get a season at some point.

As noted by Darren Rovell of Action Network and the WBAY news staff, Murphy released financial information ahead of Tuesday's annual shareholders meeting. Per Rovell, the NFL revenue share number rose to $296 million per club, up 7.9% from the previous year.

Murphy reportedly added that he's "confident" there will be a season even if fans can't attend games. However, he's not ready to close the Lambeau Field doors just yet.

"I hate to sound like (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director) Dr. Fauci, but we are going to let the pandemic decide for us," Murphy said. "We will monitor locally as well as across the state. In terms of the number of fans, it’s going to be very reduced. Initial estimates will probably be around 10-12,000 seating capacity. So it is very, very reduced.”

In May, Murphy commented that he was hopeful the season could begin on Sept. 10 "with full stadiums." That, however, was before coronavirus cases rose throughout portions of the country.

While the NFL and NFLPA have reportedly agreed to daily coronavirus testing through the first two weeks of training camp sessions, the entities haven't yet signed off on all of the necessary terms for a season completed during the virus outbreak.