Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Dolphins, University of Miami to allow fans to home openers

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Aug 24, 2020 2:44 PM ET

The Miami Dolphins are moving forward with plans to welcome spectators to at least the team's home opener and the University of Miami's football home opener held at Hard Rock Stadium amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Per the Dolphins and the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), a maximum of 13,000 fans will be allowed to attend Miami's home game against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 20 and the Sept. 10 contest between the Miami Hurricanes and UAB.

Arrivals and exits to the venue will be staggered, and fans will be kept socially distant while in their seats. Masks or other face coverings will be mandatory when spectators aren't actively eating and drinking. Areas throughout the stadium will be contactless to help avoid the spread of the virus.

Throughout @HardRockStadium, we have signage to promote social distancing wherever lines may form. pic.twitter.com/a35aTriAkn
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2020

All fans will have the option to order food through the Dolphins app and receive SMS notifications when their order is ready to be picked up. pic.twitter.com/6Ebr0sq1eW
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2020

To ensure social distancing in the seating bowl, @HardRockStadium now has socially distanced seating clusters. pic.twitter.com/s8v7o1mLU3
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2020

All restrooms in @HardRockStadium now have contactless toilets and faucets. pic.twitter.com/G77k8JfRXd
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2020

At least 15 NFL teams won't allow customers into stadiums for Week 1 games because of the uncontrolled virus outbreak. Per the AP, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott isn't in favor of different clubs playing in varying home-field environments.

"I think it's honestly ridiculous that there will be on the surface what appears to be a playing field that's like that, inconsistently across the league with the different away stadiums," McDermott said.

The Bills currently intend on hosting opponents behind closed doors and without fans in attendance.

Major League Baseball isn't allowing fans inside ballparks for in-market contests this summer.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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