Gov. Murphy announces limited number of fans will be allowed at professional games

The governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, announced Monday on WFAN with Moose an Maggie that beginning on March 1, sports and entertainment venues with more than 5,000 seats can admit people up to 10 percent or 15 percent capacity, meaning that the New York Giants will be able to host fans at MetLife Stadium in the 2021 season.

“On March 1, any venue that has indoor sports or indoor entertainment, we’re going to allow 10 percent capacity for folks to intend and if its outdoors, 15 percent,” Murphy said. “For both of these events, everyone has to do the stuff that we are used to these days. Face coverings, social distancing. If you bought your tickets together, you can sit together. But otherwise, we’re going to stay away from each other. God willing, this is the first step of many more to come in the coming months.”

MetLife Stadium has a capacity of 82,500. Fifteen percent of that is 12,375, though it is still unclear if that number includes stadium workers, members of the media, etc.

The last time the Giants played a home game in front of fans was when they hosted the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 29, 2019.

The Giants were one of about 12 teams to never host fans during the 2020 season. Of their NFC East counterparts, the Dallas Cowboys hosted fans in a limited capacity and the Washington Football Team tried hosting fans at one of its games before reverting back to an empty stadium. The Philadelphia Eagles did not host any fans last season.

The announcement marks a significant step in the re-opening of the state of New Jersey which has all but banned large gatherings up to this point.